The Oskaloosa herald., 1912-08-08

showing the onions and radishes that
he had helped to plant All day we
|ttalked of mail we would receive, for
Jour last order had been for mail to be
forwarded to Paris In care of St
Petersburg Hotel. We had no mail
for about ten days and were all a1x.
ious to hear from home We reached
our hotel about half past ten on the
night Of July IL, were shown rooms
and were getting settled, running
back and forth looking at each others
rooms, laughing and joking, when the
porter said, there is mail for your
party In the office. l noticed the
names.
Getting Bad News.
Rayburn and | started down stairs
in hurry-the girls called to us to
bring the mail upstairs, not to read
1t all down stairs first, as usual. We
hurried to the desk and each received
big bundle of letters and papers.
Ed noticed telegram among his
mail and opened that first, wondering.
lily. If man ever received a greater
blow | can't imagine 1t. Ed will never
be paler in his coffin. He put the III
omened thing in my hands. 1t was a
Telegram from Cook & Sons, London,
and read, Heath writes your father
was buried July 3rd" And this was
July 18th. | couldn't believe 1t, but
among his other letters were two for.
warded cablegrams from his sister,
Mrs. John Hall, one dated June 20,
stating his father was very i'll and
one dated June 80, that he had passed
away. Imagine going back up stairs
to that happy, excited family, letters
In his hand from "Panda" TO his little
! boy and the terrible news to break
to him that the loved "Panda" was
dead and buried. hope | never may
witness another such scene as the
reading of those cheerful, loving let
tiers to son and grandson, when the
hand that wrote them had been cold
in death for days. Poor little Powell
was heart broken and Mr.. and Mrs.
Rayburn for time gave way to
their grief Eds first thought was Of
his mother and how terrible 1t must
have been for her to have him so far
away at such a time, and his one
thought as soon as he was able to
collect himself was how he could
reach home and be with his people.
If ever man loved his father Ed
Rayburn loved his. He never had a
good time all summer, but he wished
Il his father might be there. Often he
would say, Father would enjoy this,
wouldn't he, Charley" Many times
he spoke of the fact that his father
said the very last thing when he left:
You go and have good time-TIl
look after everything and il you are
needed I'll let you know"
1t was too late to make any ar.
engagements that night, but first thing
in the morning we went he Gun.
ard Office and found 1t was possible
or at least there was a chance to get
to Liverpool ald sail on the Maure-
tania on Saturday, July 18th. They
certainly broke the record making
the trip and they made their boat all
right, for we had word from them to-
night that they we're on the boat
ready to sail If good luck attends,
they will reach home In about week
from the day they left us. They will
be In Monteznma long before this let
ter. 1t was with sad hearts We saw
them OLIVE felt at first We must go
with them, but they both insisted on
our oging on with our trip. and we
sympathize, we had as well stay,
for they well know our thoughts will
be with them on the way, on their
landing and on their sorrowful home
coming. For we feel in Mr.. Ray
burns death a personal loss and
personal grief. We considered him
as one of our very best friends
in Montezuma and he was without a
doubt one of the best friends the Re-
publican had in a business way. He
seemed to have a real affectionate in
jterest in us and we certainly had a
warm regard for him. He was one of
Montezuma's mainstays and his place
there can never be filed. 1t is hard
to believe he will not be there with
CHEEKY greeting for us on our return
but we will carry with us through
life his farewell words and his as
surance he would have a fatherly eye
on our interests as well as those Of
his son Ed We extend our sympathy
to the family and to friends and to
the entire community.
CHARLES K. NEEDHAM
TIInnTRrT ITTNn ITITnT