The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-10-04

was inlmitable, not that which cuts liz,
q knife, but gentle flow Of humol
which furnished as much amusement Il
those who were It's object as 10 the spec
tators AudliSteners. As q mimic he wa
unrlValed, and could at his pleasure "se
the table In q roar" BE was born /
gentleman. Courtesy was ingralnet
with him and needed not the PROMPT
ings Of set rules to give Il play
He loved his fellow creatures ant
lnstlnctlVely appreciated their natures
and their wants. As q railroad man hi
had no superior on this continent, and BIZ
untimely death leaves II o matter oil spec.
ulatlon to what position he would have
arisen had his lie been spared but few
years longer, To find the key to his sue.
cess II Is only necessary to bear In mind
certain gifts which he possessed and com,
blned In Q greater degree than Is usually
acceded to any single individual. A
beautiful fancy, coupled with great and
well'digcsted information; q knowledge Of
human nature In its better and therefore
weaker features, courtesy which sprapp
from the native kindness Of his disposi.
ton, and o faculty which he never abased
Tor entwlnlng himself around the hearts
OF those with whom he came In contact
were the materials with which he work.
ed upon his fellow creatures. These
were the open sesame" TO every coterie
and every circle and through these he was
enabled 10 bend TO his purposes every one,
from the President In his official state TO
the humblcst laborer upon the railroad.
During the troubled times which attended
the late civil war the services of Mr.,
Smith were invaluable. The Baltimore
and Ohio railroad was In bad odor at
Washington and the Confederatas in Viz.
ginia were constantly tearing up the
track, blowing up the bridges and spirit.
ing away the rolling stock. Mr.. Smith
was ubiquitous. He sOttened the pIeIu.
dlces OF the officials, arranged the passage
OF the trains when It seemed an impossi.
bility, and at the same time preserved It's
connections throughout It's entire length
with such accuracy as at no time to suffer
more than twenty.iour hours delay, what.
ever may have been the obstruction which
the rude jars OF war produced.
But 1t Is as q member Of the community
that the loss of William Prescott Smith
will be most kcenly felt. He was an 'Ad.
mirablG Crichton' in the truest sense OF
the term. The aesthetic features of his
character were always foremost. He
loved letters, music, art, for their own
sake, and he infused into all about him
and around him some portion Of his en-.
thusiastic devotion. Nor was his the
love which contents itself with simple
admiration. He was always ready
to extend helping hand to merit when
ever he discovered it. and his infinite tact
in assimilating people and characters Of
opposite dispositions would of itself have
won Tor him reputation. Art, though
in its infancy in this city, Is indebted 10
him for its swaddling clothes. Music, by
his efforts, has been exalted in Baltimore
to the position OF a science, and q CON-
munity of sentiment has been created
amongst its lovers despite the disparity of
their circumstances, which 1t Is 10 be
hoped will be extensive with his memory.
In his social relations he was as gentle as
q woman and as courtly as a Bayard.
The reCollCctions of his delightful re.
unions will not soon die out oil the minds
OF Baltimorians, and their benefcent in.
tluence will be perpetual.
His worth is amply attested by the pro-
found sorrow which has swept like pail
over all circles in the community at the
announcement OF his danger, and certain.
ly the loss Of no citizen will DO more
deeply deplOred, nor the void made by
his death more difficult to fill.
HIS FAMILY.
Mr.. Smith leaves a wife and three chill.
dren, one Of them married, to mourn his
loss. His whole.souled generosity and
lavish hospitality had prevented him
from amusing fortune, but 1t is under
stood that they are abundantly provided
for by large amount Of insurance on his
life.