Obituary

Miss Flora E. Blakeslee, daughter and only child of John W. and Elizabeth Blakeslee, of York, departed this life for the better world on Tuesday, Oct. 18th, 1881, aged 24 years, 5 rnonths and 12 days. Thus has gone out the light of a happy home where she was the cherished object of affection and the companion and joy of her parents to an unusual degree. But while in her home and in the immediate circle of relations she was best appreciated, yet Flora, by her uniformly happy and vivacious disposition, made friends among all ages and in every circle of society, and her death has brought sorrow to every family in the community. She was baptized and united with the York Baptist church in March, 1874. maintaining ever since a consistent Christian life; she was also a faithful teacher in the Sunday school and its organist for several years. While anxious to live for the sake of her parents and the Christian work in which she delighted, she had no fear of death, and peacefully fell asleep in Jesus. Her pastor will miss an appreciative hearer, the church, a sister ready for every good work, the Sunday school, an earnest teacher, and all, a genial friend and companion. The funeral services, at her late home on the 20th, were unusually solemn and impressive, and the many beautiful floral offerings as well as the uncontrollable grief of the large assembly testified to the high place she held in the esteem and affection of all. Her pastor spoke with much feeling from the words "Her sun is gone down while it was yet day," (Jer. xv, 9), and the choir, with whom Flora's voice had so often joined, sang appropriate selections most impressively. On Sunday, the 23d inst., the seat where she had taught in the Sunday school, and the organ where she had so long led the songs of praise, were draped in mourning, and tears flowed afresh as the Superintendent touchingly referred to the great loss which the school had sustained. Of her may be spoken with truth the words of the poet Halleck: "None knew thee but to love thee, None named thee but to praise."