Smith, May (Birran) 1879 - 1904

SMITH BIRRAN

Posted By: Marilyn O'Connor (email)
Date: 7/27/2011 at 11:17:44

Osage News
July 20, 1905

SMITH

Mrs Mary Birran Smith was born in Osage, Iowa, May 19, 1879, and died from the effects of poison July 14, 1904; at her home in Chester, Iowa. She was married to Charles Smith July 14, 1901. She leaves two little girls, Hazel L., aged three years, and Mildred L., aged twenty months.

The sad facts in the case are that the deceased, who was born and grew to young womanhood among us, came to her death by her own hand. What hoplessness, what discouragement what despair, could have driven the young mother to take her own life, is only rumor. We know not the facts in the case. All true hearts can but feel profound pity. To many who have lived deeply, intensely, who have tried and failed, loved and hated, some thought of sucide may have come to free them from the ills of life, but they have had strength to dismiss such suggestions as most unworthy. Things may look dark but the tide will turn. We have no right to take our own life. We are not our own; we belong to those who love us, to the state, to society in general; and to God supremely. Other people have a right to say what we shall do with that which in part belongs to them. Sucide is coming to be a sad problen.

The safeguard of society is firm faith in God and the power of the soul and mind to go bravely on, and the doctrine of the essential scaredness of human life.

The relatives here, Mr. Sam Birran, an uncle and his wife, and Mrs. Mary Anderson, the grandmother, went over Saturday to attend the funeral which occured Sunday at the Presbyterian church at Chester, Iowa. They have the smypathy of the community.