The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1902-1905, 1903-10-23
Nigh Unto Death,

stricken with what it is thought will
prove his last illness, at his home on
summit street. He is an aged
man, being in his Slst year, and dur
ing all the years of his residence
mere over 20 has been in feeble
health.
Mr.. Burton came to Crescent City
in the early years of the towns his
tory and with his wife kept board
ing house. AT one time or another
pretty nearly everybody in the place
has sat at his table, With his wife,
who died some 8 or 10 years ago, he
came from Sierre Leone, Africa.
where he lived many years at Free
town and had charge of the indus
trial department of the station of the
American Missionary Society. Mrs.
Burton, whom he married in Africa.
was connected with the church of
England mission at the same place.
Long residence in the fever stricken
wilds of that country wrecked his
health and compelled his return to
America. Then he came to Florida
and settled in Crescent City.
Several years ago Mr.. Burton
decided his home to his old friend,
Mr.. st. John of New York, it being
stipulated that the latter was to
come td Crescent City and reside,
and that he was to care for Mr.. Bur-
ton through the remaining years of
his life. Mr.. st. John went home TO
make arrangements for moving here,
but he had not been gone more than
two weeks when the news came that
he had died suddenly of heart fail
ure. 1t will tend to strengthen faith
in human kind to know that during
all the years that have elapsed since
Mr.. st. Johns death, his wife and
family, though they have never been
here, have faithfully carried out the
compact, and have granted Mr.. Bur-
ton a monthly allowance ample for
his comfortable support. Mrs. Wea-
yer, who occupies the house, has
been faithful in her care of the aged
man.
Four years ago Mr.. Burton under
went an operation for the removal of
n cataract from his eye The opera
ton was a failure in that instead OF
curing him it rendered him almost
totally blind. He has been able to
get upon the streets occ sionally and
has felt his way along by the aid of
his staff. He has also been able to
attend church services much of the
time. During all the years of his
life he has been a devoted Christian,
and those who know him intimately
have noted the calm assurance of di-
vine favor with which he is APP
preaching the Valley of the Shadow
land.
Before this paper reaches all its
readers this good man may be dead.
Hundreds of former visitors and res
idents will remember him kindly and
pause to pay tribute to his memory.
Those of us who have watched his
feeble form tottering to the grave
have pathetically called to mind the
beautiful lines of
THE LAST LEAF.
] saw him once before
AS he passed the cottage door,
And again
The pavement stones resound,
AS he totters DER the ground,
With his cane.
They say that in his prime,
Ere the pruning knife of time
Cut him down.
Not better man was found
BY the crier on his round
Through the town.
But now he walks the streets,
And he looks at all he meets,
So forlUrn;
And he shakes his feeble head,
And he looks as ii he said
They are gone.
Ny grandmama has said,
Poor old lady she is dead,
Long ago;
That he had a Roman nose
And his cheek was like Il rose
In the snow.
But now his nose is thin
And it rests upon his chin
Like staff;
And a crook is in his back
And a melancholy crack,
In his laugh.
The messy marbles rest
On the lips that he had pressed
In their bloom,
And the names he loved to hear
Have been carved for many year,
On the tomb.
1 know it is sin
For me to sit and grin
At him here.
But the old three-cornered hat
And the breeches and all that
Are so queer.
And if | should live to be
The last leaf on the tree
In the spring,
Let them smile as | do now,
On the old forsaken bOugh
Where | cling.