Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-03-09

grasp Of affairs. strong in popular favor and
destined TO grow stronger: that grave diff
culties confronting him at his Inauguration
had been safely passed; that trouble lay be-
hind him and not before him; that he was
soon 70 meet the wife whom he loved, now
recovering from an illness which had but
lately disQuieted and at times almost
unnerved him; that he was go
ing TO his Alma Mater to renew
the most cherished associations of his
young manhood, and to exchange greetings
with those whose deepening interest had
followed everv step of his upward progress
from the day be entered upon his college
course until be bad attained the Hottest ele-
cation In the gift of his countrymen.
Surely IL Happiness can ever como from
the honors and tTiumphs Of this world, on
that quiet July morning James A. Garfield
may well have been a happy man. No fore
boding of evil haunted HIM; no slightest
Temonition of danger clouded the sky.
Ais terrible fate was upon him in an in
etsnt. One moment he stood erect. strong,
confident in the years stretching peacefully
out before him. The next he lay wounded,
bltediug, helpless, doomed to weary weeks
OF torture, to silence, and the grave.
The Oosan-The Grave.
Great in life, he was supposedly great in
death. For no cause. in the very frenzy Of
Nd0lOu0esS aOu WlCbeuneSS, Dy Inc REQ
hand of murder, he was thrust from the fall
tide Of this worlds interest, from its hopes,
its aspirations, is victouss, into the visible
presence of death-and be did not quail
Net atone for the one short moment in
which, stunned and dszed be could give
uD lie, hardly aware OF its REIMBURSEMENT,
but through days Of deadly laDguor,
through weeks Of agony, that was not less
agony because silently borne, with clear
siVbf and pnfrn couraUa Inc lonkad into his
open grave. What blight and ruin met his
enRushed eyes, whose lips may tell-what
brilliant, broken plans, what baffled.
high ambitions, what sundering Of strong,
warm, manbood's friendships, what bitter
rending of sweet househ old uesl Behind
him prodd, expectant nation, a great host
OF sustaining friends, n cherished and happy
mother, wearing the full, rich honors OF
her early toll and tear; the wife OF his
youth whose whole life lay in his, the liz
tie boys not yet emerged from childhood's
day OF frOlic; the fair, young daughter; the
sturdy sons Just spTingIng into closest com
paniOnship, claiming every day and every
day revarding fathers love and care; aud
TN his heart the eager, rejoicing power to
meet all demand. Before him
DEsoLATIoE AND GRKAT DARKNESS.
And bis soul was not shaken. His country
men were thrilled with instant, profound
and universal sympathy. Masterful in his
mortal weakness, he became the center OF a
nations love, ensbrined IN the prayers of a
world. Bot alt the love aud all the svm-
pathy could not share with him him suffer.
ing. lie trod the wine press alone. With
unfsltenng front he faced DEATH With un.
falling tenderness he took leave of life
Above the demcniac hiss Of the aSsassin's
bullet he heard the voice of God. With
simple resignation he bowed to the divine
decree.
AS the end drew near. his early craving
for the -ea returned. The stately mansion
OF power had been to him the wearisome
hospital OF pain, and he begged TO be taken
fr0tu It's prison walls, from its oppressiv :,
stifiug air, from IT'S homelessness and its
hopeles>ness. Gently, silently, the love of
a great people bore the pale sufferer to the
ionged-tOr hearing Of the sea, to live or
die, as God should will. within sight of its
heaving pillows, within sound of its mani
fold voices. With wan, fevered face ten.
DERBY lifted TO the cooling breeze, he
locked out wIstfully upon the
whitening in The morning light; on its
restless wsves, rolling shoIeward to break
and die beneath the MONDAY sun; on the
red clouds of evening, arching low to the
hOuZor; on the serene and shining path
way OF the stars. Let US think that his
dying eyes read n mystic meaning which
only the rapt and parting soul may know.
let US believe that in the silence of the re-
ceding world he heard the great waves
breaking on a further shore, and felt al
ready upon his wasted brow the wreath oil
che eternal morning.