Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1894-04-19

| an zprightoess of character. rnand
Incorporating M rality about him
which served as an excellent example
TO those of more vacIllating nature.
The writer has many pleasant recollec-
tons of Uncle joe" whose life was
ever as upright as the grand old oaks
which oDced sighed in the summer
breezes and withstood the wintIy
storms in old time Hurricane forests.
And bis wife, good old Aunt Leah. !"
whose warm and kindly heart b. az
with love for all humanity; here WAS n
nature not all the jaring discords of life
could disturb in its tranquility, or de-
stroy the sweet fio8 OF love, and
trust. and goodness which bloomed
the brighter amid the gathered fros:s
of age. Alb, gentle and kirdly SOUL
sweet be thy slumbers, and joyous thy
awakening IN that fair land which lies
beyond the Dark Valley of the Shadow
where thy feet but lately trod Mr..
John Bonham of Bloomingt, n, Mr.. A.
g. Bonham, of Hurricane. and Mrs.
Muldoon, of Beetown, ara members of
the large family of Aunt Leah and
Uncle Joe.
Uncle Harvey" Bonham went to
California early in the eos. his char
acter was made up of the sturdy and
sterling qualities which fitted him for
the life OF pioneer. he died a good
many years ago, and sleeps the long
steep somewhere on those sunny slopes
which bend toward the great ocean
that rolls its tides To the far off shore s
of "Old Cartbay."
At the risk of growing tiresome | can
not forbear 10 mention yet one other
character familiar to all ''old timers"
of Hurricane, Uncle Edins' Kilby we
called all those men uncle and so they
seemed TO all OF us. No one of those
days but remembers good old "Uncle
Edlns." In talking with a lady of
Bloomington year or two ago, we
spoke of him. She said many of the
bright memories of her youth clustered
around the Sabbath School in the old
log school house in Hurricane, where
for so many years, Uucle Edins as SUI
| perlntendent held it under his paternal
care SAID she, | so well remember
him as he would come smiling among
us children many a sabbath morning
with "A capacious handkerchief filled
with big, red apples There WAS one
for the scholar who had the most verses
one for the scholar who had them the
best, one for the child who behave the
best, and finally one for everv child as
far as they would 90. Gentle, kindly
old man! His loving hand could not
withhold even from the most unworthy;
and was only limited ia the giving by
the ability to give.
Uncle Edins had son-in-law who
always loved to get joke on him.
One time this son-in-law had some
Sunday visitors, one of whom wanted
to purchase barrel of cider. Uncle
Edins, whose cellar was always stored
with countless barrels of the homely
nectar, was away from home, at churoh
or Sabbath school. The visitor, with the
son-in-law, repaired to his cellar, and
rolling out barrel loaded it into the
wagon, and the ungodly son-in-law was
left to settle with Uncle Edins some
time in the week. II was soon mooted
in the neighborhood-an some sus-
peeted the son-in-law who so loved
ioke--'.that Uncle Edins had sold
barrel of cider on Sunday" Uncle
Edins got TO hear Of the story and took
it very seriously. 1t troubled him so
much that he appeared at church, and
almost with tears in his eyes, explained
the matter and implored his neighbors
to not believe he could ever so desecrate
that holy day as TO sell barrel of cider
on Sunday.
| we'll remember attending many
meetings in the old log school house.
The Methodists, to which church Uncle
Edins belonged, often closed their SER
vices with an experience meeting.
Uncle Edins always took part, and
at this very moment seem 10 hear the
tones Of his voice. as he so elOquently
expressed his fee ings in words of SIM
pie, trustful faith and tenderness. Yes,
| can still hear that tremulous voice
and see that pleasant countenance.
beaming with hope, and love and holy
Joy. Ii the irreverent CHANGED to scott,
1t did not change the current of his
fee 'ings or harden the heart that beat
with such great love for God and all his
children. More than q score OF years
has erased the mound where Uncle
Edins sleeps Gently he approached
that couch of his long rest.
Sustained and soothed
BY an unfalteri lg trust
Like one whc raps the drapery Of his couch
Around HIM and lies down to pleasant dreams.
Dir. John j. Kilby, and Mrs. A. g
Bonham or Hurricane, are children of
Uncle Edins. Mrs. Rhoda Kilby, bis
widow, died within the past year at
very advanced age. She, think. was
the very last one of the earliest settlers
of the Hurricane. who came as heads
of families.
| hope You will excuse the length of
this letter. lndulging in tins retro
spective view, my eyes are prone 10
inger on that field on which begins to
fall the sunlight of the past. Its mel /,
low light rests on wood and field, and
lights up half forgotten hooks where
bloom flowers that shall never wither.
There are dark shadows that rest mere
and there. maIring the landscape.
There are recolleetions of once tender
ties rent assunder, and friendly hand !
clasps pared by the stern necessities of