The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1915-04-16
ANOTHER EULoGKING LETTER
Redounding to the Honor of Mr..
+. p. Graves.

Bonne Terre, Mo-, April 10, 1915.
have, in my poor weak way, at
tempted to eulogize several distin-
guished men of the county, and |
would fail in my appreciation were |
at this time fail to speak kind word
to salve the wounded and broken heart
Of my dear friend, F. P. Graves. In
deed, regard it as high privilege
to express my deepest and most pro-
found sympathy for him in his days
of trouble and distress. No man ever
possessed truer and more loyal
friend than Mr.. Graves, and happy
was the man who sat at his feet in
the days of his prosperity and listened
to his cheering counsel and received
his financial aid He has been the
promoter of many a mans fortune
and the comforter of the unfortunate.
/ wish the people of st. Francois coun-
ty could understand how much true
and loyal patriotism, how much dis
interested devotion and the highest
interest of labor are found among
just such men as Hon. F. P. Graves.
During the corporate life Of this
county you have seen a great country
grow into independence, you have
seen it advance and extend along all
the lines of progress and prosperity,
until the seven wonders of the world
Of which we learned in youth have
been lost sight of and, forgotten in
the thousand great wonders brought
about during Hon. F. P, Graves in
dustrial activities.
You do not and never will forget
the freedom which was purchased by
the blood of such noble men as La
fayette, and why should we so soon
forget the noble self-sacrifcing life
Of the above named gentleman? It
it a self-evident truth that true worth
and nobility one never fully appreciat-
ed until the men possessed of these
characteristics have passed beyond
this mundane sphere. At this period
of Mr.. Graves struggle to obtain
equity and justice from the St. Joe
Lead Co., every beneficiary Of the
above gentleman's bounty as well as
every admirer Of nobility in his char
acter ought to support his efforts.
We all know that on particular oc-
casions wrong prevails over right, al
though in the end truth and righteous
ness must triumph. Equity and JUS
tice, like torch, the more they are
shaken the more they shine, and l
would rather be toad and live upon
the vapor Of a dunghill than stand
neutral, in the preparation of such
infamous conduct as Hon. f. P.
Graves has been the innocent victim
Of at the hands of his enemies. He
has demonstrated, times without num-
Der, that he is the most generous and
biggest hearted man in St. Francois
county. In his days of prosperity
many could be seen flocking by day and
by night to his sanctorium for council
and financial aid. Some desiring him
to go on their bonds, others seeking
positions or financial aid, etc. Now
the scene changes, as it did in the case
Of Lot when his worldly possessions
vanished and the grass has grown up
in the path which leads to my Freely
Graves home.
The finest and noblest trait in a
mans character is devotion and SER
vice to friend in distress, and the
characteristic is very evident among
the laboring men Of st. Francois
county, toward their greatest and no
blest benefaetor at this critical peri
cd Of his life. P. D.