The New Orleans crescent., 1868-08-23

A simple announcement of the death of
Joseph Denegre at Pau, in south of France,
on the 21st day of July last, is only the
repetition Of what may be seen every day in
our paper-of one more departed from the
busy throng-one more gone to his rest.
Yet in this community it cannot fail to ar
rest the attention of large circle of friends
and acquaintances and carry the thoughts
back to old memories of most of US to days
when danger and hardship drew a little band
more closely together in bonds of friendship,
and amid all the trials of which time the
purity, refinement and force of our deceased
friends character, swayed an influence felt
by every one brought in his contact.
Of uDfiinching courage, moral as well as
physical-when justice and honor were in
question, his position was as firm and unyield-
ing as his gallantry on the field was conspicu-
Gus and brilliant Not friend in that small
band but will testify to the pure, unselfsh and
even self-sacrifeing affection which marked
his friendships. Not one who came under
his authority but was ever ready to praise his
just and impartial fulfllment of duty.
Possessed of more than ordinary talents,
cultivated in the highest degree-of remark
able judgment and dis retion for so young
man, it was not surprising that he shone in
every sphere in which he moved.
Even before the war he had taken high
position in our mercantile community, a
career for which his aptitude and peculiar fit-
ness promised much in the future, and the
sudden termination of which we deeply
lament as depIiving our city of one of class
of thorough business men, not the less practi-
cal for being educated, refined and cultivated
gentlemen.
If conscientious and untiring in the per-
formance of duty a standardization
and high-minded in his pursuit of CONNER
cial life, our dear friend was moreover the
polished ornament of large social circle OF
brilliant conversational powers his quick in
tellect flashed jest and repartee as rapidly as
it thundered rational and sensible thought,
and the storm of his argument carried every
thing before it.
There pervaded through all his intercourse
with men a strong undercurrent of reverence
for "the things unseen" and an abiding
faith in the m erciful DEGREES of Providence.
The writer has often heardhim quote in his
earnest devout way the 91st psalm, and ex-
press his merciful thanks that, though thou
sands fell at our side, and ten thousand at our
right hand, yet shall the danger not come
nigh US.
Dear friend, there was reserved for thee
"the destruction that wasteth at noon-day."
and the gradual dissolution of that noble fel-
low as day after day the insidious and deadly
enemy crept through his frame, poisoning the
life current-was to his friends an agony hard
to suppress. Yet through all there was the
old spark of fire, and the thoughts would 90
back to the old psalm, and the eye would look,
what the tongue now, with difficulty, could
say-the holy consolation of the psalnist.
81 will say of my Lord, he is my refuge and
my fortress, my God; in Him will trust
And though the light hath departed from our
midst, we know and feel that it will shine
bright IN the higher sphere for which his
purity Of character fitted him.