A TRIBUTE TO THE LATE EMILY SNYDER THOMPSON
The Little Lady with the Quick Step - Lottie C. Hatch
We laid her to rest in the village grave yard under the hills, she "the little lady with the quick step". She lay like a beautiful lilly, not faded and dead, but just ready to bloom on in the Celestial garden. Death has been kind to her, for he has smoothed away all signs of pain and anguish, and has left an expression so sweet and peaceful. Here was the end of a well fought battle. Here was the end of a long toilsome journey. Here was the very fulfillment of faith.
Today (in fancy) I have gone with her from Nauvoo, the beautiful city in the bend of the Mississippi, to the Rocky Mountains. Over a tractless waste, walking many weary miles, stopping at night weary and hungry, but waking in the morning with hope and with vision. From the mountains to the valley of the Sacramento where her father was one of the first pioneers. Then when their leader Brigham Young called them to return to the Rockies, they left all and returned. West of the Jordan River they established a fine farm home, where the "authorities" loved to go for a splendid feast of good things, and dear "Aunt Emily" helped prepare them. Next they went to Bountiful where Aunt Emily married the much beloved Orvil Thompson.
I have been thrilled with her narrations of the good times enjoyed in those early days. How the young folks rode to Salt Lake in bob sleighs to spend an evening at the Salt Lake Theatre. How they were privileged to see some of the finest work in the legitimate drama, a thing which I regret is quickly passing away.
With a team, a cow, and a wagon containing all their earthly possessions, they left Bountiful to come to help build up the town of Scipio. Throughout several decades Aunt Emily has lived here, her life has been one of sacrifice, of abjugation of self in her service to others. The Primary and Sunday School children who were so fortunate as to come under her charge all attest her worth. There is no family in this little village that has not been encouraged and cheered while she was in the Relief Society. Nature had endowed her a wonderful leader. The race is run. The journey is over and dear Aunt Emily has left us, but her influence will live on and her memory will ever be a sweet benediction upon all those who were fortunate enough to know her.