Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 192, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1917 — Obituary. [ARTICLE]

Obituary.

There is a reaper, whose name is Death, And with his sickle keen, He reaps the bearded grain at a breath, - And the flowers that grow between. Shall I have naught that is fair saith he, Have naught but the bearded grain? Though the breath of these flowers is sweet to me I will give them all back again. He gazed at the flowers with tearful eyes, He kissed their drooping leaves; It was for the Lord of Paradise He bound them in his sheaves. My Lord has need of the flowers gay, The reaper said and smiled; Dear tokens of the earth are they Where he was once a child. They shall all bloom in fields of light Transplanted by my care; And saints upon their garments white These sacred blossoms wear. And the mother gave in tears and pain The flowerets she most did love; She knew she would find them all again In the fields of light above. O, not in cruelty, not in wrath, The reaper came that day; ’Twas an angel visited the green earth And took the flowers away. H. W. LONGFELLOW.

Little David was a flower in the home of his grandparents, David and Ella Alter. He was born Dec. I'. 1909, at the home of his grandparents. This little life was short, for disease soon took hold on the tender little body and on Aug. 19, 1917, at the age of 7 years, 8 months and 2 days, the spirit took its flight to realms of glory where no pain nor death ever, comes. Little David was a child that was loved by everybody for his winning ways, his loving disposition and kind spirit. But death had marked him for his own and Heaven was waiting to transplant the little flower that seemed too sweet for earth, for it had often been remarked that he was a child of unusual character, both in disposition and intelligence. Little David, as we all called him, will be greatly missed in this home by his grandparents and by hjs mother. One more home chain is broken. There will be one missing link, but this link shall be found again and the star that fades here shall be found again more bright and clear some sweet day by and by, safe in the arms of Jes Us. Little David, is resting. He leaves a father, a loving mother, kind loving grandparents and a host of warm friends to follow him. The funeral was held at Rosebud church Wednesday morning by the pastor,.. Rev. F. E. Crider, after which the body was laid to rest in the cemetery at* Rensselaer.