Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1909-09-30
John A. johnson.

Of Minnesota to-day. is grief
stricken. over the bier Of her dis
;ingui-hed son. Minnesota bends
70 say goodbye. The tolling
bells whisper to the listening
breeze the sal tidinga OF her loss
The black aad purple cre7e tha,
drapes her capitol city. j. but
smother witness to the deep sor-
row ths, ellis her aching bosom.
From an her sister states. eN-
ssio-s 81 coud alenee are bc-
ing flashed over tile wires into
=. Paul IN an eli trt a alleviate
the pain thar racks tae heart II
thn queen 90 the great ~ rlhu st.
MigHss1tt's Jaha 4. johnson
/ dead. insu tie mist that --ue-
rates This he from e.ernfvs
morning. h. mas PAS ell. Never
asain viii his ringing voice he
heard throughout Minn.sY.I~
halls ~ state. Never again viii
the - li- OF N 1naslta b. thrill
ed by 81 message from the liri of
their intrepid ch,eftlin. Never
again wall loyal Ninresot.au,
have an opportunity u honor
John A.. johnson. living. Rct
ovcr Che cast-t ~ John A. John
son, dead, they have hlaps,l o.
wilderness OF hpxrr-. a. 2 tole
Of q lows ard respect for hni.
They knew Lim. Know tat
he 1Ls true. Knew that he vas
genuine. Knew that he was
homes. T. ew that he was .laan.
Knew that he was noble. knew
that De was great. In him they
found the honor th..f sn1tl-~:
tn ilsuce that iusu-s. tie rinht:
Tire m'dcsfy tina, mat ao boa q.
and tie di-nt tnas is respect.
Ills iie 70 taepa WIS pghl.e hrs
tori. History ~ W .ich ,hav w.r.
proud. aad justly -. From mis-
birth O. The rri. srDn his c.a.i
u L1 grave. they knew what
maaner cs man he was, ard IN
po-sessIn a. that ka8x.e
WY Minnesota.
>ghs for the touch o. vanished
haui.
And the -a1ud Of a voie. tat :
still-l
re was the ~pu ot 4 Swedish
blacksmith At thirteen wears
OF age he was ief- wish a vi owed
mother 10 care for ard -lDport
From has earliest rceollecuons
hts 60 hlm was one ~ %privation
and toll. From the very ee.-iu-
mag, u was "a battle for exist
-nce; ard It's sgid that many
and man a time ne was lust tvt.
weeks a2ead of starvation. BE-
tween hours of WORK. he devoted
ms tiue o. books and a study Of
uel. AMI il that way secured h,-
education. From such humble
environments he carved hi, way
% lame, and forever endeared
himself o. tAe people Of M.nne-
sJta.
Hts last words vera typical Of
tie ife he led. We'll. N,ra I
sge>s In gong; we have made
i brave light. They we-s AL
dressed to hIs faithful and
partner IT his bosom. wk0.
through ;ae borg hours 81 the
september days had been a-ht-
uS Gaes the Messenger ~ Death
tsat lowered er his sick bad in
Rochester. We have maize a
brave 6sht;" ami Minnesota
loved hun best, because he vasa
brave 1Ehter. Had he been eth
e. than what be vas. the sorrow
= parting with him would no,
have been - universal Tb-
world loves a fighter # the .Johr
\. Johnson type.
us career : a lesson well
worth the study OF every ve1rr
American = lesson Of wasram-
os10n and energy and right Ey-
ing viii accomplish in this re-
pubic of ours. For hi. v-,rk
and the good he did. viii nst dis
with HIM In the years that are
b come his potent Influence fora
Better government Nil b. felt
not oaiy IN his native state. but
IN the council halls Of MS rarion
a. well.
In the rotuada Of Minnesota
capital. watched By a eetsI: ~
her soldier guard, mournsi bv =
million Of her loyal citizens
sleeps Minnesota chief-of-srats
hen We look back upon the
hSht he has made. the strr~gla
the heights u which he bas
climbed We are dazzled tv the
Lghts ahead. When We follow
the star Of his ambition. glory in
his spirit and determiuatI0n. ard
then see him fall 70 sleep vran-
PED IN the mantle of love 81 An
entire Commonwealth. W. a.
deeply impressed with the fact
that, IL i well worth iivinr md
vel worth dying. to say farewell
ike this.