The Monte Vista journal., 1899-04-15

East, and not until Friday was any
fear expressed ms to his recovery. At
3 O'Clock that afternoon Mrs. Tabor be-
came alarmed and sent for Doctors C..
A. Powers and +. V. Carlin. After q
consultation they told his wife that he
was suffering from appendicitis. They
did not advise m operation. In fact, be-
lieved that 1t would result In almost
instant death. Saturday and Sunday
the condition OF Mr.. Tnbor grew stead
lily worse. There was steady ebb Of
the current Of life. and 1t was known
then that he could not live. n. Maxcy
Tabor, son OF the senator and one Of
the lessees Of the Brown Palace hotel,
was called Friday night and was con-
stnnt In the attention to his father un.
til he passed away.
The rapid approach Of the end was
more noticeable mt . o'clock Monday
morning, but still II was believed
death would not come so soon M II
did. Philip McCourt, brother OF Mrs.
Tabor, who had been In the rooms
nearly all night, had been gone but n
few minutes, when the heavy breath
ing OF the senator attracted attention.
His wife and their two children, Lille,
IL years old, md Silver, . years old;
\. Maxcy Tabor. Miss McCourt. sister
OF Mrs. Tabor. and the attending ply
sicians. gathered around the bedside.
Mrs. Tabor took her husbands hand
md asked him II he was in pain.
The senator was perfectly conscious:
his mind was clear and firm. He re-
piled to his wife's question that he suf
fered some pain, and then. with a deep
sigh. half turned and closed his eyes
upon all things earthly.
Sunday morning Senator Tabor
WAS baptized n Roman Catholic
by the Rev. Father Guidosa. n
Jesuit priest Ten days ago, before
his last sickness had fastened itself
upon him, Senator Tabor had decided
To enter the Catholic church. and he ar
ranged to be received late the present
month. His sickness hastcned the ad-
ministration OF the sacrament, for on
sunday morning the sick man pleaded
earnestly To have the priest sent for,
saying that. even II he recovered his in-
tcntion to become n Catholic would he
carried out. Father Guidosa was sum
moned and baptized him. He made a
confession and received communion.
After this he settled back TRANQUILITY
He was heard to say to his wife, who
never leIt MS bedside.
This is tho hnpplcst moment OF my
life. ! am nj pence and resigned 10 the
will OF God
On various occasions In the last few
years senator Tabor spoke seriously
Of becoming n Catholic but said little
Of II outside the circle OF his own fam
lily. He had never been a churchman
In n particular sense.
Sol.
born on small farm In orleans coun-
ty. Vermont, November ~. 1880. His
parents Were poor and he spent his
boyhood days much as other boys
spend their lives on small farms
working, with an occasional day ut
school
one winter he taught in the district
school OF his native county and later
learned the trade OF n stonccu,ter.
when n few years past his majority
he married and when - years old he
and his wife started west. Mr.. Tabor
had from his Infancy displayed u re-
markable degree OF energy. and he was
one OF the many rugged New England
ers who became imbued with the Kan
sas fever He discussed the question
OF journeying west for several months
before finally deciding TO take the long
trip.
In 1853 he moved 10 Kansas. settling
on farm near Lawrence, where his
son. Mnxcy. was born. Mr.. Tabor's
personality and ylgor In all things mt
once made him n prominent figure and
soon he became an active member OF
the Free Soil party. lie fought Its bat
ties with enthusiasm. and upon that
ticket was elected TO the Legislature In
1857. But the old desire 10 move west
came Ia him. Men returning from Col
orado told stories of wondrous wealth,
and he finally decided that this state
should be his home In the future. He
sold his farm and implements and,
purchasing n team OF oxen. hltchcd
them to his wagon and started for
what was then the Far West.
lie came first to Denver and then
went down In the mountains near
Mani,ou Springs, where they lived an
outdoor life. Mrs. Tabor did the work
nhout the camp while he prospccteL IN
IN. mountains. II" remained there. 80
far as Is known. only few months,
when he broke camp and moved up
into the mountains thinking that there
was nothing for him there.
Mr.. Tabor. to use his oft'rcpehted
phrase. located himself In the spring
of 1870 In ora city, then thriving
settlement nj the head Of the famous
California rulch. The gulch FOR that
tim. was n busler place than II Is even
nt this day. Miners aud prospcctors
wcr. Hooking In from all points OF the
universe. lie WIS among III" nrst I"
move Into oro city, which is now n
suburb Of Lcadvillc.
Her. was the real beginning OF en-
r..r that Inns made Mr.. Tabor famous.
lie began prospecting and In TIL. way
cleared Aycrnl thousands OF dollnrr.
The money he used In buying n stock
OF miners supplies. groceries ana gen
,ru, material In Denver. buying the
hulk OF his goods from Brown Broth
,r.. Having transported the goods To
ORC city. h. opened n store which soon
became III. center of the region. IL"
mad. Il famous throughout the noun
tnIns on nccount of his vigorous per-
,onnllty. IL. kept II small hotel In con.
uection with the store.
Mrs, Tabor wns n typical frontier wo-
man. nnd In those early days she wnsh'
I'd and did her own work. cooking for
the little hotel md now and then help
ing 10 MI the family purs" by wnhhih.
for the miners. She II spoken of by
tho.. who knew her IN that dny Ms
equally n industrious ns her husband.
Shortly after Opening tho store MIR.
Tabor was appointed postmaster. lie
pro.prrd. mud II IL said that from the
store and the hotel and his mining OPP
crntlonu he Ind made considerable
money, Hut California guich was hc-
iiey,si TO have been worked out and the