Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-01-04


his purpose to seek notoriety; yet, neverthe- |
less, admiring eyes had followed his brief but
brilliant career from the day of his coming |
among us an unknown, penniless mechanic, |
90 the hour when, as lmoster builder, he |
stood the acknowledged head of his calling in |
this city. And shrewd observers-bankers, !
capitalists, and professional men-have been
heard to say that had the young Englishman |
lived a few years longer he would have been
universally recognized as the equal of our
most honored cltlzens; indeed, ne had already
been silently marked by some rs one well
fitted to fill, with credit to himself and with
benefit to public interests, the mayors chair.
But the best eulOgy upon his merits, and the
one most capable OF moving his heart, is to be
gathered from the II ps of tine sturdy mech an
les employed in his large and rapidly increas-
ing business. Their consenting voices pro-
claim him the ''laboring mans friend" not
only just, but always generous. Rigidly he
NAV have exaeted faithful Work for those
who entrusted business TO his hands, but
when payday" came he promptly gave what
he had promised; to the sick and the unfor-
tunate he gave more than he had promised.
1t is only the truth to say that he incurred the
fatal disease which cut short his life in adj
ministering to the wants OF his friends and
his men.
One of the most pleasing traits Of this ear
nest, busy man, was his tenderness for young
lads and apprentices. OFTEN disappointed in
the objects of his benevolent desires, he never
suffered his kindness toward others to be
chilled thereby. And IL is believed by friends
to whom ne confided the story of his early life,
that this sympathy with the trials OF the boy
and the apprentice was due, in a large meas
ure to his own early sOTroWs and hear tstrug-
giles; II was the memory Of these trials IiI OF
hack upon his native land and seek new ties
abroad. He was not doomed to dtsappoint-
ment, for in his dying hour kind hands
smoothed his pillow and tender words of hu-
man love caused him to render hearty thanks
to the Giver OF all good.
A fitting representative of that hardy yeo-
manry from whom Old England has for ages
drawn her soldiers and her sailors, he pos
! sessed q manhood which battled fearlessly
with death. But in him IL was all softened
and elevated by the gentle Influences of relig-
ion. That supreme concern had long received
his serious attention. Slowly he came TO see
Jesus my cross have taken,
All to leave and follow Thee"
Some months before his death, he united
| himself with the Second Presbyterian Church
in this city, to which he had been first at
tracted by the influence Of his best earthly
friend The step so deliberately taken Ken was
Christian man, and calmly died in full assuT-
ance OF eternal salvation.
/ " His God sustained his dying hour;
His dying hour brought glory to his God"
| . PASTOR.
KIBBE-Died, of consumption, at the resi-
| dence of James Jenkins, De5otO county, Mis-
sissippi, on Saturday, The 22d day of Novem-
| ber, 1873, WILLIAM ALFRED kIBBE, aged
| twenty years and fifteen days,
In the by-ways of life, unknown and un-
needed by the great world, the nOblest self
sacrifices, the truest devotion, the most un-
daunted and patient courage is often prac-
ticed The subject of this sketch laid down
his life knowingly and willingly for his two
orphan sisters, toiling as long as he possibly
| could, without hope for himself, looking
steadily forward to the end, that he might
while here shield those he loved from want,
and give them an education.
| Compelled at a very early age to take up the
burden OF life, WILLIE entered upon employ
ment at the telegraph Office as a messenger,
and soon thereafter became an employe in
the house of Harrington & Howell, where he
| served with but slight intermission up 10
| within few short months of his death. From
twelve to fifteen he was partially the sup
porter of little family, consisting of his
| father, mother, and two little sisters, and al
fifteen he became virtually their entire de-
pendence by reason of the then complete pros
tration of his father with the same fell disease
| that finally destroyed the mother and the son
| I-consunptIon. From thenceforward, day 10y
day, month after north, year after year
| WILLIE worked with patient serenity, tha
| he might take home to those bound to him by
the ties Of nature enough to keep the Woll
| from the door; keeping up brave heart' 100
an unclouded spirit, joyous face, appearing
not to know the good he was doing, the taltIl
he was keeping, the loyalty he was exhibiting
Providence seemed TO have gifted the boy
with an innate and instructive trust in L
never 10 be in this world Tewarded), which
enabled him to bear up against difhculue'
and troubles that would have appalled, the
hearts of others far older.
