----Source: Clark County Republican & Press (Neillsville, Wis.) 09/01/1921

Wilding, Helen (26 AUG 1913 - 27 Augl 1921)

Saturday afternoon about 1:30 o’clock the shocking news was spread through this community that Helen Wilding, the little daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Wilding, of the town of Washburn, Clark County, Wis., had been killed by an automobile on the highway opposite the home of E.F. Short, about a mile east of Shortville store. The little girl with a playmate, Gladys Groves, was on the south side of the road where Gladys’ parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Groves, reside. They apparently started to cross the road, not noticing the approaching car. The little Groves girl saw it in time and stopped, calling to her younger companion and reaching to pull her back, but failed to catch her as she ran forward directly in the path of the car. The driver saw the child but too late. He swerved the car and applied the brakes, but Helen was apparently struck by the fender, thrown down and caught by the car as it swung around, and was pushed some distance along the road. The sudden turning of the car broke one of the wheels. The occupants of the auto, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. Sweet of Arcadia were unhurt. At the time of the accident a crew of men were filling silo at E.F. Short’s. The men ran at once to the scene of the accident, but found the little girl quite dead. Although a doctor was summoned, it was found of no avail. All who were present, even the parents of the child, felt that Mr. Sweet was in no way to blame for the accident. He and his wife were on their way to Stevens Point in a Cadillac car, and were traveling at a moderate speed on an open road, where the view was not obstructed. Both Mr. and Mrs. Sweet felt much overcome by the sad accident.

Helen was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Wilding, and was eight years old the day before she met her untimely death; a party of children of the neighborhood helped her celebrate her birthday, and the sad accident has cast a gloom of sorrow over the young as well as the older folks of the neighborhood. Helen was born in the town of Washburn and lived all her short life there. She was a bright and beautiful child, dearly loved by all who knew her, and was a great favorite at the home of her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Short, where she met her death. Sympathy was expressed by everyone far and near, for the bereaved parents, no death in many years calling forth so many heartfelt expressions of grief, as that of this little girl.

The funeral was held Monday at the Shortville Church, Rev. Wilson Mallory preaching the funeral sermon, burial taking place in the Neillsville Cemetery. Four little girls, Gale and Opal Short, Gladys Groves and Merrill Winters acted as pallbearers. A large number of people attended the funeral.