In May 1918 our daughter Bernice went to Springfield, Missouri and took a government civil service examination, visiting her uncle Eugene Lindsey and family while in Springfield. In August following her examination she received an official report informing her that she had passed a satisfactory examination, and had been awarded a clerical position in one of the federal government departments in Washington, D.C. She departed at once for the national capital, stopping en route at Springfield, Missouri to visit her uncle Eugene Lindsey and family. While at her uncle Eugene’s hone, she saw and spent a short time with her sister Inez, who with her babe had come to their uncle's from her home in Hermitage to see Bernice, who she had heard would be in Springfield at that time. After a short visit there, Bernice continued her journey, arrived at her destination September first, 1918, and began work at once in the Bureau of War Risk Insurance. Then in October of that year she had an attack of influenza and was very ill, but under the efficient treatment of Dr. John E. Walsh, she recovered in about two weeks and returned to work. We had been exceedingly uneasy about her after hearing of her illness and were greatly relieved when we were informed of her recovery.

Then in November 1918, Nelle and Irene also went to Washington, D. C. in order to be with Bernice and, if possible, obtain employment. In a short time Nelle got a position with The Natalie Company, manufacturers of children’s hand made clothing, and Irene attended the Burrough’s Adding Machine Company School, and after her graduation was employed by the Jelliff Mercantile Company.

After our daughter Inez and family and her aunt Mattie Coon returned home after their visit with us in October, 1918, we received several letters from her, and she said they were well. The last one we ever received from her she said that on the previous Sunday night they had attended church in Hermitage and that the young folks were so glad to see her and her baby, and told about how smart the child was and related several things it could do.

Then a little later, we had a letter from Harry stating that they all had the influenza; that Josephine was better, he had an abscess in his head and that Inez was still in bed. We heard nothing more for a few days, then received a telegram with the words "Inez is very low, come." I was getting ready to take the next train for Weaubleau, the nearest railroad station to Hermitage, when another telegram was received announcing the sad news of our dear daughter’s death.

I would have gone to Hermitage to attend her funeral and burial, but my poor diseased wrecked, grief stricken wife was almost prostrated by our sudden sad bereavement, and I felt that it was best for me to stay with her and try to comfort her in the time of the most heart rending trouble of our lives. Nor could Mary, our only daughter then at home, go to pay the last tribute of love to her dear deceased sister, as her constant attention was needed by her helpless sorrowing mother.

Inexpressibly sad was the realization that without the presence of her parents, brother or sisters at her bedside, in the prime of life, with the prospect of many happy years of life, she succumbed to the great destroyer, made the supreme sacrifice and passed from the scenes of earth to the great beyond. She gave her dear life in an effort to save the life of her precious babe, who was also afflicted with the same dreadful malady. We were overwhelmed with grief and bemoaned the unfortunate condition of our affairs which caused our absence from our loved one when her earthly life was ended in death. We were consoled, though by the thought that though her disease stricken body lay silent in the tomb her pure spirit had entered into that beautiful land, the home of the soul. She had gone to that rest, which is prepared for the children of God.

From the time she was a small child, Inez was an exceptionally affectionate and very generous person, always gladly sharing her possessions with others and contributing to the pleasure and comfort of many of her friends and associates. She was a kind, dutiful daughter, faithful wife and model, affectionate young mother, always tenderly and lovingly caring for her babe and finally yielding up her life for it.

When we lived in New Mexico she became a member of the Methodist Church, and after we returned to Missouri joined the Methodist Church there by letter, but after marriage she united with the Christian Church, of which her husband was a member and lived a consistent Christian life. She was a member of the Hermitage chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, under whose auspices her burial was conducted. Her mortal remains were tenderly laid away in the Hermitage cemetery.

There is an incident, that I overlooked stating in its proper order, which occurred in the year 1916 while we still lived on the farm and owned the little mare we had shipped from West Plains to Gentry, and after she had made her run away from the farm to town previously related. One day Irene and I went to Siloam Springs, a town about seven miles from Gentry, in the buggy and driving the litte mare. All went well until on returning home and near Gentry a man approached us walking with a long scantling on his shoulder, and she became frightened and in spite of my efforts to prevent, turned square around in the road. Just as she turned, Irene jumped out of the buggy, landing safely. No sooner had she jumped out than the buggy being turned so short around turned over, and I was thrown on my back to the ground, shocking me very severely, but not injuring me seriously.

When the buggy turned over the traces of the mare's harness became unhitched from the shafts of the buggy, and being free from the vehicle the mare ran rapidly in the direction from which we had been coming, but she had not gone very far until some men surrounded and caught her and one of them kindly brought her to town; and as the shafts of the buggy were broken and rendered unfit for use, Irene and I walked home, I leading the mare. In a few days afterward I exchanged her for another animal. It was very fortunate that Irene made her safe jump from the buggy. Had she not done so she might have been killed or seriously injured. And it was a miracle almost, that I escaped without any serious injury.

In the month of January, 1919, Nelle and Irene both had the influenza, but their cases were milder than that of Bernice the previous fall, and although they were quite ill, under the skillful treatment of Dr. J. E. Walsh, they soon recovered and were able to resume work.

Chapter twenty-four continued...