Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-02-08

point, from whence they could trace their
course across the green fields, By broad
dark streak Of stitiening corpses, and tho
nine Of every eleven of those sixteen thou
sand men, who had started in the charge,
lay lifeless behind them, leaving but if-
teen hundred Of that surried host to ad
vance still, the only thought was victory.
A gain that shattered column moved for
ward, and victory perched upon the ban
ners Of the French army, as it pierced the
centre of the Austrian line of battle: The
victory was won, and the fate Of Europe
was decided by that victory. None were
engaged in that important charge but he
roes, and none but heroes survived it. Of
the latter was our departed friend Cap
TAIN THoMs. From this charge he bro't
off the Austrian leads, deeply implanted
in his flesh; these he carried as soUve-
niers of the field of Wagram the remainder
of his days, and these were deposited by
his friends, with his last remains in this
village few days ago.
! From 1918 TO 1885, Capt. Thoms lived in
! Lewis burg, Union CO., Pa, following al first
the occupation Of shoemaker, subsequently
| a merchant, and III every relation winning
and retaining the good will Of all with whom
he met. Drawn by the tide of migration to
The then "West," he removed to Michigan.l
Turn your eyes from the Danube, to the
banks Of the quiet St. Joseph, three miles
north of this village, there where you find
a secluded cottage reflected upon its pure
! waters, surrounded by fruitful vino, aud
ornamental shrubbery; there is where the
veteran warrior bent his sword into pru-
ming hook, and directed the plow-share
through the soil 1t was the hand Of CAP
TAIN THOMs, one Of the surviving heroes
of Wagram, that pruned those trees it
was the same hand that dealt death in
M'Donald's fearful charge on that memo
rable day, that trained those vines.
We DO not claim perfection for the srb-
ject Of our eulogy for no man was ever
perfect, aud be was but man. But we
do claim for him sincerity, and cando-,
that raised his soul above the concame
Of his greatest faults. He carried his fo:-
bes in his hand, as some men do their
virtues, and hid his virtues away IL the
deep recesses of his noble heart IT was
bpt g., tbaf narvr,,tfal -
penetrate to the recesses Of thst good
mans bosom, which shone With the rich
est treasures, and sparked with the bright
est gems of virtue and berevoleEce He
was long patriotic member Of our glori-
Gus government, true friend in the So
cial circle, kind neighbor in the commu-
nifty, pious Christian in the bosom of
his church, an afecticnate husband, and
a kind father at the domestic hearth. But
we have laid the frail form which taber-
nacled SO many ezcellencies, away out of
our sight for ever 1t was time he should
90 ; he had done ell be could for mankind,
and had done a.i we'll, and it was meet
that he should ascend to the enjoyment
of higher and better world, a purer
and holier life, there to reap the reward of
his many virtues He had labored long,
and it was time that he should rest He
had waited long, and patiently, and cheer-
fully, for his crown of glory, aud it was
time that he should be taken triumphant
ly to his eternal coronation. Weep not,
then, for our friend stricken down, but re-
joice for the conquerer crowned, and glc-
flied bid the grave TO send forth shouts
of victory, and death to inscribe with his
bony finger upon his monument, song of
rejoicing, and there to trace conqueror's S
crown.
Worshipiul Masters, Wardens, and Breth-
ren : At an early period of his life, Bro
ther THoMs attached himself to the order
Of Free and Accepted Masons, to which he
through his entire life evinced warm de-
votion, and for which to his last moments
he evirced high veneration. He was
present at the organization CT the first
Lodge it this county; of this Lodge,
/ Mount Hermon Lodge, No. 24,) be was
member from the day Of its constitution
to the our of his death. Of this Lodge he
was the first, and the last Treasurer.
From the day of his death until week
ago, his key, and his jewel, draped in
mourning, hung idle in the archives. But
now his station has found an occupant ;
the treasurer's key is again in use, and
the jewel again worn, but, brethren, you
have lost treasure in that breast where
on, for the last seven years, that jewel re-
posed, which can never be replaced within
Mount Harmon's walls. That jewel will
never again rise and fall above the pulsa-
tions of so noble heart as throbbed with
in the bosom of your first Treasurer. But
that heart has ceased to throb, that eye is
closed, and tina: warm and friendly hand
is cold in death. In vain may the breth-
zen Of Harmon look in human eyes for