Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1903-01-27

The relatives OF the deceased and the
employees about the place were as
sembIed at the grave.
Before the body was lowered the
| army chaplain conducted a short SER
ice and the veteran general, con-
.raTy to his custom and experience
delivered short address, but like all
things that he did, he was practical
and commonsense and spoke to the
point.
This is the last tribute" he said,
that man can pay to man-give him
decent burial in the earth. A man,
ambitious for wealth and power
ruined his life and shortened his days
trying to obtain it wrongfully. 1t is
| not meet and proper. to speak re-
proachfully of the dead, but his dying
words condemned such a life and it is
well that we should profit by the les
son.
His life is now familiar to you all.
1t does no good to repeat it here.
But there is yet one lesson to draw
from it.
HE was known far and wide as the
Lord of the Desert He prided in
this. This comes from the difference
in classes in the European countries
where lords and ladies are created by
kings and monarchs and by heredity.
There is no such custom here. The
title is an empty one. Every man
here may be lord according to the
American idea, if he wishes. An
honorable, well spent life makes
man lord, a sovereign, king here
better than the highest sounding
names of the old world. It is not the
title, it is the man.
with all of the high-sounding
name OF Lord of the Desert he was
not nearly so great as his humble
successor, the honest trapper, who
has made himself a lord in deed by
laboring and battling for the right.
The assumed lord died a. death of
agony from a remorseful conscience.
The real lord-the true American lord
came to his Inheritance honestly
and through merit. Let us hope that
the dead lord has made peace with
his maker and that the American lord
will never disgrace the honorable title
which he has won."
With song by those present and
prayer by the chaplain the cere-
mony over the remains of the "Lord
of the Desert" was closed.
General Crook was now ready to
take his departure. His friends had
assembled about him in the Stone
House to render him thanks for his
services.
I will send that money to you by
an escort -upu2 my arrival at the
fort, friend Hammersley-Lyle,' said
the general.
mo, send it to some safe bank in
the east and deposit it to Miss Lyle's
credit, so that she may draw upon it
for the use of herself and her father"
| replied the trapper.
"Not one cent" spoke the father
and daughter together
"Only convey us to civilization"
said Bertha, '"and will support
father. Mr.. HammersI,y is the right
full owner of the money and the prop
erty and would, not consent to &C
cept one cent of it."
"You shall have the money and
property, too,' replied the trapper.
II will return to my traps. Your
father may manage the ranch and you
may travel, or do as you like"
What pity you are cousins" said
General Crook. ''You should be low
ers-you should be husband and
WIFE"
land" said the cripple.
But it is against the law here" re-
piled the general.
HE has never asked me, anyway"
said Bertha embarrassed
81 didn't think it was any use" re-
piled the trapper with husky voice.
General Crook at once detected the
real sentiment of the two for each
other.
s'It's bad law" he said, 'but it is
best.''
81 think 1 can relieve all of this
embarrassment" said AL. Beach, COM
ing forward. Read the will more
carefully"
The will was handed to General
Crook, who read:
''In the name of God, Amen. be-
uueath to my adopted son, William
Lyle all Adopted son. repeated
General Crook. $50 this William Lyle
| was not the real son of the testator." !"
"That is true" said Leondidas Lig-
gett, the former cook of the Lord of
the Desert, who had stood by in ST.
lence. 'T have long known the whole
story. 1 learned it from William
Lyle's wife in Boston, after his death.
have kept silent all of these years
because L O1O not CnInk an dQOpC0u
son ought to inherit over the real
ones"
A further examination of the pa
pers which AL Beach had secured dis
covered written acknowledgment of
William Lyle that he was an adopted
son and that this had been kept a
secret from the other children who
were all born after his adoption.
'I see nothing in the way now"
said General Crook, .glancing at Ber-
tina and Hammersley.
Bertha is it any use to ask?" in
quired the trapper.
There is nothing lost by tryfng!"
replied the girl as she took him by
the hand.
ssGIad you remained, chaplain" !"
said General Crook. "You have
buried one lord and now you may
bind another for life before we CO."
Within ten days old Egan came in
with his fragment of warriors and the
squaws and children Of his tribe and
surrendered to General Crook.
Fort Warner was abandoned and
the great Indian fighter was sent to
other fields. Dan Follett was never