AT REST.

The months of suffering endured by Mr. George Michels, mention of which has several times appeared in these columns, were relieved by death at near the hour of noon last Saturday. Although arrived at a ripe old age, his health until about three years ago was comparatively good. At that time he suffered with an attack of la grippe from which he never recovered. Three months ago he was stricken down and remained prostrate until the last, all the while suffering the agony of pain that medicine could not alleviate.

In several respects, the deceased was a notable man. He came of good old New England stock. His father, George, Sr., was a native of the Bay State, removed to Maine, and from thence to Illinois, arriving at Shawneetown in the latter part of the first decade of the century. In that village, George was born May 18th, 1818; and but a few months later the family found themselves domiciled in Edwards county. Here was the home of George Michels so long as he lived. All that there was of Edwards county after the admission of the territory to the sisterhood of States he saw, and of its history, he was himself a conspicuous part. Once each Coroner and Treasurer and four times Sheriff of the county is a record of which any man might well be proud. His daring and well-planned capture of two robber-bandits at the home of the late Philander Gould, twenty years ago, showed the courage and stamina of the man when put to the test. He was of a deeply religious nature, and his religion was of that rare quality that none ever questions. His public life would always bear the light of day : and his life as a man and citizen was above reproach. He always stood up for the right as he saw the right, let the consequences be what they might. In the cause of temperance he never faltered, even at times when it cost something to be an advocate of total abstinence.

The Michels family of the pioneer days were prominent politically ; and Moses Michels, and uncle of the deceased, was for several years after his first coming to Albion the Magistrate of the town ; and he also had the distinguished honor of being our first representative in the State Legislature, being a member of the body which met at Vandalia in 1820. George Michels was a firm Republican, and he considered it his duty to exercise the right of voting.

The funeral services, which were conducted by Rev. C. A. Beckett at the M. E. church at ten o'clock last Monday forenoon, were a commendable departure from the old-time funeral service.

The customary funeral disclosure was discarded and services of a memorial nature substituted. After the choir had most touchingly and tenderly rendered "We'll never say good-day in Heaven." prayer was offered by Rev. C. W. Yates, and the choir sang another beautiful song, whereupon Rev. C. W. Sabine, of Bone Gap, read the ninetieth Psalm. This was followed by the singing of that sweet song, "Some Sweet Day," after which Rev. C. A. Beckett read a portion of the 11th chapter of John, beginning at the 21st verse. He followed this with a biographical sketch of the deceased, together with appropriate remarks upon his devoted Christian life and unblemished character. The accompanying sketch, kindly supplied by Mr. Beckett, contains in substance and in part his words upon that occasion, namely : George Michels was born in Gallatin Co., Ill., near Shawneetown, May 18, 1818, as the third child of twelve children born to George, Sr., and Mary (Getchell) Michels. He came to Edwards county in the autumn of the same year, settling near Albion, where he resided until about 1874 when he removed to Albion, at which place he died April 18, 1896, aged, seventy-seven years and eleven months.

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