The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-01

lItlCdi IOllOIS Ut OlllCes
In intellect he was brilliant, {if this
term is not entirely accurate, daz-
zling will be, rapid and intuitiye;
a ready, fluent and impassion speak
err, but not'a powerful one or even a
fine orator-mOre a worker than
thinker. Men of his mental organi-
cation do not often become true
thinkers or reasoners. They trust all
to their endowments, which are liable
to fail in the emergency, and how
ever great without the closet never
lift man to the top round of his pro-
fession. Still, he was industrious,
and did a great deal of work, and
that too with the greatest rapidly.
ease, precision and neatness-talked
and worked at the same time. We
have seen him write much, but
never saw one write so rapidly and
neatly. His text books abound with
marginal and foot notes with his flu
ent pencil, as fine and delicate as the
type itself. His uncle's book (EYans'
Practice) is literally covered with
them. 1t is on our shelves, and
greatly priced as relic of the fami-
ly. A reader, too, but not a ponder
ing one; also magnificent talker,
with torrents of thoughts and Lam
guage. The delight of the populace,
and charm of the social circle, his So
ciety was greatly courted. His tastes
tended as much toward the grooves
of literature as the attractive forum
itself. The pen as ready for the vii
lage journal as for the exclusive per-
iodical. We have seen the boy rom
the town paper come and ask as aboon
an article for its columns. The reply
would be: "Sit down for ten minutes
and you shall have it," and so it
would be. The next morning would
appear a sparkling editorial greatly
ajar with the known capacity of the
editor. He was ambitious of being
an author like his relative, Hugh d.
Evans, and had a work we'll under
way on our chancery system when
he died.
Many characteristic anecdotes and
"reminiscences could be produced, if
space, time and circumstances would
allow, but one shall suffice. One day
he came into his Office in lofty dis
gust, asking his modest student
whether he had over seen Judge
without judgment? The reply was
that no such moral phenomenon had
ever been seen or heard of in his
small experience, "Then go up,
quickly, and see Judge NJ. on the
bench" The truth was the excited
practitioner had just met a disaster
under the rulings Of the condemned
judge. However, the next day, I'M
der an opposite state of circumstances
he could have been as laudatory of
the court as the hated plaintiff in the
drama, "Merchant of Venice" was
to Portia: "a Daniel came to iudg-
ment; yea, Daniel. O. wise Judge,
how do l honor thee ?" This is only
too frequently the relation between
the bench and bar.
And lastly as to his physique,
which was one Of the finest we eyer
beheld, and he knew it as we'll as
Roscoe Conkling knows his. Over
six feet in height, straight as a rush.
with full proportions and features to
correspond. His wardrobe was as
faultless as the best furnishers could
have it, and his garb alternated each
day. Of course he was a conspicu-
GUS figure for the gaze of all. In the
fall of 1S47 he married Miss Kemp,
the eldest daughter of Henry Kemp,
then of Frostburg. She was lady
of great personal beauty and attrac-
ton, and 1t was the common remark
that the two were the handsomest
couple in Cumberland. Some of these
remarks may seem overdrawn. but
they are as near exactness as they
can now be seen at range of over
thirty-three years. Besides, there
are those who are yet living who can
verify the above.
This meagre tribute has been long
promised and long delayed, and in
the end most willingly and justly
but poorly given, and debt of graf
itude in some degree discharged.
In any subsequent communications
less diffusion and more compactness
are promised. Yours truly,
CLEANER.
Real Estate Transfers.