The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-04-18
UNDER THE SOD AND DEW.
Rambling Recollections of De.
parted Missouri Editors
and Reporters.

beginning ABOUT the year 1870 and
running up to the middle sos, there
was set of Missouri editors and re.
pOrters whose memories are indelibly
endeared to their sanctum associates
and to thousands who then read their
productions. Alas. against the names
OF many Of them the significant asler-
isk is placed. Some of them died
with the laurel of honor upon their
brOws. Others met death not in the
brave fashion of moral heroes. But
all were genial and brilliant.
John w. Hatton was a gifted gen.
tleman. For several years he was an
editorial writer on the Columbia
Herald, and did much able and bril-
liant work for that now famous paper
Hatton was a large, heavy, darkroom
plexioned man and gave but little
outward evidence of being i;tteratuer.
He closely resembled the portraits of
Austin Dobson, the noted English
lyric poet. He wrote and had pub
lished. along about 1873, a novel en-
titled The Battle of Life" The
volume was large and handsome one.
There were many attractive pages in
it and it would have been creditable
! to any fiction writer of.greater renown.
1t is more than likely the venture was
not financial success. Hatton, it
has been understood, was addicted to
the morphine habit. One cold New
Years night, in an upstairs room in
Columbia, alone in the gloom of the
winter. his spirit passed from its pain
full imprisonment to another world.
At this late day, the writer of these
rambling paragraphs places upon his
grave little leaf of love and remem-
.brance.
Col. Albert G. BIakey, for several
years, editor and publisher of the
Pleasant Hill Rerie'c, was one of the
most popular men who ever lived in
Missouri. In polish and politeness he
was a Chesterfield. Suavity, courtesy
and courtliness were charmingly
mingled in his makeup. He was
graceful and handsome even after the
gray had grown thick about his beard
and temples and after he had en-
counrered much of the storm and
stress of life. He had held an i'm
pOrtant position in one of the South
American states, under Presient
Buchanan's administration, and some
wears after returning home wooed and
won Miss Sue Tompkins, of Cooper
county, who was rightly reputed one
of the most beautiful girls in the cen
trail part of the state. Their cottage
home in Pleasant Hill was a poeti-
cally ideal one. The rooms were
crowded with pictures, statuary, books
and curios gathered during the colo
pePs residence abroad. Two beauti-
full children blessed this home-a boy
and girl. Years ago the colonel ard
his wife followed each other closely to
the grave. Albert, the son, is hand
some cadet ut the Missouri University;
Bertha, the daughter, is young
lady, attending seminary at Boon
Vile Strangers occupy the cottage
in Pleasant Hill.
aGraov, h, tho tnrf ahove thee
Friend of my better days;
None knew thee but to love thee,
Nor named thee but to praise"
Ill.
Poor Mug! Brilliant, plying,
prodigal Mug! After life's fitful tever
he sleeps well, out yonder in Sedalia,
where the birds are singing sweetly
and where the naples are bending in
the breeze with their banners of green.
Nature had not been lavish upon
his exterior appearance. In carriage
and form he was homely and ill-shap-
en-. She had not given him beautiful
eyes. nor a commanding presence, nor
features that fascinate. But she had
endowed him with a superior mental
equipment and with an honest and
tender heart. William H. Mugford,
was the son Of a preacher and had
been well-reared and passingly we'll
educated. He learned the printers
trade and took to writing for the press,
naturally and passionately. He had
wandered over much of the South and
West, had seen service in many sane
tums and had met and studied various
conditions of men and women. These
studies were wonderfully useful to him
in his calling as reporter, editor and
special writer. His talent was not
only brilliant, but versatile. He
could, with equal facility, write a