The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1910-01-13
cHIEFTAIN REST, THY WARFARE
OVER.

In the sweet shady cemetery of this lit
tie village we have laid to rest all that was
mortal of Mississippi's greatest man. How
he lowered above all in mind, eloquence,
integrity and patriotism. Position and SEN
timent, have been written of by many dear
friends. No one has described his beauti-
full home life; his devotion to the wife of
so many long years, or of his tender affec-
ton for his six lovely daughters and the
promising young son. That duty will
privilege of knowing well, this remar-
kable family-in their home-in their pri-
vate apartments, where temper, selfish
ness and lack of principle exhibit them
selves, if such exist. On not one occasion
did / ever see or hear a single disagree
ment, or an unkind word. One cold Sab
bath evening as we sat around the fire
in Mrs. McLaurin's room, the wood burn
ed low. The great Senator disappeared
and in few momenst he opened
the door and appeared with an arm full
of hickory logs. l must say I was inn
pressed and said: II do feel promoted
having a United States Senator making
a fire for me"-he smiled and laid on the
wood, replying: 81 did not think you la
dies could talk in the cold" Under all
circumstances he was just that plain and
unpretentious in his habits and manners
he told me in conversation that he liked
to stay in Brandon far more than in
Washington City. We all know he was
never satisfied in the latter place unless
Mrs. McLaurin was with him. She is a
woman of strong mind, capable of being
an able counsellor to any man. The Sen
ator fully appreciated her-he instructed
her in case she survived him to give him
no ostentatious funeral which explains the
reason of her refusal of state ceremony
offered by the Vice President, also Gov.
Noel's request that her husbands body be
laid in state in the capital. Some have made
the erroneous assertion that the McLaurin's
were of Humble" parentage. When the
war closed with the negroes freed, and
lands nearly all mortgaged, we all might
have been described as 'humble" LAUGH
McLaurin, the father of the eight remar-
kable brothers, was of Scottish origin, and
who ever knew an humble Scot Ever
independent and self-respecting. That he
was man of education who can doubt
when he served four terms in the legis-
lature and held several important county
Office. Their mother was of splendid
family and she was conceded the
most beautiful woman in Smith coun-
ty-a Miss Tullos The blood of the
brave, generous, impulsive Irish which
has given us SO many noble citi-
zens, also flows in the veins of the Nc
Laurins. In my long life have never
known a more perfect character than that
of A. ]. McLaurin, in every walk of life
this was emphasized here in Brandon, his
native town, where his influence was so
great that his word was law, with almost
all-even the wild negroes often seeking
his advice and counsel. The day of his
sudden death he forgave debt to a
poor neighbor farmer, and invited the
plain countryman to dine with his fam
lily. Such was the great McLaurin.
Where will we find another like him
Five hundred kilograms of coincidence
were received by his family from North,
South, East, West l have read faith
full tributes to him in the Washington
Post, the New York Tribune and Sun.
When his voice was heard, men of all
sections listened.
God grant our Legislators the intelli-
gence to select successor approximating
in mind and character to the departed
chief, who had added so many laurels
to our States brilliant record.
George Washington, Thomas Jeffer-
son and Alexander Hamilton were slam
dered and maligned, but their names this
day emblazes the pages of history, while
their traducers are forgotten in unmarked
graves.
MRS. P. J. STIRLING.