Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-02-18
His Honor and Biiah.

His Honor was there in his accustomed
place, and the clerk sat at the same
desk; but when men looked for Biiah
they found a stranger officer exercising
his functions. They maryellcd much at
this, and they whispered together; but
it was only when his Honor rose up
with tears in his eyes that the truth was
known.
Bijah was dead!
Our Bijah-your Biiah the good old
janitor whose name was household
word in every land where the English
language is spoken.
We who knew him in the flesh forgot
that he was growing old that the. years
had slipped past until the burden was
heavy one to bear. We sometimes re-
membered that he was wifpleSs- that
his few surviving relatives we're scatter
ed-that he was man without home,
but he did not grow old to ~ The
frosts of old age touched his seant locks,
and wrinkles came to testify that he
was descending the path of life, but he
would not have it that he had become
an old man.
Verify, a diamond in the rough. As
a child he sat in the shadows Of power
ty; as a youth he had no advantages of
education; as a man he must solve the
problem of life with Drawn and muscle
And so he came to the public a diamond
in the rough. but he brought with him
such a big heart, such good nature. and
such fund of sympathy for the erring
and unfortunate that the men and No-
men and children of America forgot his
rough points and became his friends
and defenders
And he is dead!
A thousand lost children have been
taken kindly in his arms. their tears of
fright wiped away with fathcrly hand,
and his soothing voice has said to them:
II will soon take you home to mother.
Women whose lives have been strug-
gle with poverty and despair have come
to him for kind words and for bread,
and not one has eyer, been refused.
Men who had been unfortunate have
found in him an honest sympathizer
and kind adviser In his goings and
comings his cheerful voice and big
heart made the world better
And to-day he lies in his last resting
place-old, poor in purse, with no grand
procession of carriages-but with more
hearts sorrowing than we can number.
There will be no monument 70 mark his
grave, but il will be remembered for all
that. When the world owes ii debt Of
gratitude it does not repay 1t in cold
and unfeeling marble.
How often this old man lying dead
this man with such heart rs the world
seldom hears of-has pleaded with jas
tice to give the young and unfortunate.
the old and despairing, one more opper-
tunity to retrieve themselves, we who
have seen him daily know best. How
many owe to him as much as themselves
the fact that they are living in the sun
shine of honest life to-day we viii not
say. 1t is a grand eulogy on the dead
TO say of him: HE wronged no one
all were his friends.
And that big heart has stopped lis
beating, and that gruff voice. Of which
children even were not afraid, will be
heard no more on earth. If he did not
profess Christianity not found on
his knees among praying men-if his
voice did not sing the hymns of saliva
tion--he had in his heart charity, SYM
pathy, forgiveness That was the rec
ord he took with him into the valley Of
the shadow-across the dark river to
the brighter shore. BY it he will be
judged, and a thousand hearts viii
plead: MAY he find peace. Detroit
Free Press.