Steamboat flags up and down the
Mississippi River within a radius of 200
miles of St. Louis will be at half-mast
this afternoon when the funeral of
Capt. George G. Keith, veteran river
pilot and master is held.
The funeral will be at 3 o'clock from
the Waggoner Chapel, 3621 ollive Street,
and the body will be taken to Lexing-
ton, Mo. for burial to-morrow.
Capt. Hunter Ben Jenkins, a life-long
friend and admirer of the dead river
veteran, yesterday found the following
poem in the pocket of an old coat be-
longing to Capt. Keith, written by the
late Col. Will B. Hays, for thirty-five
years river editor of the Louisville
Courier-Journal, and dedicated to him.
Mate, get ready down on deck:
I'm heading for the shore:
I'll ring the bell, for I must land
This boat for evermore.
Say, pilot, can you see the light -
I do - where the angels stand?
Well, hold her flagstaff hard on that.
For there I'm going to land.
That looks like Death that's hailing me;
So ghastly, grim and pale;
I'll tole the bell - I must go in;
I never passed a Bell.
Stop her! Let her come in slow;
There! That will do - no more.
Thelines are fast, and angels wait
To welcome me ashore.
Say, pilot, I am going with them
up younder through that gate;
I'll not come back - you ring the bell
And check her out - don't wait.
For I have made the trio of life,
and found my landing place;
I'll take my soul and anchor that
fast to the Throne of Grace.
