The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-12-05
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

the fresh grave or a colVASe ~ was my friend and the friend Of my father.
 If you are at all squeamish about read ing a tribute to brother in black "no was buried on the day before Thanks giving. in my home town of Eufaula' you can just skip this column. for those who knew him best, the picked men and wom- en of the lovely little city, not only grieved at the death of Daniel Walker but attended his funeral.
 And who was this negro, whose death was mourned by white and black? For nearly a half century he was the sexton of the First Baptist church of Eufaula. Pastors came and went, but Dan held his job. Pastors were criticised, but Dan escaped. He was known as Dan the faithful.
 Born before the war he was set free as a youth. but all his life he was known as white mans negro" He was owned by aristocrats and from his master inn bibed the manners of the "old school. He grew up in contact with fine ola Alabama family. He had the bearing and the suavity of the best families.
 Growing up in a home of refinement he caught the atmosphere which pervaded the old ante -bellum' homes, and there was an mate courtesy about him that up- held the best traditions of as chivalric race as ever trod this American soil or ours He had caught the cue of the best type of southern gentleman.
 
 remember reading how Charles Dick ems was impressed by the manners or a family servant who opened the door to in such a gracious way the sorrow that his master would feel on having missed visit from so distinguished a visitor as to completely captivate the great novelist, who made note that never before had he met with such a gracious serving man.
 This story deals with a negro who for years lived just across the street from the home of my boyhood, and whose manner of life I knew for two score years. It is not my purpose to write treatise on what should be the relations between the whites and the blacks. It is to be more intimate and personal. It must carry it's own moral You who read it must draw your own conclusions.
 Daniel Walker was a good citizen. l never heard aught against his character and never knew of his ever having got ten into any trouble with white or black. His was a life of service, lived modestly and industriously, for he was hard worker and provided well for his family, and educated his children, and played his part as a man.
 He was a devout Christian. His was not the blatant type of Christianity. There was nothing loud-mouthed about his re- ligious professions. He loved God and walked in the paths of his Master. Those who knew Daniel Walker. the sexton, felt that he "had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of the Lord than to dwell in the tents of the wicked. He was the iOcdl CHOISll Jdlilloi. ilO oiO iilo WI iS without fuss and was reverential in his manner. I never knew man who better fitted his job, and it was a lifelong one.
 It was eminently fitting that when he died he should be buried from the church which had been his pride to keep in order for nearly half century. The members as we'll as the community realized it's appropriateness, and so the body of the faithful servitor was tenderly borne in casket covered with flowers down the aisle by the deacons and the sons of dea- cons of the church, four of them being men whose parents the faithful Dan" served before they were born.
 The choir, the members of which knew him so well and so long, and were all his friends, sang. Abide With Me- 'T Would Not Live Away" and "In the Sweet By and By" I was at Dothan at tending the Methodist conference, but had known of the funeral I would have been present to say word over the body of the faithful old sexton whose earthly work being at last over, was at rest with his Lord.
 Rev. A. J. Dickinson, Jr., pastor of the church, who conducted the service, spoke eloquently and touchingly of how Dan" had been not only a faithful sexton, low ing and caring for the church, but was ever the true friend of all those who had been called to shepherd the flock, and how he had leaned on the kindly old negro whose simple child like faith in God had been a help and inspiration to him in his first charge.
 who have ever misunderstood the bond of sympathy existing between the dar- keys of the old school and their masters, and their masters sons, could have dropped in and seen the white congrega- tion on one side of the church mingling pie across the aisle. as fitting words of tribute fell from the lips of the young man whose forbears belonged to the F. F. v.'s of Virginia.
 Dan like all the old time darkeys, had keen sense of humor and many of his quaint sayings finger in the mem ories of the old and the young. I remem- Der during pr. Nunnally's incumbency, he said to Dan" one rainy prayer meet ing night: "Dan, we are the only faith full ones" Yes" replied the old sexton very politely, "but, doctor, we wouldn't be here if we weren't paid for it." pr.