The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1875-08-16
Did lie Succeed !

princcly in bearing md in mind. He
was bred in tho country, among humble
surroundings, but he was gentleman
from the crown OF his head to the soles
of his feet, md III every fiber OF his
body and mind. Slender, tall, hand
some, with IN intellectual brow, fine
voice anda Christian spirit, he had every
possession of nature and culture neces-
sary to win admiration, respect and af-
fection. This man was poor; SO, before
his educational course was completed,
he wns obliged to leave college, and to
resort to teaching for n livelihood ; but,
wherever hc moved, he won the strong
est personal friends. Men nAmcd their
boys after him. Women regarded him
rs u model man, and the name OF Still
man A. Clemens stood in high honor in
all the little communities III which it was
known.
He was particularly fond Of mechanics
and mathematician born inventor, with
more than the ordinary culture OF the
American inventor. He had M exquisite
literary faculty, rare wit. n fine appre-
citation OF humOr, and good cOnvcrsA.
tional powers. Indeed he seemed to be
furnished with all desirablc powers and
accomplishments except those which
were necessary to enable him to "gct on
in tho world" He was born poor, aud,
tho other day, after life OF dreams and
disappointmcnts, he died poor. Tho
brown head and beard had grown gray,
the spare figure was bowed, and tho end
of his lifo was accompanied by circum-
stances of torture which need not bc de-
tailed here. The life which, for thirty
years, had been an unbrokeu struggle
with advcrsity, went out, aud the weary
worker WIS at rest.
The inventors dreams were always
large. They all had "millions in them.'
First, in M arrangement OF centrifugal
force for tho development of motive
power then in a machine or process
for dctIching tho manila fiber then i'll
II cotton-press Of unique construction,
for COMPRISING cotton so completely Mt
the gin nthatitwouldnccd no further treat
ment for shipping; then in flax dress.
ing machine and last i'll arollway which
was to displace forever tho present rail.
way system, and solve tho problem OF
cheap transportation. In tho cotton
pressing machine hc made m incidental
invention, to which ho attached no spe.
cial Importance, out OF which others
have since made tho fortune which, dur
ing all his life, was denied to him. Hc
strcwcd his way all along with ideas OF
immense value to all around him. 1t is
not yen since he read his paper before
an association of engineers Mt Chicago,
exposing in detail his rollway invention;
and it is said that on tho morning OF his
death he WIS called upon by capitalist.
with reference to subiccting this inven
ton to practical test. 1t was mngniti
cent project, and We hope that it may
yet be tried, though he in whose fertile
brain it originated is beyond the salts.
faction OF success and the shame OF
failure.
Well, did our friend succeed, or did
ho fail There were neal mon around
him who became rich. There were sor
did men in the largo community III which
his later years were spent whose money
flowed in upon them by millions. There
were brokers and spectators, and mer-
chants and hotel proprictors, and manu-
facturers, who won moro wealth than
they knew how to Use, while he was toll
ing for the beggnrly pittanco that gave
him bread, or floundcring in the new
disappointments with which each year
was frcightcd. They succeeded" rs
the world would say, but let us sec what
this malldid. He used every faculty he
possessed for forwarding the worlds
great interests. He put all his vitality,
Nll his ingenuity, all his. knowledge, into
tho country's service. The outcome is
not yet, but tho outcome is Just us sure
rs the sprouting OF n sound seed i'll good
soil. The wealth he did not win will go
into tho Golfers of others. Ho never
sacrificed his manhood. He kept him
self spotless. He did not rcpine or whine.
The man whe saw him in his last years
found him still tho courteous Christian
gentleman, bearing his trials with pa.
tiencc, trusting in tho Infinite goodness,
accepting his discipline with moro
equanimity, and still hopeful and per-
sistcnt.
He maintained his courage and his
self-rcspcct. He won and kept his
personal friends. He went to his grave
with clean hands, and his soul ready for
the welcome exchange of worlds. He
left behind him the memory of charac-
ter which money cannot build and can
not buy. 1t was M honor to be alfec-
tionatcIy associated with him. 1t is
high honor to he called upon TO record
the lesson of his life, and n high duty to
command it.
Did he succccd2 Yes, ho did; and
the community in which rest his
precious remains could 10 itself no
higher honor than TO erect over them
stone bearing the inscription "Hcrc
lies Stillman A. Clemens, who died poor
in this worlds goods and poor in spirit,
but rich in faith, rich i'll mind and heart,
rich in character and in all the graccs OF
Christian gentleman, md rich i'll the
affection of all who knew him and were
worthy of his acquaintance"
That he wanted wealth to bcstOw upon
those whom ho loved We do not doubt.
That lie wanted it to prove that his
dreams were not basclcss, is true, We
presume. That he dreamed Of it among
his other dreams would be very natural.
The dream has come true.
"ThNt droam he carried in hopeful spirit,
Until In death his patient cyo grew dim,
And tho RcdCcmcr called him to inherit
rrI,o bnavnu nf voaIth Inn,. ,,nru,rrI I'm for