The Sentinel=record., 1917-05-27
GEO. w. WAL BERT.

An early philosopher said that we
 bring nothing into the world with Us and that we may take nothing away. A later philos- pher, surely of a truer
 vision, amended the proverb to the
 effect that me may indeed take with
 us--lf We have won 1.-the love of
 our fellowmen If this be true, then
 it was an unusual rich man who set
 out upon the silent journey from Hot
 Springs the other day George w.
 Walbert was that man. Life had been
 kind to him. 1t had rewarded honest
 endeavOr with ample material treas
 nres. In that respect George Walbert
 was not rare But when he faced the
 erim reaper who could divest him of
 every material possession, it was the
 riches which still remained to him
 that proved how rare man was he-
 Few men in this community-or in
 any other. fer that matter-have ever
 gone their way more genuinely loved
 A newspaper column is not the place
 for pure sentimentalty and modest
 George Wa bert would be the last
 man 10 appreciate any purely emotion
 al tribute to his name but the fact is.
 this man was the rigid, if silent eX
 ponent of so much that was vita
 among us. that to omit public men,
 tion of these things would be but to
 deny ourselves the highest kind of
 news-news that upifts while it en- lightens.
 Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of Mir Walbert was thaj he had no sooner amasred com potency than he set out to see how far he could use his means in alleyat- ing the distress that came to others through lack. He was a constant and consistent beuetaCtor If 1t is true that "in .csiug Es privacy beney olence loses ifs charm, then his was the highest order of bene,- olence. for it Was only through the grateful expression of those whom he helped that anybody ever learned of his good deeds Tn se were dumb dollars that he set rolling to feed the hungry to ciothe the naked and co bring comfort- 10 the sick This man who found such joy in giving must have reached the summit of his happi. l ness at ChrIstmastIde for II was then that he went quietly into the by-ways where the m 4tJrtuuate face lack and sadness with such Critude as they can command and drove lack and sad. | ness away The grocer's wagon empted itselt over and over again in 1 front of houses from which no order had come from it's occupants. and in | those homes the name of WaIbert was mentioned in many a fervent Christmas prayer. To him even "a am ties wore the look of oppor- tunities. After the cyclones of d few years ago. and after he great fire while iraternal organizations and bodies of citizens were getting to- | gether and discussing ways of assbt l ing those reduced 10 sudden need 1 George Waloert was slipping about | among those who had suffered loss of 1 their iucome- or loss of their all and | in q way they will never cease 10 re- l member he contriyed 10 transfer some 1 thing of his own smile to their strick- en faces
 How many persons came here in i search of health and were able 10 re | main longer than their euder funds | would allow no one will ever know but George Walbeu could have told | some interesting stories of people who | got well when their minds were set | at resr-Only Walbert never did tel 1 and the secret never got out except | as here and there q recipient voiced | the gratitude that was in his heart
 BenevOlence was of course merely 1 the outward manifestation of an in- | ward grace. Walbert could be charit- | able because he was alway, charitable ! in his thoughts Having friends he | never realized how richly he deserved | them. He believed every man meant | well in his heart and he was. there | fore, wi ling to help wherever help | was needed His was a charity that | Is synonimOus with love lie helped | people 10 be right and 70 do right be | cause he was forevey seeing them as | they rightly ought to be His open. handedness was in itself rebuke to | selfishness He proved that giving | does not impoverish. man Of much 1