DEPLORABLE ACCIDENT

---

One of the saddest and most shocking events we hve ever been called on to cronicle is the death of Miss Mary Frierson, by drowning, which occurred last Sunday evening about 4 o'clock, as the happy excursionists were nearing home.

Last week we spoke of the departure of the gay party for their Okeechobee trip, which had been one of the most enjoyable excursions, nothing whatever occurring to mar the perfect happiness of the party, until within two and a half miles from home, their excessive joy was turned into the most intense anguish by the terrible accident which resulted in the death of sweet Mary Frierson.  She and her father, Mr.Taylor Frierson, were playing and in running to make her escape from him, either by the force of motion or accidental tripping she fell over the edge of the boat, which is not railed in and struck several feet out into the river.  Her father immediately sprang in after her, but the rapid progress of the boat had carried him a few feet below her, and it was not until she had sunk twice that he reached her, and when he did she grasped him so frantically about the neck that he was unable to swim a stroke, and they went down together.  When he loosened her grip he caught her hair in his teeth and tried again to swim, and thus the poor father struggled for the life of his child until so overcome by exhaustion that he would have lost his own life had not the timely aid of Capt. J.F. Menge reached him.  The captain had jumped into the little skiff-boat and gone to the rescue as fast as possible, but when he came to the strugglers Mary had gone to the bottom and Mr. Frierson was unconscious, but in his desperation he overturned the boat and almost drowned Capt. Menge.  The captain, however, is strong and an expert swimmer, and by almost superhuman effort succeeded in putting Mr. Frierson on the up-turned boat.  Mr. Connie Menge, who was at the engine, immediately reversed and backed the steamer so that ropes were thrown out and the exhausted men brought aboard.  It was some time before Mr. Frierson was restored to consciousness, not until they reached town, where they immediately came for aid and for small boats, nets and grappling hooks to search for the lost body.

It is impossible to imagine the dispair (sic) of the poor mother who was an eye witness to it all.  May the Heavenly Father's benediction descend upon the stricken parents and give them peace.  Mary was an only daughter, the eldest of a family of five, just budding into womanhood and full of that bright hope and expectancy which attends joyous maidenhood, a comfort to her parents, a companion and couselor to her little brothers, and  her untimely death will leave a void in the family circle that can never be filled.  She was of a peculiar bent of mind, strong in her attachment for those she loved, and a great admirer of nature in all it's forms.  Every tiny insect, caroling bird, sweet,wild flower, and nodding branch found a place in her admiration and she was bright and happy in her nature as the birds and flowers she loved so well.

Searchers went out as soon as the word reached town and her body was recovered and brought to Hendry House about eight o'clock Sunday evening where she lay in state until two p.m. the following day, when the body was removed to the M.E. church for a short service of song and prayer and then followed by a large concourse of our citizens to her last resting place.  Mary's love for flowers was well-known and the floral offerings, which was the last tribute of love that could be given her, were beautiful and profuse.

The writer acknowledges the emptiness in words to comfort relatives and friends.  Time, the healer of all things; and time only, will bring peace, but forgetfulness never while life lasts.

Ann Winston McGinn  Notes: