The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1908-12-24
AN APPRECIATION
OF the Late Col. VIM. Walker.

part OF my lie With you. I our
appreciation of me, your JOY in
my companionship, your perfect
love made the glory of the uni
verse for me. | desired no honor
greater than to beyour helpmate.
Simply to be in your presence
conferred distinction.
[ lived in the light of your
genius any attainment of mine
seemed small in comparison with
the splendor of yours. AS your
wife, the repository of your joys
and sorrows, the sharer of your
literary research, the appreciation
lof your vast learning, my life
has had it's most devout consum-
nation.
With you by my side, | cared
not for wealth, or worldly hon
ors. We lived in a world, apart
from those who strive only for
acquisition Of earthly gold. By
our own fireside we communed
through books with the great
minds of other ages. We strove
to teach our children the great
fundamental. principles of truth,
justice and honor.
Your ideals were far above the
ideals of ordinary men. You
lived in q world apart from the
maddening crowd "a world of
scientific research and metaphy-
ical truths, yet SO vital was your
interest in mankind that you low
ed to talk even to the most I'M
lettered.
You had the rare gift of slim
ulating in others the develop
ment of their best qualities. You
were modest in regard to your
own attainments. You felt a
vital interest in everything per-
tanning to the life of your fellow
man.
Your faith in human nature
was SO great that you would never
believe evil of any other. Your
sense of honor and of chivalry
forbade you ever to repeat aught
which could stain the fair shield
of a human character.
You have left to your children
the noble heritage of a good
name, of stainless honor, of a
life work which tended to raise
the standard of living and emo
bled the thought of your genera
ton. Your influence for good
will last through eternity, as ex-
emplified in the lives of thous-
ands of readers who have receiv-
ed inspiration from your printed
words.
The golden crown of my being
has been torn from me by the
relentless hand of death. To
share the responsibilities of
housekeeping with you, to
know that you delighted in my
very presence, to find in the cit
adel of your heart a refuge from
the storms of life-these made
up for me the sun of life's best
good.
Since you have passed beyond
the veil which my eyes cannot
penetrate, the beautiful deeds of
your life stand out clear in the
Illuminating light of eternity and
form a cluster of immortelles
about your brow-your unselfish-
ness. your faithfulness to duty,
your rare courtesy and kindness
of heart, your disposition to see
the best in everybody, your gen
tleness to all living creatures,
your love of nature in her vary
ing moods, your striving after
high ideals, your trust in the love
of the All-Father.
Every autumn breeze carries
the cry of my heart %, if /
could reach out into the voiceless
unknown, and for one moment
clasp your hand and assure you
of perfect understanding and
and deathless love.
@, the dreary time Of waiting! |
the long years may have to live
without your guiding hand, your
judgment, your unset
fish love! 20 death in life : the
days that are no nnOrep
What time | am not minister
ing to the needs, Or Frightening
the lives of your children, must
give to serious study that | may
be capable Of enjoying the won
ders unfolded to you. Your tai
ents developed and seasoned by |
study have fitted you to grasp
the mysteries of the universe
and enjoy the harmony of the
spheres. | must make haste to
enlarge nay vision SO when the
day breaks, | shall understand |