The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1912-06-27

Sssssss
obedience to Wills that had not finched before
the wrath Of kings.
On the thirtieth Of June the orator for the
celebration at Quincy called upon Adams In
his home and asked for q toast. II give you,' =
said the feeble patriarch, Independence for
ever!" Asked if he desired to add anything to
the sentiment, the old hero replied: "Nct a
word"
The great day dawned and John Adams still
lived. But the candle had burned to It's socket
and could give but feeble flicker IT'S a
great day! IT'S good day" he said to the
anxious relatives who surrounded his bed. Rea-
son wavered. but the huttering mind in its last
earthly moments recalled the friend of Month
cello-the old comrade who had stood with
him shoulder to shoulder in the fight for free
dom Thomas jefferson still survives" he
murmured in voice SO feeble that the last syl-
tables were scarcely distinguishable. Those
were his last words. His spirit departed with
the descending sun.
He died in error. Thomas Jefferson did not
survive. For days the good Democrat had felt
the approach Of death and had prepared for 1t,
desiring only that he might live until the
Fourth On the third the stupor into which he
had fallen became almost continuous. -Ah,
DOCTOR" he said, awakening in the night. "aTe
you still there Is 1t is Fourth TT soon will
be-" answered the physician. As midnight APP
preached those watching noted anxiously the
passing Of the minutes hoping and praying
that the feeble thread might hold and death
be hallowed by the great anniversary. The
wish was granted Not until fifty minutes past
the meridian did the soul Of the great COM
moner exchange immortalities.
1t was before the days of telegraphs and
railroads. The news spread slowly. Five days
elapsed ere the denizens ofs Baltimore and
Washington learned Of what had happened at
Braintree. Meantime the inhabitants of vir-
ginia and neighboring states mourned the
death of Jefferson, marveling greatly over the
strange coincidence that one who had been
the author Of the Declaration should die upon
the fftieth anniversary Of its adoption
Then came the news from the north. and
men realized that not one but two patriarchs
Of liberty had departed on the day when hearts
were bounding with joy over blessings which
sires Of former age had handed downfall
almost simultaneously these two had been
translated in the midst Of the acclamations OF
millions to the Judgment Of their God Had
steeds and chariots Of fire descended to take
up these partners in earthly fame and coheirs
Of eternity it might perhaps have been more
wonderful but not more glorious.
As the news spread over the land to the vii
lagos and the hamlets, st raised everywhere
thrill Of emotion, such. as has never beer
caused by any public event. 1t was not the
wall Of grief, such as Is drawn forth by the
sense of privation by the loss of valuable lives
The advanced age of the persons, If nothing
else neutralized that. It was the offspring oil
the mixture OF feelings, the chief of which
was the surprise at the strangeness of the oc
currence generation for the men themselves
and delight in tho NIL dNr ruh; ol, -
fleet upon page of the national annals Ger
tainly the fabulous passing away of the frs
Roman king, nearly on the same anniversary
In the midst of elementary chaos does mo-
compare with It in grandeur Men loved t.
meet each other and to dwell on the mos
minute particulars. as they were seduIousI,
laid before the public by the newspapers ant
TO read the comments raised to unusual clio
quence by the tone of the general mind"
Never has it fallen to the lot of any com
mander," wrote the adjutant general, ito an
nounce to an army such an event as now CALI
forth the mingled grief and establishment q
the republic. Never since history first wrot,
the first record of time has one day thus min
gled every triumph with every tender emotion
and consecrated nations joy by blending /
with the most sacred of SORROWS"
For weeks the newspapers contained littl
else but descriptions of the lives and deaths o
the departed patriots. In every city in tn
land memorial meetings searched sacred an,
profane history for a parallel OF the hun
dreds of such orations one at least will sur
vive Webster's classic on Adams and Jeffer
son." In his message to Congress- the nobl
son of noble father, in calling attention b
the countrys loss, reyerently announced tina
the time the manner, the coincidence are Wis
ibie and palpable marks of Divine favor. TO
which would humble myself in grateful an
silent alteration before the Ruler Of the Un
verse"
Nor was such language extravaganza TIL
passing of the two patriots formed not onl
the strangest coincidence IN the annals q
mankind. but it marked the end OF an era-c
the heroic age of American history