The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-07-13


Few men have looked death in the eyes
as sharply as did Dr. FurIey- For sew
eral days he knew the last visitor had
called, and intended TO remain, never a
parting guest He did not try 10 deceive
himself with the fancy that he might be
mistaken in the identity. and those who
knew understood that whatever express
sions Of hope he gave voice 10 were 70
cheer UP those al his side Along to-
wards dawn Sunday morning the Eagle
office telephoned the home When the
bell rang Dr. Furley said 10 the one an
swering the phone;
Tell them we are hopeful"
This was practically his last word. A
few minutes later he was unconscious
and little after that gone peacefully
across the bar.
To the attending physicians and those
OF his profession who called upon him
he said that ne was already a dead man.
Always dignifed and possessed OF keen
sense Of propriety. he never made . show
OF emotion. and although on previous .oc-
casions within the last year he had been
sick snto death not until now did he say
quietly 10 his callers as they left him:
''Tood-bye
He understood his own condition per
fectlv. knew his power OF resistance and
his physical limitations. As a skilled
practitioner he had been in the presence
OF death innumerabIe times. and he knew
the fine line between hope and hopeless
ness. From the line ne had rescued many,
hundreds. with rare mastery. and when
he himself had crossed the line and knew
#
The last collapse dated back about
week Long ILL., the attack was extreme
HIS fgszt for life had been extended over
years Many another man would have
been subjugated by his disease. a wasting
bronchial affection. years ago But Dr.
Furley fought IL inch by inch. patiently
cheerfuily. iulpe-iously. When the con
oueror's eagles finally came upon him
he surrendered.
his last days were no doubt given 10 a
contemplation Of the meaning Of death
Prominently a student. impressed as
he always was with the dignity Of life
and the sacredness Of living, phIIosophl-
cal. taciturn and unafraid. he must have
striverr hard to anticipate the ways Of
this transition.
OWL kind He was an omnivorous reader, !
own kind lie was an ountverous reader, |
al analyst of methods, a weigher OF limo I
vations in treatment He was high spir-
fled and exacting IN the sick room II 4
he left Instructions for the temperature /
Of the room 20 be kept at u. he meant I
70 and would not suffer the variance of 1
q degree He could not tolerate a lack +
OF punctuality. and any slight deviation +
from his orders irritated him greatly. +
He believed that with certain conditions
and certain treatment he could obtain
certain results. bat he demanded that
the conditions and treatment be main
tanned
II character he was a type OF perfect
gentleman genuine through and through.
high minded, a hater Of all sham. Of
goodly pride. exquisitely neat in attire.
erect n carriage Integrity was innate
him His feeling Of honor had in II
q texture of the old southern chfvalry.
H, was quick to recognize ofense. quick
70 lorEive. whole hearted in his sympa-
thy. pronounced in his anupathies- His
fund Of cheerfuiness sparkIed with sharp
witticisns always, but with no Iessening
OF his dignity Of mind As a converse
tionalist he was delightful. penetrating
ard comprehensive as a listener. pointed
and entertaining in his discourse
OF literature he knew much. and the
best. and was discriminative in high de-
gree.
He had lived in Wichita many. many
years-from the beginnings Of the city.
from it's Indian and cowboy days.
through its boom. and its days Of adver-
sIry- And though the population changed
and its people went through many forms
OF development, DR.. Furley remained al
WAYS the same. the same dignifed. high
minded gentleman
IN his youth ne had done newspaper
work in san Francisco. but he rarely
spoke of 1t. He was pleased 10 recount
his experiences in the army as a surgeon
During the boom Of 1856 he became great
y interested in commercial exploits. such I
as railroad building and the construction
OF buildings. Later he went into munic-
ipal politics for a short time For the ,
last five years he has been i'll much and
was confined 20 his home a great deal Of
The time. particularly during ineiement
weather