Arizona republican., 1917-12-27
ARIZONA 'SP0ET LAUREATES|NGS
 H|S LAST VERSE

As sweet, silent nun, to vespers
 going,
 The shadow Twilight steals across
 the land Her somber robes about her softly
 flowing
 And from her rosary, at Loves com
 mand,
 Tells dewy beads, the shining pearls
 bestowing
 On leaf, and flower, with revrent,
 tender hand
 Twilight Andrew Downing.
 Shadowy twilight, gathering for days, deepened into the darkness of night yesterday for Andrew Downing. To him it was not death but passing into a slumber that means an awakening in the home of his Father Not so much in a brighter land, for he sensed the brightness of his earthly environments as few men do. Not so much in a Det- ter land for he appreciated in full the goodness in life and in his fellowman.
 Andrew Downing needs no eulogy III this land of his adoption for he was probably better known through his wondrous verse and through his charm ing personality than is given to many men, Since he and Mrs. Downing came to Arizona in 1902 their activities until the time of Mrs. Downings death about two years ago were along such lines of betterment that none thought of either but to admire and to praise.
 Born in western Pennsylvania, on March Il, 1S3S he fell but few weeks short of rounding out full four score years. It was in western Pennsylvania that he married Laura Chase, who came on down through the succeeding years, loving companion and devoted wife. It was from western Pennsylvania that he went forth at the call of his country, to spend four long years as an infantry man, that the cause of the Union and the doctrine of Abraham Lincoln might prevail
 Soon after the close'of the civil war he engaged in newspaper work in Kan sas and Iowa and later was named a special agent of the pension depart ment. In that capacity he journeyed from one end of the United States to the other. Particularly he was charged with the investigation of claims for pension and he succeeded in unearth- ing endless spurious applications. His success in this work won for him rec ognition at the hands of the department and he might have been continued as such special agent indefinitely, had not | bronchial inflammation made it neceS- sary for him to come to the southwest. | About the time of his arrival here, Andrew Downing, always a bookman, and Mrs. Downing, also a woman of 1 letters and literature, took a most &C., l tive interest in the work of an organi- zation then in existence known as the 1 Friday club. As the interest of the members in general grew, bookcases were secured and a small library begun. | Soon it was seen that this small lib- rary had created a want not filled in | Phoenix and the movement that fol- | lowed, engineered to no small extent by MT. Downing, eliminated in the naming of a public liorary board in | 1903 and the ultiiate securing for Phoe- nix of the handsome Carnegie library building.
 MT Downing was a member of the library board from the first and acted as it's secretary. His work for the l library consisted almost wholly in the selection Of literature, biography. his tory and some fiction. He realized that the task of selecting all the reading for 50,000 people was more than one man task and he devoted himself to those branches with which he was partich- larly conversant. How well this work was performed is indicated by the fact that Phoenix today has one of the best balanced and most complete libraries in the smaller cities of the country.
 During their residence here MT. and Mrs. Downing distinguished themselves | ac of .alaa cin n1 ten years ago these were collected and published. A subsequent edition oi poems by MT. Downing under the title of The Trumpeters." was published and went to the third edition. Thi, collection also represented his best Arizona verses. Since the death of hi: wife, Mir. Downing had written much ]; Many of his verses, most of them, I ] fact, especially those relating to Ari- zona, have appeared in The Republican , This work of Mir and Mrs. Downing
 has received favorable attention o critics throughout the country. It i. marked by grace and humor of a higf order and seldom or never fell below 2 high level.
 Since the death of his wife, MT
 Downing had not been in good health
 But in spite of fhisbereavement and af. fliction his cheerfulness was unremit. ting. Two years ago he took an ex.
 tended journey through the middl, states visiting relatives and another last summer. He returned from tn, last apparently benefited in health. A short time ago he suffered recur renee of his bronchial trouble and h, was removed to the Arizona Deacones hospital where he passed away yester day afternoon.
 Mir. Downing was an active membe of J. W. Owen Post, c. A. R., and 10 several years had served as post adju tant. He was also closely identifiei with the First Methodist Episcopa church.
 No children came to bless the hom of the Downings but some years ag they adopted boy who is now livinl in the east. A sister from Kansas City and a. brother. prominent orchards ! of Attica, Kansas, will arrive here thi
 morning to make funeral arrangements His was a most lovable character There are few men in Phoenix who's death would be so widely and sincerel mourned.
 In some of his later writings h
 seemed to feel that the end was com ing. In one poem, written for Memor ial Day. he said:
 But little space, my brothers, But little time can lapse,