The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-08-22

his omnivorous reading and his recollection
of everything that he read. Early imbIblng
a taste for the English classics, the Bible,
Shakespeare and Milton were at his fingers
ends. He knew them nearly all by memory,
and could at will quote any passage from
Them which might be Familiarity recalled.
His knowledge of the English poets was
universal, but, while he read the masters,
nothing that fell in his way was ignored.
At the railway book-stalls and from the train
newsboys he purchased anything that was
put at him, n was as likely as not to bring
home a yellow cover" or the highest nc
ton of the day. After dinner he would
stretch himself out on the red leather-cov.
cred sofa in his library, take a spoonful OIL
Grote's Greece and read one Ouida's novels 10
take the taste out of his mouth" But the
Bible was to his spiritual nature like Brockle
spring to his physical, and thence he slaked
n thirst that he never allowed to parch hlm.
Orthodox, pure, simple Christianity, in all
its holiness, had no more devout worshlper
in spirit and in truth than he. There is a
delicious remark attributed to him that
when some one said in his presence that the
lines that formerly divided people in regard
to religion were falling out, he replied:
"Yes, and l notice that the nice distinctions
between right and wrong are going with
them" They never went from his pure
life and stalwart mind. Truth, honor. up
rightness, faith in God and love to man,
these were the guiding principles of a great
intellect and noble character through a long
career of private virtue and of public useful
ness crowned by a Christians death.
THE HOME AT BRocKIE.
Judge Blacks home was the beautiful
farm of Brooke" on the ridge southwest
of York, lying below the Northern Central
railroad, and sloping up to the crest of the
hill. His residence, about half way up the
hillside, is a stately modern mansion, with a
tower, overlooking the valley and the town
of York, away to the blue hills beyond and
over a beautiful landscape. Here are his
books and his law library and his ofice-the
only one he had, except in his hat,
for years; he had no law partnership.
In ron of the house is a handsome
grove of the native forest trees and a line
large spring, with whose waters and the
pure ambient air Judge Black ever and anon
renewed his youth and vigor. He reveled in
"Brockie," and was q famous farmer. All
about the buildings are choice fruit trees and
grape vines in abundance, flowers, vegetable
gardens and all the charms of country life.
Besides this farm, he had another over in
Maryland, and the patchwork" place in
Franklin county, formerly owned by Presi-
dent Buchanan. Agricultural pursuits we're
a subject of never-ending delight to him,
and, like the ancient wrestler, he would
throw himself to Mother Earth for new
strength. Wearied with the strife of the
courts, he could so completely give himself
up to "Brockie's'' charms that for q month
he would not even open a letter lest it might
call him away from his farm. One who caught
him just after he had first read Taine's En-
glish Literature has said that it evoked an
eKtempore discourse from Judge Black on
Milton and Dante which was equal to the
best efforts of the classical English e~ssayists.
AT the foot of the hill over which Brock
les" fine fields spread themselves is "Willow
Bridges" the picturesque home of his son,
Chauncey Forward Black, Lieutenant-gov-
ernor of Pennsylvania, whose three boys
Jeremiah Sullivan, Chauncey FORWARD and
John L. Dawson-tell of a distinguished an
cestry on both sides. His son Henry is prac-
ticing law in Texas, his daughter Rebecca,
formerly the wife of the brilliant and la
mented James F. Skunk, now Mrs. Hornsby,
IS one of the most popular and fascinating
member of Washington society. His other
daughter is the wife of Captain Clayton, of
the United States army. Mrs. Black is
well known in the social circles where her
husband was so courted as the embodiment
OF all wifely and motherly virtues.