THE LATE MRS. HIRST.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 210, 11 September 1901, Page 2

THE LATE MRS. HIRST.

Notwithstanding the heavy downpour of rain which Ml without: intermission on Tuosiay aft rnoon there was a Urge assemblage of relat and friet.ds to fol'ow to their last resting plate theremains of the late Mrs. Hiist. The cortpgfl was met at the mortuary chapel at Te Henui by the Vicar, the Rev. F. Q. Evans, and several of the members of St. Mary's choir, together with Mr. Fletcher, During the impressive and solemn service the scene in the chapel was of a most touching nature owing to (he presence of so many ladif s whose sombre at'.ire wns accentuated by the lovely fl ral rilmtes which noo-tof them carried. The. Vicar in his bright, yet earnest address, ri ferred to the loving peaceful and p<a f e-making nature of the dt'eeased lady whose life and example was truly beautiful and Christ like, and on who-e many virtues he framed an exhortation to those present. It was evident that the kindly words t uched his hearers very deeply and the bowed heads of all present attested to the reverence iu which the deceased lady was ht Id. Before the c ffia was borne forth more than one of those prtseDt was overcome with emotion, and into the singing rif " Abide with Me " (the favourite hymn of the Ute Mrs. Hirst) was introduced an element of devoutness which ivae the more striking owing to its rarity The mourners then slowly followed the coffin to the grave and the final portion of the service was read amidst an almost painful hu»h, and so was laid at rest all that was mortal of her who for nearly a century had taken part in the affairs of this life.