“How much she has done in her life, and with how true and loyal a spirit! She has always been so high in tone, and courageous, and generous-hearted, and warm in friendship. She has always lived a noble life, and we women owe her in particular a debt of gratitude. She has taken a broad view of what was needed, and has used her influence all along the line, as it were, for the welfare of women.
“And now she rests in God. Renewed and enlarged, she will in some way realize what she hoped and prayed for here. I think her example and influence have left a good harvest, as it is. As women look back, they will always feel that she was one who helped their cause in the days of its unpopularity. And she has her reward.”
All workers among the poor know her helpfulness, and strong testimony comes especially from the clergy of Holy Trinity. But the best must always remain untold, as being associated with the deepest life of those helped. In London, in the midst of her busy life, she could not give much of personal effort or time to the very poor, though she could and did give sympathy, as well as substantial help, without stint. But at Boscombe she could use her leisure as she pleased, and Miss Edwards, who during her long residence with her knew her life intimately, gives us a little glimpse of her there—
“It is largely owing to the fact that Miss Buss lived up to what she taught, morally and spiritually, that she has been such a power in so many hundreds of lives. She was so generous and kind-hearted, always ready to help others to help themselves. At her country cottage she would regularly send, and occasionally take with her own hands, relief in various forms to those who needed it.”
A story of her consideration for her old cabman has already been given, but a very recent sequel may be added, as showing how Downes’ own feeling went on after his death to his successor, who recently took the opportunity, in recognizing an old “Myra girl,” to lead up to a talk about Miss Buss, ending by his saying, “They do say there’s as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it, but we shall wait long enough for another like that!”
Also, at the funeral, an old pupil, who could not get into the church for the press, heard one of the crowd remark, “If all funerals were like this, every one could not be buried!” To which a poor woman responded, “If everybody was as good as that good woman, earth would be heaven, and no one would need to be buried!”
In addition to all that she did accomplish Miss Buss had dreams that failed of realization for want of time and strength. Here is one, of which we often talked, though circumstances were too strong against our action in the matter—
“When you and I can have a talk, I want to suggest to you the beginning, on a small scale, of an orphanage, like Miss Haddon’s. You and J. might adopt it? I should want you to let me throw the force of our school into it, making clothes, helping the outfits, finding places, etc. Surely, too, we could find some volunteer teachers among the old pupils? We might always notice it in our magazine, too, and so make friends for it. I feel honestly that, at present, I could not undertake the responsibility, though I would help as much as I could.
“What say you? Do not set it aside without thought. You and your parents do so much already that it would only be concentrating your efforts. A little house and a good matron are wanted. I think my dear cousin would take an interest in it, and let the girls have some training, as servants, in my house.”