MAJOR W. H. LUCAS.
Death of this Excellent Gentleman at His Home, near Stilesboro.

Major WILLIAM H. LUCAS died at his place, “Clarendon,” seven miles from Cartersville, on Monday last, at 10 o’clock, a. m., of gastric fever.

Never did an announcement take a community so completely by surprise than the above when it reached the city Monday afternoon.  From those who attended him during his brief illness, we learn that the Major was taken with a chill on Thursday last.  A physician and relatives living in the immediate vicinity were summoned at whose hands he received every attention.  The tender watchers did not dream of so early a dissolution.  They were constantly with him until Saturday evening when the Major arose and gave every indication that he was so well that no further attention was requisite.  In fact he cheerfully told them all that he was all right and there was no cause for further apprehension.  He was left reading a newspaper.  Calling early Monday morning his friends found him very ill, and his wife and daughter were telegraphed who, at the time, were in Montgomery.  He began to sink Monday morning early, and at ten peacefully expired.  His wife and daughter, already on their way to him, did not learn of his demise until they reached Marietta, where the news was imparted.  They arrived Monday afternoon.

The deceased was in his sixty-fifth year.  He was born in Hancock county, Georgia, and was the son of John B. Lucas, of Sparta.  When quite a young man he went to Montgomery, Alabama, and it was there the most active part of his life was spent.  He was prominent in the political affairs of that state in the good old whig days, and for many years was editor and proprietor of the old Alabama Journal.  In 1858 he came to Bartow county, and settled at beautiful “Clarendon” where, as we have stated, he died.  After the death of his first wife he married Mrs. Fannie Martin, whose maiden name was Miss Thomas, a daughter of the late Edwin Thomas, of Augusta.  He leaves his devoted wife, a son and daughter, Mr. Alfred Lucas and Mrs. Hallonquist, both in Montgomery, and his step-daughter, Miss Josie Martin.

The Major will be sadly missed from the circle in which he was so genial and which was so attached to him.  He had always a kind greeting, open sympathy and encouraging words for youth, and never did there live a man with fewer enemies.  Many have been the times that the writer has heard him recount the busy and stirring incidents of his old life in journalism, and never did harsh remembrances come up in his interesting accounts of hard fought political battles.  His words were ever kind of his political agonists of the old time, many of whom have preceded him to the grave.  What faults there were in his character—and this world must be far advanced before any one man can be deemed perfect—were faults only which were the outgrowth of a warm and generous nature.  There are in men, oftentimes weaknesses which seem born of strength, faults which in kindly natures we forget as pitying angels forgive them.

To his large number of friends and to the family circle from whose presence he has gone, should come the reflection that by a Divine law, merciful and beneficent, the repose of the peaceful night follows the labor of the busy day, and that while the sunlight is often lurid and disturbing, peace and comfort come when the shadows darken.  Though the blackness of the eternal night enshrouds him, though the shadow of the tomb hides from our view all that was mortal of our good friend, there are among those who knew him best, hundreds of kindly voices to speak his praises, hundreds of generous hearts that will forever keep his memory green!