The Republican journal., 1882-11-09
William Henry Simpson,

Il Larger than this we leave, and lovelier.
81 The end has come, not unexpected, but still!
IA severe and sudden blow to his afflicted familvI
Sand friends. On Friday last, Nov. Sd, at II A :!
3M, William Henry simpson, for twenty-two]
years editor and proprietor of the Republican,
YJournal, and until the last its controlling spirit
&passed away from earth All that could be donei
TO alleviate his suffering>, and to prolong life, j
was done. That poor consolation is afforded
those who minstered to him in his last illness j
$During the many long and weary days andl
nights, his sisters to whom he was all in all i
&liyed only in him and for him. The deyotionI
Iof his physician far exceeded the mere peri
formance of a professional duty, and a faithful
land untiring nurse was ever ready at the bed
side of the sufferer. In the earlier stages of the
Illness of the deceased, and while confined tol
his room, the devoted and loving mother, to|
Whom he was a devoted and loving son, waSI
! taken away. so that but two are now left of
= this once happy household TO mourn their dou-E
bile bereavement. Their loss cannot he c~ti-
= mated in words.
Il Death came peacefully In his last hours thcI
Xdyng man lay with ewes closed. or partly clos
fed. Then they opened wide and he looked up-I
&ward with soulful intelligence, bright and Ell
gar gaze, his lips moved. Il smile rested on h>s
face. and now. with shortening respiration, theE
vital spark died out. and the soul assembled
Above the smoke and stir of this dim pot
Which men call earth
Il 1t had been painfully evident to Mr.. ~imp-s
sons many friends for some years past that thcs
hand of disease was upon him. His step lost il !!
elasticity. his form it, rotunditv, and he MOI
longer entered with accustomed zcst into the
Occupations and amusementS of the day. Thats
: for many. many months he was silent >utftrclI
His now painfully realized. Consideration FORT
the loved ones at home caused him to bear ups
brayely under his ailments and to conceal fromE
them the burdens he was called upon to endure /
Three years ago he was advised to dive>t him l
self wholly of business cares and aborS. and tot
lead an outdoor life This adyire he followedE
in part, though for Il time he undertook addi-s
Stional work on the paper which told hrayilyE
= upon his failing strength. But journalism was
with him second nature and it was very hardi
flor him TO renquiSh it, Finally, nrrangemrnt>b
were made TO entrust the active management ofy
the journal to other hands, and on The l~t of
Oct, 1880. the transfer was made. That tk
4grieved him TO leave the helm cannot be doubt i
p I'd. but with the freedom from care came III
= marked Improvement in health. most gratify-s
- ing to his family and friends. The following
summer lS>l he spent much Of the time driN \
Hing about the city and vicinity. and began top
: feel As though h" wanted to again take hold oil
> business. But when winter set in. and he Wa>t
l. more indoors health. strength and appctlteE
gradually declined. In the early spring dill I
: Guilty in breathing. which deprived him of >ecps
and rest. was added to other troubles but thss
was not known until after he gave mp The ~trug-
gle and his illness became too serious 10 permitE
&of longer concealment. ON Saturday. !Aprilt
Sth. 1882, Mr.. simpson paid his usual daily yiStj
to the journal Office. The following Mondavs
morning he Went TO Portland. with a view. id
is believed. Of obtaining medical advice there. /
Returning "Wednesday. he had 4 severe attarNs
of heart trouble causing Shortnc>S Of breathl
and great suffering. From that time until thcs
Halter part of June he was confined to hi, rooms
49, and most of the time to an invalid chair. noti
&being able to assume arerinmbcmt POSITION Ati
! he date last mentioned he began to improve, ]
! but on the Nth of July had a relapse RecoN en-!
&ing from that, there was a rapid Improvement
Min his condition. and about the 35th of July hes
Sbegan to ride out every pleasant day. and in thcs
Atirst week Of August was on the streets. greet
Hing friends and acquaintance. all Of whomI
We're happy in the belief that he mad renewed
his lease of life. On the Sth of August he visit
fed the Journal otiice-iu> four months to u dayI
j. from the date Of his last appearance there
From that time until the latter part Of Septem-I
aber he pursued his usual routine when inI
health. and then again he began to fail. \ bil-'
&ious attack which confined him to the house ]
: but which was not expected TO lead to anything;
T. serious, was followed by the dropsical troubles,
(which attended his first illness. ana later byi
&ditficult respiration. The hope which had buoy
ed him up was absent now. and though several.
times his condition was critical, it wa, not until
&hc was at deaths door that it was realized hcI
Twas to ~ taken away.
= For number OF years past Mr.. Simpson had]
written but little. although directing until sept j
2 3oth,s>0, the editorial and business departments
&of the paper, and suggesting work for others toI
n 10. A> long as he was able to be out, however,
= he used his note book in iottng down local
items for the Journal. The last manuscript re-
&ceiYed from him. written during his Illness was
an item in the local department of the Journal
: of sept. 18th, concerning the departure for
Massachusetts of Alex. Jackson colored mani
long in the employ of the family of the late Jas
~. White. On the 10th of last month he sent al
message to the office concerning an accident!
(which he feared might NOT come to our notice
Between these two dates, a> the writer stood at
&the bedside he spoke cheerfuIN of the condi-)
&tion and prospects of the paper to which he hadI
Ylevoted the best years of his life and seemed
snot without hope that he might again regain
&hs health. But God, in his infinite wisdom
E,lecreed otherwise.
The deceased had won a high place in Maine
Journalism. His name and that Of the paper
he conducted for so many years with such sig !
: nal ability were known far beyond the borders
of his native state. Aside from thorough
- knowledge of the mechanical details of publish
ling Il newspaper. the foundation for which
WAS laid at the case. he had all the qllaIitica-
- tons of the editor who is born, not made. Al
ready writer. gifted with Il keen wit, a retcn-
tive memory and apness Of illustrations he
was never wor>ted in controversy. He saw at
a glance the relative importance of news mat
b. ters cutting out trivial details here and adding
important facts there. His selections of poetry
> land miscellany showed fine literary taste and
critical judgment. The whole paper was
stamped with his individuality The high or
der of his executive ability was indicated in
the routine Of the office and in the efficiency of
his employees We doubt if another office off
like size in this country could show more care
full training, greater efficiency or better work
1t would surprise those who think it an easy
matter TO manage weekly newspaper were
they told of the labor and unremitting atten-
ton Mr.. Simpson bestowed upon the Republic
can Journal. And it has justified the pride bel
&took i'll it. He begrudged neither time nor
money. Paper, ink and preSs-worl must be of
the best, and 50 of the material and machinery !
Sitting at his desk the watchfuI editor would