Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-02-05
Dictagrams

Mother died this morning. That
was the message / received from my
brother, j. E. Peacock, Lake Odessa.
unexpected, and yet expectant con-
temptation of the Inevitable cannot
completely buffer the shock of un-
welcome news
Mother is dead, The years of hsr
days were four score and one, and
/ from the first SHOWS of December be-
yond. She was privileged to live a
long useful life, full of good deeds
and many kindnesses. Death has
dealt lenlently with her family only
i've times in the almost sixty years of
her married life has she been called
to mourn the loss of member She
is survived by seven of her nine
children. twenty of her twenty-five
grandchildren, and twelve is the un-
broken number of her great-grand-
children. Considering her long life
and the number of her descendants,
few women are so fortunate as she
has been Although her descendants
are scattered throughout six states,
most of them remained near the
home nest, and both of her daughters
were at hand to help care for her in
the hour of her extremity.
How little we know about the fut-
ure or what the years shall bring to
US. Nine years ago / was invited to
help my parents celebrate their gold
en- wedding anniversary. Instead,
L went TO the hospital. Since that time
We have hoped that they might be
permitted to complete their sixtieth
year of welded life together 1t was
a dream then, and now it is an
impossibility. More than fifty-nine
years is long time for two people
to live together, either married or
unmarried, and few there are who
accomplish it. Fifteen years ago my
parents visited Kansas. They were
feeble, even then, but they under
took the long and tiresome journey
OF more than twelve hundred miles |
because it WAS then thought that my
days were numbered and when thegt
bede nae good hFe they expected neyef
to see me again. Instead, i have
visited them twice in the years that
have passed. My visit at the old1
home last October was made because
ft was feared my father might not
last Through the winter, but it was
thought mother had a fair promise of
several comfortable years to come
Now an old man is left to stumble
along alone. His condition is such
that he daily faces sudden death.
But L shall not pity my father too
much. / know that he must feel
lonely, feeble and broken, but / also
know that it cannot be for long and
that he shall not want for any mat
erial thing during his remaining
days. He still loves life. but he
death with serenity.
He has faced imminent death before
and no man ever saw him quail
L know that he will quit life peace
fully and acquit himself creditably.
His step is feeble, but his faith is
firm and his feet have ever been in
the right way.
Mother is dead, and the old home :
IAN never be quite the same again, ,
even for those who live at distance !
For thirty-eight- years, every few .
lays 1 have written to the home ;
folks, and while for years my father
aas been too feeble, and others might :
forget to answer, mother was the one !
who never forgot and never failed ,
except the last time-and even then !
she asked another to write and tell (,
me why she could not respond. And ,
such letters, All the little details :
Of homely home news; of crops and =
weather: of life and death; of trouble ,
and sorrow: of birth and marriage: i,
Of joy and happiness; reminding me ,
Of friends and neighbors who had al
most faded from my memory and ,
Introducing others whom l shall !
never really know. shall hear from !
her no more and it will be a long ,
time before l can become accustomed !
TO the change.
A S. Peacock 3