| Show FATHER KEEPS TWO YEAR VIGIL OVER SONS BODY refuses to bury remains of war veteran brought back from france charlotte N 0 john speaks of iredell county who announced two years tears ago that he would not bury the body of his son a soldier killed in france remains were brought back home borne continues to keep dully daily vigil over the metal coffin containing the lie bones of his boy although he has acceded to public clamor and built tin an annex to his home for use as a mortuary the home of speaks Is situated in union grove township near jenninggs Jenni post 20 miles north of states valle T le it lies a few hundred yards off t the he winston salem highway on a beautiful fascinating tract the property includes a acre farm fertile and well tilled eight children were viere born in the home seven of whom are now living but only one the youngest a girl remains at home houses the casket in the yard near the speaks homo home Is a little house about eight feet square neatly weather boarded with windows at each end and a little porch on the front flowers and shrubbery rubbery Bh cover the sides of the entrance john sparks carries the only key to the home I lorne which houses the casket it lies across the room and rests on the box in which it was shipped from france an american flag Is draped over it on the walls hang a hat a cap and several articles of apparel that were formerly worn by the deceased soldier A clothes clo lies brush and ja a plank containing lettering cut by the boy before he entered the army are among other relics stored in the room the 11 cy continue to keep dally daily vigil coffin rests in a metal container and Is securely scaled county health officers have declined to make a move in connection with mith the matter and it seems that there Is no law to CO compel ampel burial u unless bless the he health of 0 others t h r should become jeopardized beeaks says tie he will ill consent to burial it 1 the law says he must or it if county officials decide that it la is necessary but that he does not intend to comply delely with a popular demand would da be burled together my speaks Is an assiduous reader of the bible and holds family services in his home but he does not belong to any church 1 I do not want to bury my boy now he said but I 1 will bury him it if I 1 have to or it if it Is not sanitary to keep him in or near the house I 1 wish to keep him until I 1 am ain dead and have his bones curled burled with me I 1 do not want my boys body left out when I 1 die after I 1 nm am gone the farm might change hands and I 1 would not want his body neglected or abused in any way so for the present at least the he bod body of thomas speaks bugler mio made the supreme su sacrifice will rest undisturbed in the little homo home his father has bas built for blin in an annex to his ancestral home among the tha scenic hills of northern IrL irodell dell |
