Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-03-07


traou was strong In It's grasp Of affairs, strong In
popular favor and destined TO be stronger, tnht
grave difficulties confronting him ut his inaugura;;
lion had passed; that trouble Lay behinu MN anu
not before him; thai he was soon 10 meet the wite
whom he loved now recovering from an illness
| which had but hate disquieted and ut times aimo,.
4 unncryed him. thai he was going 10 MS Aima
Mater 10 renew tn. most eheri-neh associations Vi
| his Young ma.lliood. and TO exchange greetings
| with those WHOSE deepening interest hal followed
| every step Of lis upward progress irom inc gay nc
1 entered upon hi- college rDurse untll &c hau ~
tained the lofties elevation In the gift OF his cou-
| trymen.
| surely II happiness can ever come from the hon.
| ors or triumphs of this world on that quiet July
| morning james A. Garfield may well have been u
nanny man No forcioding of evil haunted him )
no slightest premonition OF ,ian2er ciouneu ms
sky. ns terrible fate was upon him IN AN instant
One moment he stood erect, strong, conuicnt III
the wears stretching peacefully out before MIN
The next he lay wounded. bee'ing. heipless
doomed To weary weeks OF torture, 10 silence, ana
the grave.
Great I'm nfc he was surprisingly great tn
death For no cause, In the very frenzy OF wan
tonnes and wicke,ine5s, by the red hand OF muir.
der lac was thrust from the full tide OF ts WORM
interest from its hopes Its aspirations. Its veto.
ries, into tue visible presence or death-ahu ne uiu
not quail Not alone for the one short moment ia
which stunned aud daLed, he cOult give up HE,
hardly aware OF Its reiinqushmeni but through
DAYS Of deadly languur, through weeks OF agony
that was not less agony because silently borne,
with clear sight and calm courage ne Looked INTO
his open grave. What blight and ruin met his
anglished ewes hose lips may ellwhat brilliant,
broken plans what batled, nigh ambitions, VIDAL
sunderiaR OF strong, warln manhoOds friend.
ships Whist bitter reniing Of sweet household ties
Behind Kim proud, expectent nation, great host
of sustaining friends, "A cherished anh happy
mother wearing the FULL rich hon"rs OF her early
toll and tears; tue wife OF his youth, whose Whole
life Law In his the little boys not yet emerged from
chilthood's day OF frulic; the fair, young daugh'
ter. the sturdy son. just springing into closest
compauionshp claiming every day and every day
rewaring n fathers love and caTc, and IN bis
neart the eager rejoicing power 10 meet all nc.
mau,l. Before him, dcsolatlOn and great darkness
And his soul was not shaken. Ills counirymen
were thrilled with instant, profound, and universal
sympathy. Aiasterful In his mortal weakness, hc
became tne center OF IA nations love, enshrined In
the PRAYER. of world. But all the love ami all
the sympathy could not share with him his suner
ing. He trod the vine-press alone. With unfal-
terng front lac faced death. With unfailing ten
,lrre-, ne took leave OF life. Above the dcmoniac
hiss OF The assassins bullet he heard the voice OF
Cod. With simple resignation he bowel 10 the
Divine decree.
sea returned. Tie stately mansion OF power had
been to him the wearisomc hospital of pain, and
be begged to h. taken from it, prison walls, from
lis oppressive. sitting air, from ITS homeiessnes-
and hopelessnoss. Gcnily, silently, the love OF
great people bore the pale sufferer to the lOugcd.
Tor hcaling OF the sea, Ia live or To die, As God
should Will. within sight OF it, hcaVtng pillows,
within sound OF Us manifold voices. With wan,
f,yered face tenderly lifted 10 the cooling breeze,
he looked out wistfully upon the oceans changing
wonders ON IL far sails, whitening IN the morning
light on IT, restless waves, rolling shorewafd 10
break AMI die beneath the MONDAY sun on the red
clouds Of evening. arching low Ia the horizon; on
the serene and shining pathway OF the starr. Let
us think that his dying eyes read my site meaning
which only the rapt and parting soul may know
Let believe that In the silence uf the receiing
world he heard the great waves breaking on u fur
Their shorr, AMI felt already upon hi- wasted brow
the breath Oi the eternal morning.