Richland beacon., 1885-10-17
NU VI ijER
4 Beautiful Letter.

WV uAy ErF RI HE i'rI.
The ru,t Smith Iristme, S-r'.
-. ..,. Va c!4t.v eve lace +" tie
f,.!uwirr beautifully w"rled letter
ir.m General Alb,r: Pike TO D..
I.u!r-tou of Van Bure,, audreceiv"i
j., the latter ;he day before he di q:
W,~ulxGtos. S,p'. 3, les3
NJ Dearest aul Best and Trueet
Old Friend: | have just received
your loving message sent 20 me tr
Nr. Sauilis had ready two daNt
ago learned from our old friend Cash,
WHO had tG- formation from jam =
Stewart. that YOU we're about 70 -
away from Is. H. little While |
,eul follow YOU, and it viii b" Wei
:.rrlc # can look forward 70 tie
departure, inevitable 10 all, with the
SAINT, patience all. equalilml,y with
which rou are waiting for II.
IIo not believe that our intellect
and iu.iiSI,iualltv cease To- I've when
the vitality ofthe body ends hav.
a profound couvIcriOn, the only real
reyc.aliou which 10 me makes ah~U-
ute certainty. tina; there j., Su-
prrme Deity, the Intelligence and
Lord If Tie universe, 10 wAom It u
not folly to ryav That our convic-
tions come from Him, and IN them
He does rot lie OF deceive us; and
tuat there is 20 be for my very self
anr,hrr a continued life, IN which
'hi, lie Will be as If it had never
been. but shall see again and know
acain those whom have hved and
los, here.
You nave led an upright, harmless
anl biameless life. always DONG good.
and not wrong AMI evil. You have
onioyed the harmless pleasures Of
HE, and have never weariei Of it,nor
thought it had not been life worth
living. Therefore you need net fear
- meet whatever life beyond the
veil.
Either there is no God, or there Is
n Just and merciful God, who will
deal geu.lr and tenderlv with the hui
man creatures whom He has made
SO weak and so iTpel feet.
There is nothing in the future for
YOU to fear. as there is nothing in the
past 20 be aslIarned OF Since have
been compelled by the lengthpning
Of the evenin" shadow 70 look forward
10 my own nearly approaching de-
par,ure, | DO not feel that | lose tho
friends wno - away before me. 1t
is ~ If they mad SET sail across the
Atlantic sea. L. lind in m unknown
country beyonl, WHITTIER | s,lal! soon
follow, - meet them again.
But, dear old tried friend, | shall
feel very lonely aft.r you are gone
w have cen friends so long with
out a moments iLtCrmisSion, without
even one l-tlc cl nd or shadow of
uukindn,-S or suspicion coming be-
tween Us, that | shall mss YOU terri
bly,. shall never have the heart tu
visit Van Buran again. There ars
others whom like there, bu; none so
lear 10 me ~ yOu none there or
anyw here else. As long as | live |
shall remember with loving affection
YOUR way. looks aud words, our glad
days passed together i'll the woods,
your many acts of klndnces, .i.o old
home and the shade of the mulber-
rle,, and An intimate communion and
intercourse duriug more than forty
five Years.
/ had hoped to be with vou once
more in the woods; but now | shall
never be in camp in the woods again
The old friends are nearly ali gone :;
YOU are going s0uner than to meet
them. shall live little longer
with little left 10 live for, loving your
memory, and loving the wife and
daughter who have been 50 dear tn
you Dear, dear old friend, good
bye, May our Father vino ~ III
Heaven have YOU in His his kerpin1
and give eternal rest,
Dcyotedly your friend,
ArpEpr prvr