The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-12-28
THE HOPE OF HIS HOME AMI
JOY OF FRIENDS.
A GO0DLY COMPANY AT THE GRAVE
The Little Town Of His Childhood Shed its
Tears and Put on its Flowers Beau
tiful Addresses at the Fun
eral Services.

Raleigh on Christmas night was recelV-
ed here with sorrow by the entire COM
munity. During his long illness news
OF his conditiin had been eagerly re-
ceived, and every favorable report had
gladdened the hearts of all the people.
1t is rare that a youth had so warm
place in so many hearts. When the
news came that he was dead. gloom
such as Clayton has seldom known, set
tied on the place.
Among those from distance who
came to attend the funeral were: Prof.
J. G. Horner, of Oxford; DIR. w. Il.
Harren and wife, of Dunn; Misses Bes-
sic Mordecai and Bessie Meacham, of
Rex Hospital, Raleigh; Rev. Q. J..
Struggled, Mr.. Il. $. Jermun and wife,
Mrs. j. Ii. Neathery: Messrs, Cary j.
Hunter, +. II. Busbee, O. j. Carroll,
Dr. Carroll, President Holiday, j. II.
Chamberlain, of Raleigh; Mr. Watts.
Mr.. Johns and others from Auburn, and
many from other portions of Johnston
county.
The pall-bearers were: Sheriff Filing
ton, E. B. McCullers, G. NJ. Thomas,
+. III. Busbee, DR.. ID. Il. Everett and
Josephus Daniels.
1ne funeral was held to-day at Il. 80
O'Clock from the Methodist church, and
business was generally suspended dur
ing the funeral hour. From the sur
rounding country came many friends
who were full of sorrow and sympathy.
The church was crowded, and the flow
ers around the altar-rail and the pulpit
were lovely and profuse. AS the fun
eral party entered the church, they were
preceded by Rev. J. L. Draper, pastor,
and Revs. O. L. Springfield, j. +. Tuttle,
and DR.. w. Il. Harrell, who assisted in
the funeral services. Mr.. Draper read
the service, beginning. 81 am the resur-
rection and the life.' and the choir sung
"Asleep in Jesus, o, how sweet"
Prayer, touching. fervent and full OF
tenderness, was offered by Rev. j. Il.
Tuttle, pastor of the Baptist church, af-
ter which Miss Jessie Ellington sung Il
solo, ''Some Day, Some Time"
Pastor Draper gave a short sketch of
the life of the young man, told of his
purity of heart and life, of his devotion
to his parents and family, his model de-
pertinent and studious habits, and of his
early conversion to God and his conse-
Grafton to Ills service by becoming a
member of the Methodist church, of
which his dead mother was q member.
He spoke of his manliness and gentle
ness, the love and sympathy between the
dead boy and his step-mother, and his
unlimited devotion to his loving father
1t was a brief and tender tribute to
noble young man. who was cut off in
the flush of manhood. Pastor Draper
touched upon the wisdom displayed by
the young man in giving bis heart to
the Saviour in his youth, and of the
joy it gave all his loved ones to have
the assurance that he had gone to the
better land.
Rev. 0. Il. Struggled. who had known
the young man well, spoke lovingly and
appreciatively of his life and the sweet
influences of his right-liying. "This is
no broken column" he said willie
Horne's life was finished" He had been
pure in heart. He is at rest" He spoke
upon the realities of eternity, and COM
pared this existence to dream when
contrasted WITH the world beyond. Few
young men have lived deserving the
high and eloquent tribute paid by Mr..
Springfield.
The choir sung, Beyond the Weep
ing" and DR.. w. B. Harrell offered a
touching prayer. An opportunity was
then given to the young mans friends
AS the choir sung "Sweet Bye and Bye"
the boy was borne from the church, and
a long line in carriages and on
foot followed the young mans body to
it's last resting place in Mr.. Horne's
plot in the west of the town, and near
the grave of his sainted mother all that
was mortal of Willie Horne was laid to
rest.
After life's fitful fever he rests well.
He obeyed the admonition Remember
now thy Creator in the days of thy
youth honored his father and his moth
err, was obedient and respectful to his
teachers, kind and courteous to all, de-
voted to his playmates and school-fellows
and when God took him it is not surpris-
ing that whole community, and all who
had known him elsewhere, sorrowfully
turned out to do him honor.
The grief Of his stricken father, whose
heart was wrapped up in him. is pa
thetic. He had looked forward with
confidence TO a brilliant career to this
talented son; he had lavished upon him
wealth of affection and in return had
received a devotion and love that it falls
to the lot of few parents to know. He
had never thought his promising boy
could be taken in his youth, and he is
crushed and broken. The sympathy of
the entire community for the afflicted
father is all pervading. unobtrusive and
shows the place son and father have won
among their neighbors.
PROF. HORNER'S TRIBUTE.
The -Jllowing tribute from the pen
of Prof. j. G. Homer will be read with
grateful feelings by the many friends of
the deceased:
"a character that impresses our fel-
lows is not ordinarily formed until ma
ture age is reached, and then too only af-
ter trials and toll. How seldom do we
find youth whose life has been such
that we can set it before our children as
an example worthy of imitation. And
yet such was the life OF Willie Horne.
He was at school studious, perhaps too