The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-08-19
LOVER THE RIVER TO J0RDON'
BY THE LATE GRANT JONES

been told of the River Jordan at sun
day school on the Sunday before, and
she was amused at the answer.
In came the harvest hands. tired and
hungry. At the well they refreshed their
hot faces with cold water, and soon all
were seated at the table excepting the
children.
Il must see them said the mother
After the coffee had been poured. the
children not yet having come. she went
again to the door and net seeing them
she went into the yard, and out among
the trees and called again.
They're hiding. she said. and TO add
10 their fun she called her husband and
they together searched, not caring much
TO find them quickly, so as TO make them
believe that they really had been very
hard to find. The parents fancied that
all the while the TWO pairs of laughing
eyes were watching them from behind
some tree or stump or bush. and they ex-
pected every minute TO hear q burst OF
childish laughter.
Playing Indian. again." said the faith
er. when they jump out We must be
scared"
would get cold.
Come, children, we must go 10 dinner
now" the father called, but there was
no reply.
The parents began to think that the
children could not have remained quiet
so long and a little anxiety was felt.
They returned TO the house hoping that
they were already there, and had seen
them searchin gand thought it fun.
They were not in the house. and ankle
ty grew into alarm.
The harvest hands were summoned and
scattering among trees, the parents and
men moved toward the river, calling fire.
quently. but receiving only the echoes Of
their own voices in reply.
No trace Of the children was found at
the river and al returned again to the
house. hoping that by this time they
were there. But the house vas still. and
they were not in the yard.
Again they went to the river-went
quickly now and searched with hungry
eyes.
very edge were the prints of little feet
1T is not So" the father said. as an
awful fear came TO him. 1t is not 50,
Alice They have but strayed away
come, we shall find them in the woods"
Dinner was now cold on the table No
little hands reached out for the tiny bis
cults that mother made with so much
love.
Evening came. The great father Of the
sunfiowers bent low in his goodnight
kiss to his million children on the plains
The searchers moved about like spectres
in the woods.
Another DAY. and yet another came.
From the sunfower and the hedge still
sang the thrush and meadow-lark. but
their song was like a discord in the
night Beneath the cottonwood the swing
hung motionless-no little hands 10 swing
II now.
In their room, where the mother and
father had kissed them to sleep so often.
they were again asleep-aslep now for
ever. Some loving hand has. placed about
them the flowers of the field, the flowers
that they had loved so well. Above them
stood the minister. on his long. white
fingers he held book. and from it's
pages he read a story Of the River Jor-
dan.
They did not hear II now,
Among the parks and boulevards at
the northern limits of the city OF Wich-
tia, where have ben built churches and
colleges, and palatial homes. and where
dwells a happy and prosperous people.
there stands today, overlooking the wide
and fertile valley OF the Arkansas. the
largest cottonwood tree IN ali the great
southwest. Under the shade OF its great
branches sleep two little children and
their parents. Above them. erected by a
kind people. is marble monument bear
ing the inscription: over the River TO
Jordan"