Hampton News

Miller's block on 'C' street is nearing completion. F. L. Bristol is installing the plumbing.

The ladies of the Beach held their first supper and social on Tuesday evening.

Frank Bristol's Sales department has disposed of I. S. Jones' auto. It was purchased by Frank Jones of the Beach.

The regular meeting of the H.B.F.D. was held Wednesday with good attendance. The Hampton Village department is also beginning to wake up.

Mr. and Mrs. Howard G. Lane attended a meeting in New Hampton last week and also the funeral of the Rev. J. L. Smith in Auburn, Me., on Wednesday.

The funeral of Mrs. John A. Ross was postponed from Monday until Tuesday because of the bad storm. Friends who came to the funeral on Monday and could not remain overnight were her nieces, Mrs. Alice Cooper, Miss Elizabeth Todd of Boston, Miss Edith Peabody of Princeton, Me., a nephew, Stephen Peabody of Chicago, a student at Harvard, a friend, Miss Mabel Burns of Boston, and Hon. Clarence French of Waltham.

Miss Flora B. Denton, a very excellent trained nurse of Haverhill, is contemplating taking up her residence in Hampton where she is so much needed.

Mrs. Caroline Howe is not as well as she has been since her attack of pneumonia.

Mrs. E. D. Berry is now in Somerville visiting her sister, Mrs. Chipman. Mrs. Berry expects to return to Hampton soon for a short time, then will spend the remainder of the winter with her sister in Kensington.

Mrs. Frank L. Bristol is visiting in Boston this week. Mr. Bristol was in that city Tuesday and returned with a late model Ford car.

George W. Godfrey had a peculiar accident on Saturday last. He was on Orlando Blake's sled, when another sled, in passing, slewed on the ice and caught George's leg between the sleds, breaking one bone in the leg above the ankle. He was attended by Dr. Smith and is doing well.

In the list of deaths published last week the name of Morrill Coffin was omitted. He died and was buried on the same day as Lewis P. Nudd.

The many friends of Miss Helen A. Watson are glad to hear that she is some better. Much sympathy is felt for her and all the friends who were so sadly afflicted in the deaths of her brother, Mr. George Watson and wife. They were estimable people and had many friends in Hampton.

Add address will be given in the town hall, under the auspices of Winnicummett Council, No. 3, Jr. O.U.A.M., by the Hon. William H. Jeffrey of Vermont on Saturday evening, Jan. 15, 1916, at 8 o'clock, the subject to be "What is Our Duty to America during the Present European Crisis?" The general public is cordially invited. Admission, free.

Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Johnson of Waltham, Mass., were recent guests of Mrs. Johnson's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Towle.

Mrs. Adelaide Sleeper, of Rye, was in town one day this week.

The community was shocked on Saturday morning to hear of the sudden death of Mrs. Louise T. Ross from pneumonia. Mrs. Ross was never of a robust constitution and of late it has been evident to her family and friends that it was only with the utmost care, could she be spared to them, and so her son, William T. Ross, and wife had taken up their residence with her and Mr. Ross for the winter. In the spring they were going to their son's home for a permanent residence. The family realized from the first that the illness was serious, and no pains were spared to save the dear one. Dr. Nute of Exeter was called twice in consultation with Dr. Fernald, and a skilled trained nurse from Haverhill worked quickly and faithfully, but the disease was too firmly seated, and she passed away peacefully Saturday morning.

Mrs. Ross was born in Milltown, N. B., July 14, 1837, the daughter of William and Clarissa (Hill) Todd. On May 23, 1860, she was married to Rev. John A. Ross, who with three children, William T. Ross, of Hampton; Ellen R. Campbell, of Holyoke, Mass.; and John R. Ross, Jr., of Potsdam, N. Y., survive the loss of a faithful wife and a devoted, loving mother.

