The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-01-11
OF CONGRESSMAN DRANE
TO MEMORY OF CHARLES E. CARRATT
CONTINUED from Page IL


And now while the old man still
abides among the living, looking with
misty eyes toward the reddening
glow of the setting sun, worderin
Providence, the boy has, entered
through the portals of the porch called
Death; for Charles Eustace Gar
raft has gone from his earthly home
and abides no more among the living.
Shakespeare has said: THE evil that
men do lives after them;
The good is Oft inferred with their
bones"
Not so, with this man, for he did no
evil; his life was clean and sweet
and wholesome; his example was one
to be emulated. The good was not
inferred with his bones, but will go
on and on, leaving a shining road for
those who in future years shall follow
after.
Charles Eustace CARAT, was born
March goth, 1861, at Little Tew, the
ancestral home, near Oxford, England
His early schooling was at Bourne
His serious college work was at st.
Johns, Oxford, which was ever after
beloved by him. He never failed to
walk round and through it's grounds
whenever he went to Oxford, which
he always did when he went back
to what he called Home" His last
walk there was on the occasion of
the year which has recently followed
him into Eternity.
He came to Florida in 1884, settling
on the estate known forever after as
"Charlesgrove." in the early days
of 1885; and the visitor of today will
at once be impressed that here abode
a man of culture and industry.
Having in his veins the blood of
valiant men, never did his King and
Country call but it found him ready
to do a soldiers duty.
In October, 1899, at the outbreak of
the Boer War, he laid aside the per
suits of Peace, went Immediately to
England and joined the Duke of
Cambridge's own" a regiment which
saw very hard service in that war.
Being a keen sportsman, having a
cunning hand with both rod and gun,
eXcelling in cricket, tennis and other
athletic sports, it was but natural
that he should attach himself to the
corps composed entirely of sportsmen
like himself, well known men who
considered it great privilege to
serve in the war and pay their own
expenses. After very desperate fight
ing the regiment was captured by the
Beers, and for many months he was
a prisoner behind barbed wire. 1t is
fitting to relate that information came
to this speaker, from source other
than the soldier himself, that his I'M
failing cheeriness, his philosophical
vations, was not only an inspiration
to his fellow prisoners, but gained
their love and the open admiration of
his captors.
l recall as though it were but yes
terday, how he looked as he gallop-
ed his pony through the pine woods
and up to my gate, upon his return
from the war, when he came in and
broke bread with me and related, for
hours, some of his experiences in
South Africa.
particularly remember an incident
which he related, as having made a
great impression upon him at the
time; how a big Boer soldier, a man
we'll advanced in years, and his cap
tor finding the night to be cold, said
''youngster, you are too delicate to be
engaged in the rough business of war;
you should be at home; you are cold;
and with the word he took his great
coat from around his own shoulders
and over the protest of his prisoner
wrapped it about him, the prisoner.
He remembered his erstwhile enemy
with kindness and admiration, and
spoke of him as Soldier with the
heart of a Christian gentleman"
He also told of how the Boer
merchants in the Boer country and
while he was a prisoner, extended
him credit at their stores, to supply
his simple needs, assuring him they
were taking no risk as he was a "well
born Englishman" and would, upon
the honor of such man, repay them
upon his return to his home country.
An obligation which he religiously
kept.
1t was while in the March, prison
er, that one day he was bitten by a