The Cairo bulletin., 1904-07-10

en-. cannot 80 through, hear one Of
the rough members Of the caravan say
now see a set look upon the face Of
Dr. Whitman. His Jaws snap shut
with the grip Of steel trap. Then Il
CLINT comes into his eye MS he says:
But | tell you that wagon viii 90
through These ladies', my wife and
Mrs. Parker, must not be compelled
to ride horseback all that way" A
mutterel oath comes from the lips of
| the rough man at the fort as he says.
IAN right. We will try to pull it
through" And pull and push and lift
| that wagon through those men did.
! They dragged 1t over the mountains
and across the pralries to tighten the
journey Of two young women who as
| brides accompanied their husbands to
| faroff missionary fields.
Scene the third: IT is the year 1S43.
! We are now standing In the White
House Of our national capital. The
president Of the United States Is John
| TYLER. He Is smooth faced, tall and
| spare of frame. The second member
| OF this notable group has huge, mass
| I've body, le0nine face. He is one
with looks expressive Of the descrip-
ton given by famous English jurist;
"IIe is the most magnificent physical
as well as mental specimen OF his day
and generation" He is the questioncr.
! He is Daniel Webster The third mem
Der of the group looks like 4 rough
mountaineer. He Is clad in skins. His
hair is uncut But he is one Of the i'm
mortals of his day He is Marcus
Whitman
As we stand in the corner of the
room | see a strange scene. Tyler and
Webster, the two leaders of the Amerl-
can government are being driven back
and back from their old positions of
statecraft by this seemingly untutored
man of the backwoods. Then, like
Paul before Agrippa, | see Marcus
Whitman step forward, and hear him
say: "Mr. Secretary, you know not
what you are doing Better, far bet
ter, barter away all the wealth and the
sovereignty of the New England states
for Il few Newfoundland cod than sur
render to England the priceless treas
ures of Oregon and the strategic posi-
ton of the far northwest"
BAH" answered Daniel Webster
with scorn, what is the use OF Ore
gon to the Union? That land is wholly
inaccessible. 4 wagon road could
never be built across those mountains"
Then, as Richelieu turned upon his
king, / see Whitman turn and hear
him triumphantly say: Mr. Secretary
that is Il grand mistake that has been
made by listening TO interested persons,
Six years ago | was told that there
was no wagon road to Oregon,x and ii
was impossible TO take WAGON there,
and yet, in spite Of pleadings and al
most threat. | took a wagon over that
road and have it now.''~"ls that soy
saved to the Union" And so | find
In these few words that the devotion
which Marcus Whitman gave to hls
wife by compelling the men TO carry
his wagon over the Rocky mountains
was one OF the mighty means of help
ing ts save Oregon to the Union, II
proved that the far northwest and the
east were not separated by impossible |
barriers. And 1t furthermore proved
that all mems greatest and truest sue |
ccsses are always dependent upon their
faithfulness In the common duties OF |
ordinary life. Marcus Whltman's love |
for his country is today associated with |
the pure love which he bore Narcissa |
Prentiss. The true successes by which |
we will be able perhaps to do some
great act for our country will he de- |
pendent upon how we fulfil the little |
duties of everyday domestic existence.
How Ills Reward Came,
How shall we close this Fourth of
July enlogy upon great nation builder
and the savior of the far northwest |
BY finding him seated in the guberna
torial chair of Oregon? by finding him
graclng the United States senate. like
Sam Houston, who brought Texas into
the Union? by finding him the vests
ihNorite candluilte Tor thc pFrshehc! |
Oh. no. Like Abraham Lincoln. Mar
Gus Whitmsu did IA great work for this
Mon. like ABRAHAM Lincoln, God
took him a.ray 10 his heavenly reward
rs soon as that work was done. The
Indians, whom he came 10 save, incit
ri TO bitterness by tie baillcl foreign
FRS. killed this noble man aud his no
BILE wife. At Wallawaila their bodies
lie buried May Our lives be devoted,
lives. az were those Of Marcus
Whitman and Narcissa Whitman. May
our deaths. like theirs, be heavenly
And may our neighhors
rs lid theirs. feel tie world is better
not only because We have lived for our
country. but also for our God.