Mrs. Ross was a woman of culture and enjoyed only the best in literature, music, home and society. She was a lady in the highest sense of that word. The distinctively womanly was so much a part of her that she shrank from the unwomanly in the manner or speech of others, as one shrinks from a discord in music. Her gentle ways and feminine qualities were no part of a negative character. She had a positive stamp of her own, which she left on whatever she did. Those who worked with her in places of responsibility discovered that she was wise and clear headed planner and in her quiet way a leader. Whatever she saw was her duty, she did with cheerful fidelity and only serious indisposition kept her from her place in church and in the prayer meeting. She was educated in Pittsfield and Worcester, Mass., and was an exceptional Latin scholar.

Mrs. Ross was president of the Missionary Society for ten years, and all remember how carefully her programs were planned and executed, and with what pleasing dignity she presided at the meetings. Although not able to attend the meetings during the last few years, she has always remained a member, and ever interested to hear of the minutest detail of its work. She was a faithful co-worker with her husband in pastoral duties, ever ready with sympathy for pain or sorrow, and a generous supporter of the church in all of its activities.

Mrs. Ross loved her home and made its atmosphere refined and beautiful by her high ideals of wife, mother and friend. All who saw her there felt her charm, and everyone was met with a smile and most gracious welcome, and it was her greatest pleasure to make their visits happy and comfortable, often overtaxing her strength in her generous efforts. If she had a fault, it consisted in over generosity the utter forgetfulness of self.

Back of all that Mrs. Ross was and did, was a firm Christian faith, and from this strong source of support came an unusual fortitude in bearing pain and few ever heard her utter a complaint. The passing of this gracious refined but strong woman, has left an aching void in the hearts of those who loved her.

The funeral service held in the church Tuesday was as she would have wished. The only music was soft strains from the organ and the singing of three of her favorite hymns, "Rock of Ages," "Lead Kindly Light," and "Nearer My God to Thee." The scriptures were read by Rev. Mr. Sanderson and the prayer was offered by Rev. W. H. Sterns. Flowers in rich profusion were sent by relatives and friends which made the church beautiful and cheerful, but the only ones about the casket was a bunch of lilies of the valley, which she particularly loved. Her faithfulness to high ideals, her inspiring influence, her unfailing sympathy are a cherished inheritance to her children. The bearers were Charles M. Batchelder, Ernest G. Cole, Hugh Brown, and Oliver H. Godfrey, and the internment was made in Hampton cemetery.

It is with the deepest sadness that we learn of the death of Rev. J. L. Smith, as we had all hoped that a life of usefulness might be spared where it was so much needed; yet could Mr. Smith speak he would tell us that God knoweth best and had called him home to work. Mr. Smith had not been well for several years but it was only this summer that his family knew that he had been stricken with a malignant growth in the stomach. Believing that an operation would bring health, Mr. Smith decided to take this chance only to find that the disease was too deep seated for an operation, and dear Mr. Smith could not recover. Mr. Smith came to Hampton two years ago and it is seldom that a man makes the record for absolute uprightness and pleasing personality that he did. Added to this was his ability as a sermonizer and the emphatic delivery which made him one of the finest speakers in the state.

Mr. Smith had the respect of all the people, because they knew him to be honest, honorable and true to his convictions, and he won the love of those with whom he was more intimately connected. Mr. Smith was loyal to his village and a firm, consistent believer in progress, both in the natural and spiritual world. His wonderful address on Memorial Day must live forever in the hearts and minds of all who heard it. In short, he was a true, loyal Christian man, never doing anything inconsistent with his profession. The funeral was held in Auburn, Me., on Wednesday.

On Thursday evening, Jan. 6th, Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Coffin very pleasantly entertained a small party of friends at whist, after which a dainty lunch of salad, sandwiches, frozen pudding, cake and coffee were served by the hostess. Those present were Senator and Mrs. Perkins, Mr. and Mrs. L. Frank Stevens and Mr. and Mrs. Edward B. Towle.