Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-12-26

CGuItll. ltCnHSil dLU StHbl1 6dlu DIS ne dtl-
vanced toward the coffin:
MY FRIENDs-You must bear with me patiently If
try to speak to you to-day. The young man that
lies in his coffin there was more to me than friend
he was rather as brother or a son. In the years
that seem to me long gone, | knew him by the cor
dial grasp of his irm, strong hand-by the winning
look of his clear, bright eye and by the generous
tones OF voice that never spoke In falsehood or in
guile. And then, knew him well in later days,
when there were ties between us so honorable to him
and so tender to me that dare not trust my heart
to speak OF them now. But. dearly as | loved him,
and dearly as they loved him who have a greater
claim Upon his love than l assert do not hesitate
to say that proud Of him as he lies there locked
In the rigid clasp of death, and taken away in what
men cali the opening of a brilliant career. 1 am
prouder of him, even. than II his name were still
1DOn the roll of living mcmillan If he stood and
spoke among US now If you will listen, will tell you
why Sometimes, when you go into the cities Of the
dead, you will see here and there a
broken shaft, lifting itself above a grave
as II Il were meant to mark the last resting place of
one whose life on earth was not complete. 1t Is not
christian symbol, but, on the contrary altogether
opposed to the Idea of God who governs and dl-
in the true faith every life in time is complete when
the God that gave 1t TO be has use for it In eternity
and calls it hence think of little life that was
given back TO It's divine source but month ago and
I know and believe, that it was complete, though
few but the holy angels knew how noble and beaut-
tul 1t But In my view, the life Of this man is
well-rounded, full propOTtloned and finished and he
goes to his honOred grave not the threshold but
In the zenith of his career. Ii you ask how this
be- seeing he was yet only I'm the first blush of youth
ful manhood, and so full Of ardent hope, and kind
ling aspirations reply. because the boy had built
up Tor himself and realized his ideal Of soldiers
character, In preparation for soldiers
made it was inevitable that the mould should
be broken ! chance upon something else when
say this, and not to keep back anything In this
solemn presence. go one step further to say that
the perfect soldier in all that relates TO the SYM
metry OF moral manhood, Is the complete man.
do not wish to be misunderstood. i shall neither
ha GOLF 30 frnNar
ms vocation or daZZled by the luster that shines
out from the center of imposing military figures,
to class the moral above the religious nature of man.
but leave me here and now to speak OF my dead and
your dead as he was conspicuous for the illustration
Of tf three great qualities Of his calling The first
Of these was Obedience-the ready, cheerful thor
Ough Welding OF his own Will to the exactiOns Of
dUy or the requirements OF discipline. 1t was nat
UTal that IN the OF one like him. of iery nature
quick impulses and an almost stubborn tenaclty of
purpose-t was natural In his case, say, that the
development OF his sOldiery character in this direc
tion should be SLOW and even painful. watched 1t
myself with what degree OF sympathy 1t was
proper for me to show in the time when he was ca
det in the academy that in other days nOurshed us
both and was glad for his sake when he was found
worthy to receive the choicest military gift In his
class while he wore the grey. and one OF the marked
compliments that were to be bestowed when he went
out TO take his place among the number OF those
Upon whose ear the signal word
OF life or death Is hourly breaking;
Who sleep with head upon the sword
Their fevered hands must grasp when waking.
FROM lfldl pftcHpt Oh OneIlclcS, The
form OF undertaking habit flows me fortitude that
lifts the soldier above all the contingencies of change
and chance II is not serie 1t Is not sullen, 1t is
not passive but is Intelligent active, real and 1t
makes of compact bodies, moving or resting, under
the direction OF one Will, TO be irresistible In the
charge. and unconquerable In defense; And
this virtue linked Itself naturally into the
that of entire self-consecration. That my
friends is the quality that separates from all its
terrible associations and the batte-Scene from all
that would OfhHrXiSa rpnier il aIgfll and rpDetVn
mean Of course, the spirit In the man that makes
him look at himself in two opposite ways-as being
at one and the same time, all-important and OF no
impoTtanee-that tells him his self-sacrlnce, his
personal conservation to great act of daring, Will
give victory or decisive help to his ranks and fag
and with the thought, bears him up in the tide OF
grand passionate swell of being. until the instant
Of devotion comes when, with his life In his hands,
he casts himself into the perilous post, there is
quick report, piercing musket flash, and you, o
noble, welltred soul! you are ours no longer, but
your country S and your Gods. Net without witness
at the last In the dying words that broke upon the
QulyeTing aF-50O sacred 10 be repeated now In the
Stiffness Of this sudden grlef-not without witness
TO the third Of those qualities that belong 70 my
theme. Tenderness OF hear, united to those that
have gone before. Some OF you may remember the
story told Of himself by one OF American poets
how he stood among the camp-ires Of the Crimea
what time they were lighting up the hostile battle
the English, Scotch and irish regiments singing the
sinpls sCngs that came across land and sea from
their cotase homes nd how, sitting awhile after
thoughts IN that touching lyric, from which CLEAN
double line:
1.-THE rarest are the tenderest,
The loving are the daring"
And this IaiIe6 hsro-I shall not say fallen again
this lsen hero, he was so much of boths0 impetu-
Gus by nature that the thought OF wrong 20 be re-
Sented set bis heart In rapid throbbing and sent the
blood thrilling through his veins, and YET SO mag
unanimous that be forgave more quickly than he pun
nished, and when he f0Fgaye, forgot also, and
nsTer, like mean sOul, Cherished the mem
CRY OF G m.sdeed against himself So In
different to his own safety or Interests, but so
thoughtful OF all that concerned the welfare
tOTt Of Others. So penetrated with gi0fi0ns and
absOr1i9 love OF his profession, but so willing TO
turn his mind and heart, by day and night back TO
the Ouae that had sheltered him and the loved ones
clustering theie So grand and true and great
hearted In all that becomes man, and with II all
as il should be, so gentle and e0nsideEate, that IL
was delight for all 70 say they knew him and tat
he loved them. There is one thing more that think
can wisely and justly say-becallse be gave pdTt OF
sha thought TO me- although We little knew for what
a PURPOSE. JOg all remember what was fourteen or
sixteen yeaIs agG, and that need not tell you
Well after that time had JUS passed, and while its
sad memories were fresh In gTfeving hearts, this
man, mere boy then. but with a mans heart 1eatr
ing In his fearless breast, went out from
the midst Of community, nay, even from
he Bosom OF family that had suffered much
for the pefpeu30n OF the idea Of separate p0lit-
cal existence for peF1Qp OF these States be en-
tered the national militay school OF the republic,
and from that time he seemed 70 regard himself as
Indeed he was in peculiar manner. the representa-
tive OF community who offered him 10 the republic
as pledge OK The sincerity with which they accepted
the restored order Of civil afalEs, ald the fidelity
with which they would abide The oaIn Re- should
sxeag gDon the altar OF his country and his God IN
this sense he tuiled and studied, d,ld disciplined
hnself sna A was ti01'J VIII 20 give him. and yOu,
such earnest OF reward from gez 70 year, TINT now
We have TO ssy that be- in whose Seins coursed the
uurpef and Yfrhelt O3 hlOOd and WhO9e kin