The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-06-21
TIE MYSTIC EMBLEM go.
His Lifts Line Disconnected and His Last
Form Closed.

"Boys, FL meet you all over there"
and with no other word or sign the soul
of W. B. Hutchinson passed quietly be-
yond that veil behind which the members
of the printers union, who stood by his
bedside, aud tn whom the words were ad-
dressed, could not see few moments
before some one of the fraternity had said
to him: Hutch" the doctor says You
have not long TO stay; do you wish TO
pray, or TO have your wife pray for you?'
His answer was simply an inclination of
the head Then the woman, who has beea
his stay and soldce from youth. she who
bad proved at once his anchor and star,
and whom he never tired of quoting and
praising, knelt softly by his bedside and
put the prayer of her heart in audible
words. With child-iike faith aud sim
piicity he repeated each word. and then
uttering the farewell quoted in the first
line above, gently as an infant sinks In
slumber, passed 10 the anseen shadows
which intervene between this life of
breath ana the one which is immortal.
Hut ch," as be WAS Familiarity known
and as he was kindly addressed by every
one, was of an eccentric mentality, of
erratic temperament, but man with the
courage OF his convictions, which conyIc-
tioIs, whatever the subject, were radical
and pronounced. He WAS the co-editor
and CO. proprietor of the first newspaper
printed in Wichita, the "Nidette." "a he
was a member of the first vestry of the
city's pioneer church, a picture of which
church and its congregation gathered
about its humble door, shows Hutch in
the foreground. His odd coaceits and
queer epigramatic observations have been
quoted for twenty years to delighted
listeners. The writer of these lines first
knew him thirty-two or thirty-iye years
ago as foreman on the Leayenworfh Times
under the veteran writer, J. Z. Vaughn.
at q time when the Times was the greatest
newspaper west of Chicago aud st. Louis.
He was also local writer for some of the
Leavenworth papers in An early day. He
WAS a Repuolcan-Republic and, al
though uncOnnected with the EAGLE,
there has not been campaign in years i'll
which ". b. Hutchison failed TO drop
quietly around, when nobody was about, to
furnish us with political pointers and
secrets which he had incidentally picked
up. lie never haQ any children of his
own, although he and his faithful good
wife raised an adopted boy to manhood's
estate, whom they loved as their OWN.
But wherefore all this which might be
made columns. His life's work being
done, his last type set, he laid down his
stick ana rule at the Great Foremau's call
OF thirty" and lie Will be buried today, !
buried 10y hands who appreciated and
loved him most, by the boys of the
printers union, who watched by his bed !
side and who today will do more than con-
tribute the floral Offering, and by his
Grand Army comrades, and by the men
and women comprising The Old Settlers |
society. At o'clock they will all meet at
the g. a. K. hail and from thence march |
TO the First Presbyterian church, where !
Rev. DR.. Winters will tell the rest, from |
whence TO the soldiers circle" IN the |
where the detailed escort will |
hel far cil ia.N tn
rest till time is done. Thirty" in tele- |
graph and printers psrleuce means the |
end; when ''thirty" is sounded the trans
mItter becomes silent and the forms are |
closed and go TO press. So the floral |
tribute of the Printers union will he |
posing stick, in which will De set 80" in |
golden figures.
And so, old friend. goodbye. There is no |
word to say but this. Death is best when |
the throbbing mill griDds low and life's |
waters cease their flow. There will be "A |
tears. but your weary years are |
done, with all their clank and grind and |
beat; and as thy last breath blends with |
the voice of grief and the sobs OF those left 1
behind, ana although thy lips have ceased |
TO move and earJh-life for thee is now COM /
plete yet thou and all wilt live, 1--we in the |
hearts of those who knew thee best, and |
live when they and we are also dust:
Tie nOblest songster of the dale
Must cease when winters frowns appear; /
The rcddeSt rose Is wan and pale
When autumn tints the changing year.
The fairest flower on earth must fade.
The brightest hopes on earth must die:
Why should we mourn that man was made !
To Groop on earth, but dwell on high!
Why should we weep for those who die!
They fall, their dust returns to dust;
Their souls shall live eterDauy
Within the mansions OF the Just,