Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-10-04

The Late Judge william SchIey.

the 9th day Of July, 1922. After receiving
an academic education at home, he took 8
collegiate course in the University Of Geor-
Ola at Athens. His profession was the law,
and he remained at the bar until few years
before the war between the States. 10 1S4s
he married Miss Isabella McAlpin, of Sa-
vsunah, who died in 1857, leaving two chill
dren, James W. and Robert. During the
war he was sent by the Governor Of Georgia
as Commissioner from that State to Great
Britain. In 1868 he was elected Judge Of
the Superior Court for the Eastern District
of Georgia and held that Office until
1875 In 1874 he married Mrs. Emma A.
Keep widow Of Henry Keep, of New York
city, and soon after their marriage he re-
signed the Judgeship, and resided in New
York city until his death, which occurred at
Saratoga, of neuralgia of the heart, on the
14th day of August last.
These are the features in life which the his
torian and biographer take for postertty to
look upon. The loving and beloved comes
to open the cssket and reveal the jewels Of
his soul-the riches Of his spirit-life.
The lofty peaks of earth are grand but
barren. Birds and beasts of prey prowl and
nestle there. About their starry breasts
are chilling winds and battling storms,
while down IN the valleys lying between the
Joys and blessings Of earth abound. There
fields Of corn benignly marshalled In serried
ranks wave their tassel plumes and blood
less blades to sustain mankind. There gen.
tie breezes criukle the golden sea OF wheat.
There, too, are birds OF song aud richest
plumage; vines laden with grapes that "reel
to earth purple and gushing;" babbling
brooks and fertilizing rivers, ripening sun
chod rad an
fruits and flowers of every hue.
As In nature, so is It in the life OF man.
In places exalted are cold grandeur, heart
less ambition, cruel power. In the plain
below, through vast hnman sea, the current
OF sympathy, like the Gulf stream, flows
warm and eternal. The flowers OF cour-
tesy and affection bloom; the virtues
flourish, and home is found. And here was
the dominion of our beloved dead.
If we knew nothing OF this remarkable
man but his public career, we should find
much for exalted praise. In office he was
Just in duty, brave IN judgment, sound :;
in power, merciful, and In all things "he
reVerenced his conscience as his king"
Though in the accepted sense he was not
student, vet he was accurate and minute In
varied learning. He read men and nature
pore than books. He found
Books in running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything"
Birds and bees and blossoms taught him.
With observation quick and memory reten-
tive, he gathered knowledge as the bee gath
ers honey He was progressive In every
thing good, and improved every opportunity,
even when presiding on the bench, to en-
tighten others on the methods and arts OF q
higher civilization.
But 1t was as son, husband, father,
brother, friend and companion he ranked
without a peer. AS son he was first among
the Gracchi; as husband, gentle as woman
-chivalrous as a knight; as father he was
tutor, associate and lover; as brother, prince
" as his purse could bear; as friend, loyal
as PVthias, and as q companion he was
equipped by the MUSES. and the Graces. His
approach was the signal for cheer, and his
presence threw radiance and enchantment
over every circle. His wit, keen and bright,
was foiled by his heart. His polished CULVER
bore no poisoned arrow. He threw his
graceful shafts to please NOT to wound.
They were like the Aurora Boreslis-light
and without heat. Malice, envy and jealousy
were as alien to his breast as they are to
love, and he was never heard to repeat a
slanderous rumor. In his pure white soul,
where the Vestal lamp of charity never grew
dim, scandal found no welcome, and even
memory refused her entertainment. He was
true in all things and affected In none; and
he despised hypocrisy, pretence and sham
in every form.
His traits of character resemble bouquet
of rarest flowers, varied IN color as the rain
bow, perfumed with sweetest odors, bound
together by a silken thread and set 10 Pa
risn vase. Love, mercy, charity, justice,
honor, truth, joy-these were the elements
of his pure soul-as the seven colors form
the pure ray Of Highland these
were shaded OF by peace, con-
tentment, amisbilitY, hope, gentleness and
generosity. H. was born gentle, and could
no more have been rude and vulgar than a
dove can be kite. The bright, the beau
tiful and the good were as much part of
his being as light is OF tue sun, melody of
music, and virtue of the heart of woman. In
his manly, open, handsome face even ami
mails read his gentle spirit and, in dumb
affection, called him friend; and flowers
could flowers speak-would have called him
brother, The current of his life was the
Rhine of mortal misunderstanding beauty
ceaselessly flowing between embellishments
of grandeur and strength. 1t was a suu&y
poem, rhythmic without words, epic IN its
heroism and strength, and lyric
in its sweetness. It was a grand
symphony, rich in melody, chaste
IN harmony, filling ever heart its deep
tones fell upon with Joy and love, as the
swell of some cathedral organ joyful with
praise and dying in pschOs along the conse-
Grated alsles, inspire the worshiper' kneel-
ing there with a spirit Of devotion. 1t was
religion without ceremonies or creed; with
out pulpit or priest without profession or
cantor it was the religion OF good deeds,
and of 'the greatest of these"-charity.
"Lord, who shall abide In thy tabernacle;
who shall dwell in thy holy hill ?"
"He that walketh uprightly and worketh
righteousness and speaketh the truth In his
heart.
"He that backbiteth not with his tongue,
nor doeth evil to his neighbor, nor tsketh
up a reprosch against his neighbor.
''In whose eyes vile person is condemned,
but he knoweth them that fear the Lord.
changeth not. lie that taketh not reward
against the innocent"
Such is bis pen portrait, drawn by the
Psalmist thousands OF years ago.
In viewing human life he was philosopher
and philanthropist His rule OF action was:
"Be happy, and make happy; be good, and
do good; help for the living, hope for the
dead.'" Beyond the grave he knew moth
ing He knew that we are, we enjoy, we
suffer; and he enjoyed life as rational, and
relieved distress as noble, and for the only
reward OF which he was sure. That reward
he found in smiling faces and happy homes.
It frightened his pathway and filled his soul
with carols. To him a heart made happy
was a trophy richer than diadems or cap
tured armies. He boarded nothing but the
wealth of friendship and domestic love, for
he remembered that "shrouds have no
pockets" and death keeps no savings bank.
To life so peaceful, how fitting was the
close. AS a star rising through a veil Of
dewY mist ascends the Heavens with in
creasing brightness, holding its steady
course without deviation from its orbit, or
disturbing others in their own, and goes
down with undiminished ray, so was the
beginning, the progress and the end OF this
brilliant mortal life. With all that makes
the heart cling to earth in wife, kindred,
family, rank, ease and luxury, he saw no
terror In death. Full of j0y-almost with
eye not dim and his natural force not
abated; euileless for word or deed in time
and fearless of eternity-when the summons
came he stepped with a smile from the ranks
OF the living beyond the veil. And the head
that labored,through the watches OF the
night to make others happy is cold;
the hand that was full and free is empty;
the voice that was melody from kindness
Is husbed; the heart that was love is still,
and 10 many the sun will never be as bright
nor life as sweet. To the bleeding hearts
he loved so fondly his death is paradise
Lost"-his resurrection would be paradise
regained."
The rainbow comes and goes,
And lovely is the rose;
The waters on a starry night
Are beautiful and fair;
The moon doth " it'll delight
Look round her where the heavens are bare.