Died by her own hands
Our whole community was electrified Monday evening, by the news that Miss Alis Ready, had been found dead at the home of Mr. And Mrs. M. Austin of Paradise.
Miss Ready had been helping Mrs. Austin with her house work. It seems that on the fatal day she had – very willingly on her part — been left alone for a few hours. One of the young men of the house, Ray Austin was the first to reach and enter the house and behold the young lady dead and cold on the floor.
An alarm was given and the coroners jury at the inquest rendered a verdict of suicide. A thirty two Winchester rifle which was found near had doubtless been cocked, the muzzle placed near her heart and the trigger touched off with a small stick. The bullet, after passing through her heart and body, bedded itself in the ceiling above.
A note which had been written with painstaking care, the letters being nicely shaded with an inqellible pencil, was found on the table and read, “Death comes to all but once”.
Miss Alis Ready was born Dec. 22, 1874 in Las Animas Co. Colorado, and came with her parents to paradise in June 1900 and died Dec. 15, 1902 awt the age of 27 years, 11 months, and 24 days.
Funeral services were conducted in the Star school house by Rev. Henry Mastin on the 18th. The remains were interred in the Paradise Cemetery.
The deceased was a quiet, highly esteemed young lady. It is rumored that a disappointment in a love affair caused the moody broodings which led to her sad death.
The stricken parents and other members of this estimable family have, indeed, the sympathy of our combined communities in their great sorrows.
Paradise, December 1902
Contributed by: Tami Sherrill