Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-08-02
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TIE DEVOTED SLAVE.
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...s....ssss..s ..ssss....s.s..
This is The inscription on a grave
stone not far from Harrisonville, Gas.
County, Mo.
Somebody who has kept mp will
the long list of fiction will tell 70,
that the words were written by Thos
Hardy IN the story of Judge the Oh
scure." No matter. They are carved
ON the gravestone in the church yart
just off country road that leads tc
the little county seat on the western
border of Missouri. The grave is old
err than the slab by more than quar-
of century. For more than. mi
ter of century, For twenty-five
years the final rest of the occupant
was marked by 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 year peo-
pie pointed out its course. It was two
miles wide. II was 100 miles long
Not a Ewing thing that stopped in ths
sweep Of the tornado escaped. II
twisted the old tree that had stood az
sentinel and Sgnboard for this grave
and tore its roots from the ground.
In 1910 Dr. Hugh McReynolds, the
faithful old physician Of the first PEG.
pie who made the community, Joined
the gold search which whiteued the
Western plains that year with covered
wagons which made a trail over the
mountains and around the canyons
and wound its way to the land where
the sun went down. One devoted ser.
want 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 Mis-.
souri,. the harvest followed; the leaves
turned yellow and fell; the snow whit
ened the earth and the housetops, and
spring returned before tidings came
back to waiting ones OF the ST. r.
rival Of master and servant. And then
there was another long wait, and af-
ter that news Of success. FrNm time
to time this was repeated. The for
tune had been realized. The separa.
ton was mellowed by anticipated re-
turn. There weR no couriers or mes
sengers in that time. so that the long
silence was construed 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 man double.
weighted. About his waist, in his
pockets, in his hands a fortune. Gold
coin and gold dust and quartz. In his
heart message of sorrow. 1t was
night when the lights of the village
greeted his coming. He made his
journeying slower, until all the lights
went out, one by one. and then the
messenger came ITO the house, crept in.
to the barn and rested until the sun
was up.
Harrisonvile was still a village. The
Single cry of anguish which broke
from the home to which the messon.
ger of fortune and sorrow had come
was ,heard in every house. All day
people went from their own places
with consolation, and returned to con.
sole one another. They met in the
street and wept Later in the day
they met in one sanctuary of the town
and appealed for that help which is
the last resort when human aid gives
up Then the tidings Travelled into
the country, and people from THE farm
houses came in TO weep with those
who wept. For days the topic Of the
village was the fact that the faithful
old physician who had healed so many
in his time was beyond recall.
Some Tina .f,sr wher or;s, b.a
snent itself the neonle heard the storv
~ tba Journey NJ ,ha hIacL man who
had returned in obedience 70 hi, mas
tors reouest and his senso ~ dutv az
we'll
Tn Calaveras countv mastsr and ser.
want worked together. sometimes di0.
pino sometimes dn the oulch in NJ.
tIenit search for The treasure nj n,
earth Their labor was rewarded he.
vond expectation Then came an eni.
lemic In tbe camn The master ston.
ned his search for cold and ministered
h Inc sicL Uas serv,nt was bis nurss
~, r.,