The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1895-09-13
a NOBLEMAN IN KANSAS.
Hezs Devoting His Lilo and For
tune 70 Good Work
a Qarer Iiitie Enghshman who mas
ctre;ed thu uiahe Nine Timss-At
yansins sah.is Cor the Ed1catiop
Of Twelve Hundred Gifi.

~
One wolldhardly seekin droughty.
burned Kansas an English noble
man, aud especially a nobleinan who
has forsaken his ancestral home tor
the sake Of saving the souls OF those
who are trying TO save their bodies.
says the New York Times And
yet heis here, in the person Of Sir
Robert Noryille, q jolly little round
bodied man, who, having circled the
globe niue times, has deemedit his
mission to labor with this people. as
u minister in the Christian church,
or Church OF the Disciples, Sir
Robert Norville has undertaken the
education Of some one thousand
two hundred girls In addition TO his
other self-imposed duties, advancing
the money that is necessary to carry
them through the church school IN
Illinois, where he sends them. He
does not make a gift Of the money,
merely loaning It, to be paid back rs
the recipients of his generositYcan
find the means in later years. He
usually exacts one-fourth the first
year after the education Of the girls
is completed, and one-fourth yearly
thereafter This money is then
used again for the same purpose
incidentally, he aids in building
up weak churches, work that he \
finds most difficult at this time
among u people struggling withpovs
crty, brought about by repeated |
crop failures. But a few evenings
since he lectured in UIdnle, once a 1
prosperous little town of -four hum
dred inhabitants, situated in the
heart Of what has been called the
richest county in Kansas. Two
years ago there were in Uldale TWEEN
ty general merchandise stores, and
there wereall the evidences pos
perity. To-day the population Of
that town numbers nearly seventy
five souls, who are the patrons of
the one store and the one bake shop
remaining. Empty buildings at
test to the faith that once entered
into the makeup OF Kansans who so
largely live upon hopes, even in the
arid portion of the state.
At one time there we're two banks
at Uldale to excite the cupidity 81
the freebooters OF Indian territory,
but few miles distant; nowhere
are no banks, nor is there need for
any, for money has practically dis
appeared.
In such an unpromising place Sir
Robert Norville found himself
booked for a lecture, which he deliv-
cred to the few remaining people,
too poor and too dispirited 10 move
away. After his lecture he made an
appeal for funds.to aid a Struggling
church, Offering q supplement tbS
mite lie nigh fscsiysby the giit q
an equal sum. IL Ills surprlse &C.
received fifteen dollars and thIrfy.
FIVE cents, to which he added d like
amount, and bestowed the purse
upon the struggling church be was
aiding.
This queer character invariably
pays all his own expenses, never &C.
cepting cent in any shape for his
personal use. He shuns public mo-
tice, saying he is serving his Master,
who has brought him out of severe
trials and troubles.
For two years his labors have been
in the counties comprising what is
known as the southern tier, contin.
ually passing from one community
to another, aiding church, or send.
ing agirl to Illinois to complete her
education and prepare herselffor
life Of selt-support,
The longing TO again circle the
globe has come upon him with full
force, and he is closing up his work
preparatory to another move. This
time he will leave Kansas andreturn
to take up his task after visiting San
Francisco, Australia, England and
New York. He says this will be his
last trip around the world, which
will take him about year to com
plete, when he will take up hiswork
in tnis state again.
In appearance he is as poverty
stricken as those among whom he
labors, and yet his check at the
banks in this city is worth thousands
Of dollars. He declined to talk Of his
life in the old country, simply ad-
mitting that his family rank high,
but invariably adds that he has held
no communication with them for
years. 1t is certain that he receives
large remittances directly from Lon
don, but little OF which is ever ex
pended upon himself.