The Green Forest tribune., 1917-12-14
A TRIBUTE

A TRIBUTE
 l want to pay short tribute to Robert L. Evans, my brother-in-law who died in Berryville, Dec. 5, 1917, after more than a month from an accident which completely paralyzed him. except he could talk.
 Bob was one of those common, every day sort of fellows always the same, cheerful, obliging. considerate Tn any particular hurry, always having time to have word with everybody yet man who attended strictly to his own affairs and by his rugged frugality had accumulated about him until he was man of more than ordinary means, leaving to his wife also $2000 in life insurance.
 He was scrupulously honest in all his dealings. never having any secrets and caring nothing for any one else secret. He knew nothing about formalities but took everything as it came. He enjoyed the association of all his neighbors and never saw stranger, and never asked any person to come to see him, take meal with him or stay all night that he did not mean every word of 1t from the bottom of his heart. He felt from the very moment of his fall that his case was hopeless one,
 
 contending with the physicians that his neck was broken, but he was willing that no expense be spared to see if he could not be restored to normal condi- tion, but repeatedly said that he much preferred to die than to remain help- less invalid.
 He talked as freely, deliberately and as philosophically about dying as if he were arranging to take a necessary journey. He had lived life that made it only necessary for him to ar range his business affairs, and he did that to minute detail.
 l was with him almost daily after his accident and it seemed both a re- Jeff and pleasure to talk to me, both about hissspiritual and business affairs. He asked that stay close to him to the end, assuring me thatit was his desire to converse with me as long as he was conscious, and he did so up to within 20 minutes of his death and when too weak to speak, even above whisper, he would nod his head yes or no.
 The parting farewell he gave each member of his family in the early part of the day when he was able to talk without difficulty was beautiful in the extreme and the counsel he gave his little seven-year old daughter. Lillian, should never be forgotten by her.
 At noon he told me he was suffering a great deal, being distressed for breath. He was anxious to die easy and often during the day cons ulted the physician as to the propriety of giving him an anaesthetic to make the going somewhat easier. He many times said Lord take me-" By the middle of the afternoon he told me the end was very near, hut that he was not suffering 50 much and the last thing he said was that he was some easier, and then at 6:30 lapsed into inconsistencies and gently and complacently went to sleep as if he had been lying down to pleasant dreams,
 Baing the end of all human existence, the grim monster Death has, in all ages been regarded as q most unwelcome visitor, and his companionship to be en- Cured only for the reason that the yic- tim is some dear one, and even then the most bereaved generally shri nk from the scene. In this instance Bob signified his desire that I accompany him as far as possible, and I want to say, that under the circumstances, the journey was Iot without it's pleasant incidents at least not now without it's pleasant memories.
 When all human effort and skill have eXhausted; when there remains noth- ing, save the dissolution of soul and body, there is genuine relief in death; therefore ] willingly accompanied him to therend -t tp the valley and shadow to thes mystic river where his soul emergtd from it's house of clay and em.. parked to the other shore-to that 1 country from whose
 turns.
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