Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-02

Jaw uhe sea ana heard the firSt tint
the sound thereof which Ia either an
them or requiem. He only knew, a
he had heard it in vague way in th,
camp that men went down TO this Get
in ships. He knew, perhaps by intu
ton, that there was long voyage
around the Cape, and that doubled
there was still an uncertain one which
might land him in New York. Hi
only knew that New York was some
where toward sunrise, as he knew that
San Francisco lay in the track Of sun
set. But between the sea with its
storms and the back trail with it,
human harpies and deserts and saw
ages, he chose the sea. Like all men
of his race, his was a religious ma
ture, guided and sustained by that su.
perstition which might. if properly
analysed and applied, make better
Christians of men enlightened. When
some one said to him that the sea was
uncomfortable by man, he replied that
he had heard that the Christ had said
to 1t, "Peace, be STILL" and he had
never heard anything about the same
power subduing the multitude when
Ut was enraged. Therefore, he chose
the sea.
1t was a weary, tempestuous voyage
More than once the ship went out OF
her course, and three times her crew
mutiMed. Once they bound him. hand
and foot, and carried him to the ships
side to pitch him into the waters as u
prowtiation to the wraith. This was
crcumvented by his promise to give
each sailor s. when the ship reached
New York. Not living soul on ship
board knew Of his treasure, else he
would never have left it alive. Often
times he was required to do service
under orders, and it was usually work
OF the most mental character.
The ship reached the port of Now
York after a voyage of nearly three
months. The faithful servant paid to
each one of the crew who had bound
him the sum promised, and presented
the captain with larger sum for hia
consideration. The journey from New
York was by stage to httsburg.
Thence down the Ohio river and up
the Mississippi by steamboat to St
Louis. From st. Louis up the Nilsson.
ri by similar means Of transportation
to Westport Landing, now Kansas
City. Thence by wagon and horseback
to Harrisonvlle. In proof. as II any
were necessary, Of his perils by sea,
he carried a certificate from the cap
tain of the ship.
Within less than two years there
was an epidemic in Missouri. It trav.
eled like the fire in the dry grasses
of q prairie. 1t fastened itself upon
such out-of-the-way places as Har1t-
sonville, and wasted human life as
mercilessly as the srocco of Algiers
One of its victims was the wifi OF the
good old physician who had given up
his hfe in the camp in Calaveras. AS
he had nursed his master to the end,
the faithful servant attended his mis-
tress in her last days. There were no
charity societies then; no homes for
the aged; no community OF appeal.
The epidemic had smitten the village,
and those who survived were penniless.
In that hour the faithful old slave,
whose freedom had been earned but
never accepted, came to the relief OF
the stricken; and his portion OF the
treasure bequeathed went to the
amelioration of the people among
whom lis master had lived before he
became 49er When the ervant died
he was buried beneath the old tree
which shaded and sheltered the grave
OF his wife. The bit of ground, just
enough for two dead bodies, was all
this old servant had when he came to
close his eyes forever. And so when
the hurricane from Kansas leveled the
tree above his remains, some one
knowing the story of his life, put the
slab over his grave on which is his
name: