The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1894-04-12

Death Or the Composer of "There's .
Eight in the Window Tor Thee

Eight in the Window for Thee
4 short time ago an old man,
dressed in rags. appeared at the city
prison in Coneyvillc. kaS, and asked
the jailer to allow him to sleep in II
OF the empty cells over night. He
declined to tell his name, but said he
had arrived on Il freight train from
Texas. HIS request was granted.
Next morning he was found 10 be i'll,
and, though properly taken care OF.
died four days later. a few hours
before his death he called the jaileT
to his side, and told him his name
was Edward Dunbar ana that he was
the author Of that beautiful hymn,
There. d Light IN the Window for
Thee, Brothcr." He was buried in
the Coiieyvillc cemetery.
When Dunbar was 4 small boy he
lived in New | edford, Mass, and
worked in a factory. His mother
lived at the foot Of the street on
which the factory was located. and
as the lads work kept him away till
after dark, she always placed Il light
in the window to guide his footsteps
%homeward. One day he too IA notion
to. go to sea. ana of he went on u
three years cruise During his alb
scnce his mother fell III and was at
deaths door. She talked incessantiy
about her boy, and every night she
asked those around her to place a
light in the window in anti ipation
of his return. When she realized
that her end had come, she said:
Tell Edward that | will set Il light
in the window of Heaven FOR him.
These were her last words.
The lad had grown to manhood ere
he returned home, and his mothers
dying message so affected him that
he reformed and heCamce a preacher.
In the course Of his reformation he
wrote the sony, "There's Il Light in
the Window for Thee. Brother"
The song became widely known
The Rev. Edward Dunbar married
a young woman in New Bedford dur
ing his work in a great re rival IN
1898, and several children were the
result OF this Union. The young di-
vines soon made a reputation as a
brilliant pulpit orator, and the public
was therefore greatly surprised when
n bright Sunday morning ne
skipped the country, leaving his wife
and children behind. He came 30
Kansas, and after snatching brands
from the burning in different parts
of the State, he went to MINNEAPOLIS,
and began to show the people the
error Of their ways. a great revival
followed and hundreds were con.
vertcl.
Miss Eunice Bell Lewis. a hand
some yong he ress Of indianapolis,
was n of the converts. She fell in
love with the evangelist and married
him against the wishes of her friends.
Shortly after the wedding Dunbar re-
turned to Kansas to fill an engage
ment at L-eavcnwOrth. While he was
away the friends of the bride. who
had m%istruSted the evangel st all
along, laid their suspicious before w.
ID. Webb, now JuCge OF the Second
judicial District OF Kansas, and
Judge Austin Young, who were law
partners in Minneapolis, and they
took the case. The result was that
they 500 found evidence sufficient to
warrant an arrest, and Dunbar'S
ministerial career was brought to a
close.
Judge Webb and Judge Young as
sisted in the prosecution OF Dunbar.
After Dunbar's in .arceration Judge
Young secured a divorce for Mrs.
Dunbar and married her himself.
They now live happily together in
Minneapolis. Judge Lochren, the
present Commissioner OF Pensions,
defended Dunbar in the case. Dun
bars first wife died in Taunton,
Mass, about two years ago.