Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1889-01-03

In its last issue the BEACON noted the
arrival home for the Christmas holidays OF
Mr.. PAM Combs. To-day it records his
death by drowning. Paul was the second
son of Hon. Robert G. Combs, had but lit
tle over year ago graduated, with the
highest honors, from the Western Mary
land College, and, about sever months ago
at the reorganization of the Maryland
Agricultural College had been chosen one
of its corps of Professors The painstak-
ing and thorough manner in which he per-
formed the duties Of this position reflected
credit upon the college and upon himself
and was q bright augury Of his future.
For him manhood's day was just dawning
and Hope gilded with roseate hues LIES
skies. The future lay all bright before him
and every Indication pointed to the reali-
cation i'm him of fathers and mothers
fondest hopes. All who knew him predict
ed for him brilliant career and believed
that dis life would add additional lustre to
hi fathers honored name. Such hopes.
1arents and friends cherished for him,
bnt, when the sun of Thursday, December,
27th, 1888, went down, they were blotted
out forever. And Friday, the home which
few short days before had rejoiced at Il
Christmas visit had at its door another and
"a fearful guest-the dead"
"Man proposes, but God disposes." To
His decree we humbly bow. Our young
friend has gone before us and though we
believe he had kept "the whitcness Of his
SOUL" and perhaps needs not prayers, yet
Pray fcr his soul. More things are wrought
by prayer
Than this world dreams Of Wherefore,
let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for him night and day.
For what are men better than sheep or
goats
That nourish blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of
prayer
Both for themselves and those who call
them friendr
The following statement of the unfortu-
nate accident by which Mr.. Combs lost his
life was furnished us by his uncle, Mr. J.
Frank Ford:
Ford and Paul were sailing after ducks.
Paul was standing in the bow of the boat
ahead of the mast The sudden jibing of
the sail threw him into the water He i'm
,y,ediately sank and never rose to the sur
face He wore, q. the time heavy gum
boots and in the pockets of his shooting
coat were q number of loaded shells the
Ueieht of which in all probability prevent
"a him from coming 10 the surface. The
accident occurred about o'clock, p. m. in
the bend Of the shore just below my house
and about 200 yards from the shore. Eff
f,rts were made 70 recover the body by
Massrs yietf, b. M. Abel, Felix Fenwick.
Toasnh ]. Cough and p. o. Budd, assisted
nv George Combs, colored, my tenant, un-
I'll a very late hour of the night after the
accident occurred. The search was re-
snmed by these parties and number OF
s,thers on the following morning and re-
snI,ed in the finding OF the body about IL
: m. Friday. There was no Disagreement
of the person and Paul looked perfectly
natural. The gun which he had in his
hands at the time has since been found
and also one of his gum boots, both OF
which were off his feet when he was
fn1nd. Presumably they were washed on
nv the water. AL of the family except
Mr.. Combs and Manning. we've at my
house at the time of the accident spending
fhe day. We did not know that the boys
mad gone sailing. l thought they were in
fhe fields shooting birds where ieft them
at - m.