Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1883-10-06

AZ the last meeting of the I.ime-hiln
Club, says the Detroit Free Press, when
the meeting had been opened aud the roll
called, Brother Gardner asked Sir Isaac
WalpOlc to take the chair. The grand old
gray haired man slowly asccndcd the plat
form. and, greatly to the surprise OF the
majority of the members, he announced
the death of Uncle Daniel Whitbcck, 4
local member who had been present at tho
last meeting.
You knew him 10 bc old an feeble an
sort o. waitn' to 60" continued Sir Isaac,
"an' yet lie news surprises you. week
ago he sot hcah wiG us; Tonight he am
lyin' in his coffin. Sich am dc obsartain-
ties of life Brudlcr Gardner an me has
knowed Uncle Daniel since we was all
chil'n togcdcr in dc far-away days. When
he realized dat do summons was drawin'
nigh he sent fur us, an we sot besi'lc him
when de angel took his spcerit an llcw
away.
"Unclc Daniel was poo ole black
man, unlettcrcd, unlearncd, an lookin'
back only TO Vars of toll an privaslun
an sorrow. In dc days of slavery dcy
sold his wife away. lie saw one of his
boys shot down au' buried in ditch. lle
had sears Oh his body an scars on his soul.
Men who heard him pray had scoifed ut
him. Men who heard him say dar' WAS
God an hereafter kicked an abused him.
Men tried 10 whip his faith away. Men
robbed an cheated an lied about him, nn'
sneeringly asked why his faith did not
protect him. Men, argued wild him, am
though dcy could silence him dcy could
not shake his belief. lie saw poverty, Voc
an misfortune in almos' cherry month OF
his life, an yit how did hc dies
"Dar was sunthin' grand In dat death
bed scene," continued Sir Isaac In whis-
per- Eighty Vars of toll an anxiety
an suficrn' was drawin' to II close.
life In which dar had bin many clouds an
lectle sunshine was about TO end. lie re-
membered dat great lawyers an doctors
an statesmen had said dar was no here
after. He remembered dat men Ind called
him fool fur thinkin' OF hcabcn an
prayih' to II God. lie was low an igno-
rant-dey was learned an great. Dcy
could read an argue an discuss-he could
only cling to dat faith planted in his heart
when he was chile In dc humble cabin.
Now came dc test. II was dc faith Of one
poo ole down -troddcn black man agin do
sophistry, arguments, assershuns nm de-
ducshuns OF hundreds OF infdels.
~ see him as dc sinkin' summer sun
crept inter dc windcr an turned his white
h'ar TO color Of gold. lie woke from his
soft sleep, an dar was such happiness In
his eyes an such glory in his face as |
nebber saw befo' lie listened like ono
who h'ars de far-On sounds of sweet mu-
sic, an de glory decpencd us he reached
out his hands TO us an whispered:
"T kin see my ole wife an dc chiil'cn
up dar. kin See glory an rest an peace!
kin look across dc dark valley an sec
sclI happiness as men nebbcr dream Off
can hc passed away like babe fnllin'
asleep, an you who go up dar to-morrcr
will fin dat same glorious smile lighting
up dc face Of DC deaG. lie has suffered
an believed an hal faith an gone to his
reward. His words rs he left dc scenes
OF airth 10 walk dc path lcadin' frew dc
dark valley 10 dc shores OF hcaben am
mo- powerful argument dan all dat iniidcls
have spoken or will cher write. His
smile is he heard dc soft rustic Of dc
angel comm fur his speerit was All answer
dat will stan above dc sophistry OF all
unbelicyers."