Through months OF his fathers sickness, IL
addition to ordinary household expenses
medicines had to be bought, and this charge
also fell upon WILLIE. Soon after his faith
| er's death his mother was similarly afflicted
and fingered IN the same manner for many
, months, ever cared for tenderly and truly BY
her peerless son, who carried her faithful!
every cent of his earnings up to the very last
!, After both parents were gone, WILLIl
placed his two little sisters at the State Fe
male College, near this city, and continued Il
labor day and night for their maintenance
and education. Manfully he took his position
between them and the great, coarse world,
shield and buckler. Though dreamy, half
consciousness theu first commenced TO war;
him of his fate he labored on and on, Will
| the pulses beat slower and slower, the eye
| grew leaden, and the sweet serenity, the sun
shiny jOyousness OF temper gradually fade
away.
On, fnscrutable Providence, why is it tina
i the dearest and truest pass away ike th
blossoms of spring? The noblest soldier de
upon the front OF battle; the truest man Il
civil life falls a sacrifice, worn out in harness
done TO death, because he is non-shirker @
work. No soldier ever showed truer aeyo1oL
no martyr ever offered greater sacrifice thal
i WILLIE KIPBE. He is gone from worl
: that cares not for these things, but only 10
!, wealth, and brazen impudence, and glare an
! glitter. Is he gamer or loser? He Is gon
y from a world in which the coward sold1e
! lives to lie successfully and nil the trump c
g fame while he robs the families of his dea
81 taxation.
u tie haSiJances valueless, that he may live 8
ease in the multiplied fat offices that sy-allo'
1 up all the profits Of the land. He is gon
l from country that honoIs the .upstart r1ei
| whether their dollars (now nearly cuTrer
representatives of theft and robbery haV
1 been acquired at one fell sWoop or Dy le
/ Thousand petty meannesSes. He has gon
e from a world where the worthy poor, wit
I bleeding hearts and suffering families,
l. their nightly way home from hard daily 70
can hear (oh, bitter contrastD the champagI
glasses elink, and hear the thoughtless mtru
and see the gaudy, costly dresses the ngi
and warmth and flowers in the stately palace
tof ostentatious fraud, the mansions OF e.
plotted LABOR. He has gone from land whel
s The politician has reduced the children OF u
/ l poorer white classes TO a level with, and el
J. forced contact and equality with the myris
2 spawn of the African a land where, 10 the e.
g OF knowledge, hell itself is well nigh lhaug
Poor. dear WILLIE; he is but the gamer
the exchange of this life for another. Far
in the bOundless heavens, in untrouDleo
| renity, now floats and laughs and sings b
ti9Io,is spirit restored again the glory nf ynnt
tuntroubled by the cares of the world.
l In his last illness, WILLIE was minister
le to with the greatest kindness by many 1rlen
At whose respect and esteem he had won IN u
ty fays of his health. The silent, uncomplal
n ing pathos of his life his faithfulneSS 10 eve
te trust, his adherence 10 business, his nailVe
v, Ielligence and equable mental balance al
ID sweetness of temper, had drawn all iowa
him. He had gained the respect OF ms eI
IplOyers, the warm friendship eI MS associate
and the esteem of those doing business WI
Il the house in which he was employed. stl
Notwithstanding all that could be done,
| suffered great pain, borne with remarkat
1 patience, before the end came.
7 1t is enough, "the will of the Lord has oe'
O. accomplished" Does WILLIEs life conY
NJ any lesson? Blindly we seek the clue, 70
y. found perhaps only beyond the stars. At 9
death Of the old year and the opening of .
new the writer OF this tribute deems IL .
II inappropriate to commemorate as noble a 1
1 | as went out in that year. Delayed Dy I
B, cares of business, and d1uuse oy reason
y | friendship and resentment against Woi
whose natural laws have so harshly operat
| as 10 cause the death OF my friend, TINS is ]
q / tended for the eyes of those few VINO were {
., quaintea with and liked him, ana yet W
knew not in the hurry of life the mlghty 50
rifice the boy was making--the sad, SAD sac
\ fee now consummated. Thirst died 10 save
- world, and gleam of the same spirit, spa
of the same nature, nils the breast OF the 3
i der who dies for his country. Aye, ana u
(. same spirit 'sbone in the life, aud was mar
tested in the death OF WILLIAM A. kIBI
| WILLIE died to save two or three, and the 70
n. God, the genuine Redeemer-not the mel
Il creation OF malarious imaginations-Wtll
,, TO it that he shall have hisreward.
- THM~El