The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-15

This is the inscription on n gravesione not
far from HsrrisoIrille. Cas- county, Mo.
Somebody who has kept up with the long list
Of fiction will tell you that the words were writ
ten by Thomas Hardy in his story OF Jude the
Obscure" No matter. They arc carved on
the gravestone in the church yard just on q
country road that leads 10 the little county seat
on the western border of Missouri. The grave
Is older than the slab by more than a quarter oi a
century. For more twenty-five years the final
rest OF the occupant was marked by a Tree. FOR
there was no other tree within a mile or more OF
the place. One day a storm started somewhere
in Kansas and crossed over into Missouri. For
nearly a year people pointed out its course. II
was two miles wide. 1t was 100 miles long. Not
a living thing that stopped in the sweep Of the
tornado escaped. 1t twisted the old tree that
had stood AS sentinel and signboard for this
grave and tore its roots from the ground.
In 1910 DR.. Hugh McReynolds. the faithful old
physician OF the first people who made the COM
munity. Joined the gold search which whitened
the Western plains that year with covered
wagons, which made a trail over the mountains
and around the cahons and wound its way TO
the land where the sun went down. One de-
voted servant was with him. a slave. His wife
remained behind to care for the old missus and
the children. The summer rIpened the fruits
and grain Of Missouri; the harvest followed; the
leaves turned yellow and fell. the snow whitened
the earth and the housetOps. and spring re-
turned before tidings came back 10 waiting
ones Of the safe arrival OF master and servant
And then there was another long wait, and after
that news OF success. From time to time this
was repeated. The fortune had been realized
The separation was mellowed by anticipated
return. There were no couriers or messengers
in that time. so that the long silence was con-
sidered to mean that the homeward journey
was under way. Nearly four months OF this
silence. Nearly four months of watching and
waiting. maybe praying. for even then there
was that simple faith which was more than
Norman blood.
Across the prairie of Cass county there came
one night a man double-weighted, About his
waist, In his pockets. in his hands a fortune.
Gold coin and gold dust and quartz. In his
heart a message Of sorrow. II was night when
he h m llsssss b Of the lhsrn SllihSs s Srsstsd n nj, ,'S III ne
lights went out, one by one, and then the mes
ssnger came to the house. crept into the barn
and rested until the sun was np.
Harrisonville was still a village, The single
cry Of anguish which broke from the home to
which the messenger Of fortune and sorrow
had come was heard In every house. All day
people went from their own places with con-
ISOLATION. and returned to console one another.
They met In the street and wept. Later in the
day they met In the sanctuary, OF the town and
wWhen hTm,n aid gives no Then the tidInes
travelled into the country. and people from the
farmhouses came, in TO weep with those who
the fact that the faithful old physician Who had
healed so many In his time was beyond recall.
Some time after, when grief had spent itself,
the black man who had returned in obedience
TO his masters request, and his sense of duty
as well.
In Calaverss county master. and servant
,rnrkAA tnyathaN anp,ntiYnaH Aiv1tn. a,,n
times IN the gulch, In patient search for the
treasure of the earth. Their labor was reward
ed beyond expectation. Then came an epide-
search for gold and mlnistered to the sick. His
servant was his nurse. They were not always
successful. 1t is appointed to all men TO die.
for those who are at home, The epidemic
was merciless. The old physician sometimes
acted IN the capacity Of minister after he had
failed in his other mission. He received the
consoled the bereaved. In some cases he as
sisted In the sepulchre of the dead, .
The epidemic did not release its fevcred
than living. Then, like an i~nsatiate fend It
turned upon the devoted physician, and he
died In the, arms OF his faithful slave. In the
all he had accumulated. allotting To- him his
portion, and MS freedom, on condition that
the servant return TO his mistress In Missouri
with her portion.
''N'N -. -. sNh NV
now. and az there ever VIII be until the good
time promised by the patriarchs from the be-
ginning snal come. some OF these were IN
I, hlaNrraS county, ana wheh they tailed IN rob
Ding thp, living tney ueSpolleu Inc dead. 10
escape these was the propltm % the faithfut
ssrvan, mha MESSENGER hi.housh ne mad liveu
lnlano all ms NE UP 70 thls time ne Knew there
was u why out other than the long. tedious. bar
rem tran by when they nad come into tho new
country, lie had heard mel tax oil. the sea.
not hkeiy ne mao any eo%nCeR,on OF us I'M.
knew 1t was, one way out. BY stratagem. by ex-
posur', py lonely Walks, oiteh by night: IN the
thunder ana lightning OF canyon. and. Rulch.
mountain ana vale, olteh an hungered, more
frequently wearied by physical ailment. he
reached san Francesca win ms treasure. the
value or which was estimated at $4,000. He
saw the sea ana heard lor, the frst time the
SOUND thereol when Is eitheT anthem. or re-
9niem' ne Only KNEW a. ne nad heard IT In a
This. eea IN ships. He knew. perhaps by in
tuition, that there was q long voyage around
the tape. ana that uouDled. mere was still an
uncertain one which might land him in New
York. lie only knew that New ORR was some
Francisco lay In the track oil sunset. But be-
tween the sea with its storms and the back
trail with It's human harpies and deserts and
savages, he chose the sea. Like all men OF his
race his was a religious nature, guided and sus-
properly analysed anu applied. make better
Christians OF men enlightened. When some one
said 70 him that, the sea was uncomfortable by
man, he replied that he had heard that the Christ
heard anything about the same power subduing
the multitude when II was enraged, Therefore,
he chose the sea.
II was a weary, Iempe-tuous voyage. More
than once the ship went out Of her course, and
three times her crew mutinled. Once they
hound him hand and fopt and carried him IN Ito