Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-08-20
A SIX ETCH OF A LIFE.

I A SKETCH OF A LIFE.
Mr.. G. W. Chairman, who resides In the
Center Valley neighbOrhood about twelve
miles southwest Of Macon, Ia Noxubee's
oldest. and one Of her most hOn0red and
respected citizens. Ii he lives until next
November, which seems quite probable, he
| will be nlnety-two years of age. having been
born In the state OF South Carolina. A. D.,
1872. While he has lost his youthful elias
ITCHY, much OF the strength OF his younger
manhood and leans heavily upon his staff
In these latter years. his mind is still clear:
like lsraePs great H. w-giyer Ills mental pow
ers have not abated. II you would see his
broad shoulders lifted 10 their old.tinie man.
Y pOise. his age-dimmed eyes kindle and
glow with the fire Of young manhood. at
tack some OF the cardinal doctrines of chris
tianity In which he has believed and to
which he has rigidly adhered from his boy.
hood. and you viii discover a knight wor-
thy of your steel.
Mr. Chairman resides In the old home
stead with his son and daughter; surround
ed by children and grandchildren whose
chief pleasure Is to minister to hi. comfort
and make as far as they can his last days
his beet days, the sun of his life Is setting
IN a mellow glow OF peace made radiant by
the halo OF hope. lie looks back upon a
long life well spent and faces the untried
future with courage and confidence. Sure
y such u life Is worthy OF more than a pass
Ing notice we can well afford to learn its
secret. But 1t is not 20 much Of his life we
would write n that Of his departed cohsort.
Mr.. Chairman was exceedingly fortunate in
the selection of his life companion. lie was
married IN 1888 in Pickens Co.. Ala, to Miss
Eliza Crawford, originally of South Carroll
ma, IN which state she was born in 1878. In
1879 Mr. and Mrs. Chairman moved to NOx-
uDee county where they lived happily and
wrought wisely till the day Of her death in
1888. Miss Crawford was a fitting compan-
ion Tor the sturdy young Carolinian by
whose side she had consented 10 walk the
remainder OF her natural life In the sum
mer OF '3S, after her marriage In the spring.
she united herself with the Methodist
church. 10 which he had belonged from ear
y boyhoOd, and in which communion she
lived and was loyal to the day of her death.
she was a young woman Of many physical
attractions, OF striking personally and
strong christian character. Contrary to the
rule IN such cases she was not reared in Il
specially religious atmosphere her parents
were not distinguished Tor piety, but she
early evinced Il reverence for God and for
sacred things, which has ever been and
must continue to be an essential element in
noble and exalted character. She was a
woman of retiring nature, modest but OF
strong convictions, Of few words but posi-
tive In disposition and OF Impressive mien.
Social In her nature, devoted to her friends.
she had no enemies; while she was fond OF
the company OF her neighbors and enter
tanned much, she was never forgetful OF her
duty as wife and mother; her first thought
was always of her home. of its neatness and
comfort, OF the happiness of her husband
and the welfare of her family. God per-
mltted her to become the proud mother OF
ten children. 10 them she gave a mothers
care, a mothers patience. a mothers best
thought and a mothers prayers. Though
mlld IN manner and gentle In spirit her
slightest wish was respected and her softest
command obeyed. She was a law unto the
household, an oracle to which all turned In
umes OF perpleXity. doubt and trouble
But the quality or the faculty which gave
strength TO her character, an insight to the
future and a beautiful complacency in life's
most trying experience, was her nnwaver
ing faith IN God. Hers was an "unfained
faith" Like the ancient worthless she lite
rally walked and wrought by faith. Sb,
was an earnest. honest, sincere christian
who believed the Bible: accepted Its teach
ings, lived by its precepts and profited b,
its promises.
When her Oldest son was about to enlis
In the Confederate army in the early part o
1852, u was. OF course. a time of deep con
Germ ana anxiety on the part of pirents
brothers and sisters. II was a sad day il
the old home when the oldest son and bre
ther was to say goodbye, perhaps forever
But even at such a time the mother wa
calm and self.possessed. Leading the spir
tied boy aside she said. "my son. | hav,
committed you into tine hands Of our heav
emily Father, and | shall daily importune
throne OF grace in vOur behalf. be true {,
dod do y0ur duty and He will take care o
you" Tit last goodbye had been said
and with mothers kiss still warm mon hi
lace and her words of encouragement ring
ing In his ears. the boy babe the old HON,
farewell and marched with stately step AM
confident hope to the experience of a sol
hler, around the camp fire. on long marche
ana upon many bloody fields of battle, an,
though he was in eight general engage
ments and subjected to all the hardship
ana dangers incident to Confederate sol
diers NE. be never received D scratch, an,
was captured in Nov. 1864, while fightin,
bravely in the forefront OF battle on III,
teld at Franklin, Tenn. During all the Ion.
ana trying years only occasional news cam,
OF the soldier boy. The mother knew h,
was ,lally exposed 10 dangers and death
that thousands Of brave men and noble boy
were falling in almost every conflict, We
her faith in God never wavered. If som,
bloody battle had been fought In which the
had reason to believe their son and brothe
was engaged and the family was UNUSUAL,
concerned, mother was composed and con
hdeht, always cheering the household will
the assurance that Emmett was safe an,
would come home. At last the cruel wa
was over and the scared and ragged sol
der boys came struggling home, but the,
orought no tidings of Emmett. Week
passed a relative came and said. the las
saw OF Emmett he was fighting in tn
tnlckest OF the fray, in reach of the enc
mys hayonets on the breastworks at Frank
lin. saw him no more. whether he Eel
or whether he was captured | canro OF tell ,
uiner weary weel s dragged slowly by bu
SUN no news from the son and BROTHER
Ihen they learned thar the captured Con
tederates had been conveyed to Illinois a
prisoners of war. The fathers hope wa
vered. He said F." there has been ample tim,
and II Emmett had survived the battle an,
escaped captured he would rave returned
mad he been taken prisoner we would hav,
heard from him." A soldier returned VIII,
mad been among the captured but he salt
he had seen nothing Of Emmett. Then tn
fathers heart sunk within him. He CAV,
up all hope and said to his wife, "you ma,
as well prepare yourself for the worst,
rear we VIII never see Emmett again. Blu
the mother, still undisturbed, answered
" Emmett Is safe and as sure as tbs sui
shines he will come home" The long
dreary winter was over, spring had gone
the rare June days had come. The house
hold duties had been dispensed, father ant
boys were blowing IN the field, the chlldreI
were playing in the yard, the old watch doI
lolled lazily on the long veranda, and tn,
mother, calling her youngest daughter
said, ''comc here, my child. and | viii
brush your hair. | want YOU to look jus
as You did the day your brother went away
He Is cemlng home to-day" The children
were, of course, startled by this unevpect
ed announcement and asked many qles
tons. Mother could give no reason for he
statement but, with placid face and conf
dent movements, proceeded with her pleas
ant task. Before she had finished the chill
dren, looking down the road, saw a stran
ger approaching. He came nearer. his fac,
was brown, his clothes torn and soiled, bu
| thara ny onp,athipn familiar In haorin,