LOVE, MERRIMAN, TAYLOR "The Kansas City Times" (Missouri) Friday, April 4, 1913 A BURNED CHILD HAD FAITH. Pretty Marie TAYLOR was 9 years old one day last November. Many gifts came to the home of her parents, 1211 East Twenty-fifth Street, for Marie was a most likeable little girl. Among them was material for a dress from Mrs. E. M. LOVE, a mother of two of her playmates, who lives nearby, at 2463 Forest Avenue. Marie's mother, Mrs. S. S. TAYLOR, had been too busy to make the birthday gift into a dress until this week. Yesterday afternoon it was all finished and Marie tried it on. It was pink and ruffly, a perfect match for Marie's dangling curls and laughing eyes. "Please, mamma," she pleaded, "can't I run over and show Mrs. LOVE?" Mrs. LOVE wasn't at home. But Helen, 14 years old, and George, 9, were sitting in front of an open gas fire. Marie danced in and did a little curtsy. ABLAZE FROM HEAD TO FOOT. "See my new dress," she said, and whisked around for their approval. A flounce on the skirt came too close to the flame. In a second, Marie was ablaze from her knees to her head. "Fire! fire!" George cried and ran for the back door to summon help. Marie started after him. Helen grabbed a light wrap and tried to smother the flames. It burned in the older girl's hands. Marie ran wildly into the kitchen. Several neighbors heard the cries. The front door of the LOVE home was locked and had to be forced before aid could arrive. Then the child was found in the bathroom trying to turn on the water in the tub. All her clothes were burned away and her pretty hair was gone. Mrs. LOVE was home by this time and Mrs. TAYLOR had rushed from her home across the street. TELLS MOTHER TO PRAY. Dr. C. S. MERRIMAN, 2511 Forest Avenue, was called and while waiting for his arrival, Marie was fully conscious. She apparently was too numbed to feel pain. Her blackened lips were mumbling over a Sunday school prayer when her mother arrived. Doctor MERRIMAN gave emergency treatment and then Marie was carried to her own home. Her father, S. S. TAYLOR, a plumber, was summoned from his work. "Don't worry, mamma," Marie kept saying. "I'll get all right. Just pray for me and read in the Bible like you always told me." But the child's faith was unavailing and she died at 11:15 o'clock, four hours after the accident. Doctor MERRIMAN declared after the first examination, she had no chance to recover. Marie was the oldest of three children of Mr. and Mrs. S. S. TAYLOR. She was a regular Sunday school attendant and a pupil at the Morse School. "She had always been the nicest girl," sobbed her mother last night, "and now --- well, now, we just must save her. We must." ====================================================== (I have no connection with these families but I'd appreciate knowing if you found this posting helpful.) ====================================================== Go to the Jackson County, Missouri Message Board to see births, deaths, and marriages in the Kansas City, MO & Kansas City, KS areas. http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=localities.northam.usa.states.missouri.counties.jackson When there: Do an "Advanced Search" and enter the surname (all lower case letters) on the "Find Messages Containing" line. (Caution: my most recent postings will not be searchable until the computer base files are updated.) ======================================================= neirbo