Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1883-10-19

Sad Death.-The death of William w.
Ofutt, third son of N. D. Offutt ESQ.,, who
died at his fathers residence, in this town,
on the morning of the 18th instant, in the
S5rd year OF his age, after protracted ILL.,
ness, has thrown a gloom over the entire
community.
just at the horizon of manhood, with a
beautiful landscape before him all throb-
Ding with promise and JOY the radiant pres
ent mingled with the illumined promise of
days to come, with the saddening picture of
his last hours clothed in romance unre-
lated and unrevealed, throws a sympathy
over his early death which we dislike to
disturb by the utterance Of single word.
AS the full-bown leaf which has lived and
laughed in its joy Of freedom under a sum-
mer's sun, and then falls after autumn has
kindled its fires and draped the forest in
gorgeous funeral robings-ike the ripe fruit
in its season-so the old naturally pass away,
but for the young, with so much to make
life pleasant, so many tender associations, so
many uncrystallized hopes, so many beautl-
iul antlcipations sweet as the minstrelsy of
the birds and bright as the stars, TO pass
away in the very dew of manhood is, in
deed, sad, strange and mysterious The need
however of such decision has been wisely
spared us by an all seeing beneticent Proyi-
dence. We would not have il understood
that we intimate II want of proper regard
for those who have realized the full measure
oil three score and ten. There is an attrac-
ton about the frosts of seventy winters
which the yellow sands of the summer of
youth cannot possess. There is something
akin 10 another world in head that is
already white, and hence the mystic venera-
ton for gray hairs which has become promi-
nent among the acknowledged Virtues of
mankind. But when death invades the ranks
OF fresh maturity and snatches the fruit that
is ripening there, he seems to come before
his time and to gather to-day the harvest of
the morrow.
The short life of the deceased does not
leave us much TO say, but short as it was, it
was marked and interwovenswith traits of
character which commanded the admiration
of all who knew him. He was independ-
ent in thought and action, and gave great
promise OF becoming valuable citizen and
exemplar for those with whom he had grown
to manhood. Kind, generous and manly,
he had won the respect and attachment of
all with whom he had come in contact, and
the thread OF romance was quietly woven
around the last hours of his short lifetime
Life in many respects is romance. 1t is
often the cloud land of life and skies-it is
the imagery which lies beyond reaity-it is
the golden border on life's shadows-it wan
ders by the side Of fancy and adds impulse
to all joys.
The funeral services will take place to-
day, at II o'clock, and the remains will be
laid to rest in the Episcopal Cemetery. The
summer will make it beautiful spot, and the
golden sunshine Of autumn will come agai n
and the birds will laugh and sing by his
grave-the winter winds will wall mourn.
fully, but the sorrow of laying that young
form down in its cold and silent chamber is
lightened not by the promise of summers
flowers and foliage, nor the soft glow of an
October's sun, so much as the assurance
that the more beautiful spirit is with infinite
beauty and light eternal