The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-06-27
Written keP Tus AnxAxAAw rnAvRlBA4
 MONUMENTS or MEN.
hY aroRoK swARrwour.

! ~ AS VI kA0Se3k &&1A0A4A 0AAsNfeAA tsaS WI y wealthy men of the present time, when they feel old age creeping upon them, to build costly and magnificent mausoleums wherein their bodies shall rest aNer death. and in point of architectural beauty and costly magni6cence they equal and OReA surpass the palaces in which they dwell during life, Even death cannot suhdue their pride-the world shall look upon their final abodes as only 6tting sepul- chres for those who were famous because of their riches rather than as good and IL lustrious examples of mankind, endowed with christian eeling and sympathy and love for their fellow.mea.
 The simple marble shafs that marks the grave of the man who tn life labored sin. cerely for the ~eliare Of mankind, lived Ia humble, anassuming way, and practi- eally exempli6ed the beautiful teachings of Christ. rather than lay up treasures on earth, Is grandeE monument than ali the wealth of the earth can heap upon his mound. The green sod upon his grave covers more noble righteousness than all the grand mansoieums in the world have ever hidden. Death should level our sinful human folliss, weaknesses end pride, SO far as outward show and dar. sling splendor Is concerned. lt should level to the dust from which they sprAng, all the social distinctions, powers and tiumphs of man, which were purchased by riches rather than virtue and merit
 The wisdom of the philosopher, song of the poet and skill of the artisan are far more lasting and endearing monuments to their memory than the wealth that sur. rounds him who sleeps in a mansion oi the dead, and when the name of the proud autocra, shall have faded away into the mists of oblivion, leaving only massive marble or granite pile 70 mark his las, abode, the names of mankind's benetAc- tors will live, ever green, tn the memory of tho countless generations that follow them. Such Is the rich mans monument the monument of pride, sel6shness and power.
 Nov let us gaze upon the poor mans n nonamen,-for very many who have died very poor have also bull, for themselves monuments that cost fabulous sums. As an illustration will cite the case of one man who did SO, aud describe the manner in which he bull, it.
 He did not commence to build until he was little more than thirty years old. At that time he was prosperous business maa, had a beautiful, devoted wife and three pretty little children. and was co. teemed by all who knew him.
 One day he though, he would build monument, so he began by laying up a stone next day he laid up another, until finally the habit 90 grew upon him that he did little else. He neglected his bus. iness that he might build faster. Friends remonstrated with him in vain. Every stone that he laid up was washed with his young wiie's tears. His little children climbed upon his knee, threw their arms about his neck and piteously begged him not to build any more, bat he cursed them and flung them aside, for the hard, coarse work had changed him from a pleasant, happy man to a rough, brutal fellow. Alter awhile he was bankrupt he had already spent more than Sioo GOO upon his monument and it was progress ing very rapidly. Five years afss he com meneed to build, he was homeless and upon the streets. His patient wife had siekened and died, and his children were ragged, wandering little waifs, and in his m ad haste to complete his monu- ment, he forgot that they ever existed, and cursed them when they approached OF recognized him. He .oiled on, winter and summer, in weather dark or sunpy. Al last his laboEs wore him out @ that he could no longer work, SO he had to beg and steal in order to get money with which to complete his monument.
 Five years later met him--whss he was scarcely forty years old, sithosgh he looked like man of seventy. His locks were white and tangled. his limbs were palsisd, his clothing was h tasssrs, and he was covered with cuts and bruises, for he worked hard In piling sp stones One of his sons psrished on sAe gallows. the other was speeding hts Iiss h psisss, and his daughter was beautiful woman whs dressed in silks and diamonds wos st-oh such terrible sacrifice.
 He told me that his monument vas nearly finished, and asked that might zee il. He led me to the most beautiful pan of the cty, where t stood. it was .