Semi-weekly herald. [volume] (Durango, Colo.) 1907-1917, 1910-06-27
FRANZ JOSEPH WILL
AN APPRECIATION

Since the day when our old friend
WAS called away-not yet two months
ago-it seemed less and less as II he
were gone for all time. Somehow, one
expects to see him again walking
around his garden or sitting beneath
the trees listening to the fair and va
ried sounds of these sweet June days
just as he has done hundred times.
He loved nature SO much and had the
time to indulge that regard in mis- last
tranquil years.
In his secluded home by the river
the beauty OF the garden on summer
days attracted him strongly. There
was SO much to interest him out of
doors-the beauty OF bird. bee and
blossom. and always the ripple of the
smooth-flowing river hard by. In win.
ter there were other things just as
wonderful, but different Then one
spent much time in the easy chair
with books and, music sometimes, but
always there were pleasant things to
! think. and good thoughts are the best
OF company.
Eighty-ihree years Of memories
will ours. yours and mine. be as sweet
| when the SHOWS OF December have
| whitened our locks. and the roses Of
, June have long been deadY For
Lilies year bas but one June. dear
friend,
The year has but one June"
and youth passes-though we may
heed 1t not.
Our old friend often said that he
loved to think OF his boyhood days
spent In LaUda, the quaint old town
| situated on the Rhine He has often
showed us Il picture OF his birthplace,
with rambling street, nd remnants Of
walled fortifications-a heritage from
feudal days-and beautiful wheel
hills rolling away on two sides, into
the glories of a sunset sky One time
Tor upper door,. massive structure
that was once n part OF the forth.
cations OF the town when the barons
ruled supreme. Five hundred years
this door withstood the rayages Of the
elements and other tests, and is ap-
parontly good for Ave hundred years
more. II In above an arohway, in the
massive wall that surrounds the town
on two sides. the lower door. which
once filled the arch having been blast
ed out before Mr.. WINS time.
lie looked back with much gratih
cation to his earlier years. and took
great delight in the letters which came
at stated intervals from his boyhood
chum. Johann Baptist Vierneisel, who
was also Il fourth cousin and still
lives In the little town In the state
of Baden. In far-away Germany. Year
after year the friends wrote and dur
Ing their lifetime friendship they never
quarreled. There was but ten months
difference between their ages. and as
years began to multiply they grew
Into the habit of saying in each let
ter, III we live TIL Christmas. or June
II may be, we Will write again"
The events OF the life we are seek
Ing to commemorate, have already
been enumerated; his birth. on March
I27. 1927. his parents being Melchoir
and Magadalena Hart VIII; how he
came to the United States at the age
OF 22 on account OF the revolution OF
iS4S, the uprising that brought Carl
Schurtz and Generals Sigel and Heck.
or among the many bright. intelligent
men who hoped for free land. Two
years after he landed In New York.
he was married In Buffalo, In the same
year as Mr.. and Mrs. John Shaw. the
well known pioneers OF this section.
who have now Joined the great ma
jority.
Mr. Wills marriage was = very hap.
py one and lasted for forty.three years,
his wife dying in 1893, In his later