The Wrangell sentinel., 1923-01-18
Editor Writes His Farewell
 Editorial

It is not an uncommon thing for some one to have a premo- milton that death is near. It is, how ever. a most extraordinary occur renee for a man, who is apparently in the full possession of his facul- ties, and who has no suicidal inten- tions. to know that before the dawn of another day he will have passed into the Great Beyond.
 Recently B. c. Ashcraft, editor of the Monroe (N. O. Enquirer, passed away. After his death there was found on his desk a farewell edito- rial which was written on his last day in the office when he knew that he would never report for duty again, and that death just around the corner.
 In his farewell editorial MT. Ash croft expressed his individual views and feelings about some things, but his attitude toward the public which he had tried faithfully to serve, is not so different from that of thousands of other publishers or weekly newspapers With that as a reason we reprint the editorial in full:
 Many a time during the years gone by have I answered the call Of the man at the type-setting machine or at the case for copy. This is my last answer to that unstaying call copy
 Ac eyes Ol ulHi " 4AO 1AiN copy on the hook will not, after it is set, read the proof for they will be death dimmed. The hand that wrote it will not mark the errors on proof sheet, for before il is set that hand will be cold, numb and cunningless in the grave.
 The thought of laying aside my pen-and that forever is stag gering one, but there is no use to vince nor cry aloud, not bit of it. About the best thing to do is to be reconciled-and if I am not recon ciled what's the difference?
 Was your uncle reconciled when he met death?" long-faced preach CT asked a boy whose uncle had died.
 "The boy replied, 'Reconciled, h-l, he had to be-
 Now this contemplation of un- buckling the harness, of quitting the work I love, is calculated to bring on some sob stuff and it may be that some of you like to read that kind ot stuff-but I do not like to write it.
 For many years I have written copy for the Enquirer. I have told of the successes of our people. have gladly told of their joys and it has been delight to me to chronicle the fact for them the banner of suc- cess floated full mast and that for them the bugle of victory was sound- ing sharp and clear Sorrowfully have told of the griefs of our people. With a heavy heart and an unwill- ing hand I have told of death enter ing the homes of our people, of pain, sickness. suffering and loss coming to the people whose servant I have been in the way of furnishing them with the local news. But no more will talk of the events. good or bad, cheering or sorrow-laden. in our community.
 
 wish I knew who will take my place here in the Enquirer office. I might tell him few things that would be of interest, if not of benefit to him.
 My work, as I have intimated. has been pleasant. There have been, of course, times of gloom. The paw of old hard times has, now and then, pressed painfully hard on oyer-burdened shoulders. but there has not been time when that hard old paw pressed down hard enough to crush to earth. The night has not been so dark that there was not now and then, between the clouds, the glimmer of the star of hope.
 My relations with the public have been pleasant. The public is ca ooad ba oopdi1ofa