The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-25

I l.
! ever stood under any flag. His life was
j one of great industry. In his brief
4 career as a soldier, which was brave
/ one, he underwent such extreme and
| cruel suffering and torture that when
he came home he was wrecked IN con-
StitutiOn and from that time to his
/ death, with brief intervals. he was an
/ invalid and had to foregO nigh all the
/ activities of life. By the exercise II
/ great industry and commenoable THRIFT.
/ by constant acc-etions ne came into
I possession of moderate wealth, OF which
he felt he was the mereSt custodian Lor
/ the briefest time. He held It IS
/ hduciary holds a trust fund and lis
books were ready for an accounting 20
/ the Landlord at any time and on any
| demand. He gave as he had gathered
| Not as the whin seized him or as ca
PRECIOUS chance suggested it. Not as
the tides ebb and flow, now food then
/ dry land, but like some deep and Sil- Mt
river feeds the sea- Each hand was
stranger and both without memory 10
the hungry child he was vision OF
loaded orchards, of great stacks, well
filed, generous bins and green alfalfa
fields To the poor he was an april
shower that gladdeued night and slum-
Der in its fall. He came as the needed
rain to the parched earth. To old age.
he was dre and food and shelter. For
a life time, many of those who became
distressed came to him for their nrst
help, and If it were at all right or
merciful, he gave with open hand and
an averted eye He fenced his bene-
factions off from public gaze. 1t was
only when they could no longer be hid
it was only when the light could not
help but shine on the bronze efigy he
had placed on the summit OF that
sacred hill overlooking the capitol as
It crimsoned when day lifted up its
gates, as it stood shining and shadow
less under the days high noon. as it
was FURNISHED by purple sunsets, as IL
stood with fixed eye on the far west
ard beheld without pulse or motion the
day fade and die. as it limned the night
with its outline, as over it swept har-
vest moons. as around it gathered mid
night storms, as at It's base the
thOughtless children played, then, our
eyes were opened to read the book Of
his life, which for the first time laid
open before US. Page after page, it IS
a recital of unsinister philanthropy
The more we came to know him the
closer he to the ingle in every old com
rade'S heart He increased IN grace
with every deed. The blossoms whiten-
ed his tree and early autumn filed IL
with fruit. There came into his face
high and benignant look and his eyes
Shone with the kindliest light that IL
1umines the human cOuntenance. Among
the stories told. he went down to the
depot to see the Twenty Kansas
off for Cuba, and his farewell to the
regiment was the goodbye Of a mother.
1t touched the adamant OF the brave
colonel and blinded the vision Of his
men Not he, nor any Of his has given
his benefactiOns publicity. It has come
from the widow, the orphan, the aged
the halt, the blind, the suffering. and
his comrades have stood on no cere-
mony in telling it. We may well bor-
row an adage to say that the crime OF
good deeds will out. 1t may not be
whispered save by sprig of rosemary
cast into the open tomb, it may only be
in the silence of clOistered prayer, but
if He is told, creation hears He de-
served these fair things should be said
of him and we would be churls to slip
the opportunity to say them. And here
1 want my comrades to say an unctious
j Amen! He had many business trans
actions but no one ever heard Of him,
having any sort of disagreement with
anyone, and he avoided courts and Iiti-
cation as We would shun the leprosy-
| Content with his own affairs, he ask
ed no Office, but held an exalted Dri-
vate station above the low levels where.
IN the scramble, manhood Is dropped to
pick up the scavengered spoil. Salts
fed with his own home, his neighbors
and friends, pleased with the modera-
tiOn and even tenor of good citizenship.
he never sought stupendOus follfes that
candle the moth and ultimately singe
and burn, nor was he eager for the big
ambitions that kill with their uuap-
peasable appetite. In common council
with his wife, they agreed upon a life
of systematic good. In the sanctity Of
his own home he thought Of the means
by which one of their own number could
honor the private soldier. The good
angel standing to him closer than his
shadow urged him to build that proud
fame when he himself was all whip and
spur to accomplish it. She bade him
tranSmute her jewels into granite. She
gave II ner prayer and beside the rough
grouttng that sets the pile, every stone
was cemented with her tenderest sym
pathy and love Venerable man, that
life is best lived, into which has come
the greatest good for others IN the
presence of this mans life and deeds. IL
were blasphemy to query. does death
end all? There must be an eventual
purpose in good lives. The great sea
of Mystery in which all things float
holds the answer. and over the grave OF
such man, to question still, IS to seek
miracle to find excuse 1t would make
the greatest universe and all created
things, from the bloom of violets to the
blaze Of stars. from the sigh Of breeze
to the surge Of sun, from the animal
cule Oceaned in its shoreless droD to
infnftude of space, matter, mind and
law, puTpOSeleSS, meaningless things II
the end Of all good is but dying. Our
senses are held by hard limitations OF
the flesh. Our eyes are blinded our
ears mufled, but the mind is uufettered
and free. Philosophy runs along the
path where the senses stumble.
A wilderness of roses bloom.
That one some soul may see;
And showers of seeds broadcast are blown
That one may fruit a tree.
A thousand brooks with cooling streams
And shaded to the brink.
Await the hour some thirsty haas4
May come to lave or drink
Uanumbered c1oudspour down their foods
On parched and barren plain.
May feel the April rain.
Each leaf within the mighty wood
EGGelheS us snare or sun.
Each insect, bird and beetle feeds,
Before the day is done.
Each star that shines It's cycle Ger,
Seeks f5F some hearts despair
And with its lambert fame to fire
The faiths dead embers there
Creation sings a constant song
And were not senses dim.
We'd hear the awful silence break.
And peal an organ hymn
Wed know the purpose Of the rose,
The broad cast of seed.
The brook, the cloud, the shining star,
Were all for human needI
This most and all IFS Veterans vvalcor1a