The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-08-08
ADDRESS OF REV. NJ. K, WHIITLESEY,
II tie FqnerM IF Jadge T, LYLE DIcKEY
MoHday July 21M, 1885.


Members Of he Bar Of La Sale County ana
others, Fello,c citizens and Fr1enIS:
1t must be pleasure to you, as it Ger
tainly is to me, when the inevitable event
having come, and death has terminated the
mortal life, that our friend should be
brought here among US: here, TO the friends
of his early years; here, where he built his
home and reared his family; here, where
his first successes were won and where his
name is spoken with honor and esteem.
What though his household be separat-
ed children and companion be distributed
in other localities. You will wish that they
NAV have occasion to return here as to an
endeared and Consecrated shrine, and that
YOU may often greet them and welcome
them for a fathers sake and for the memo
ries of the past which the names OF Wal
lace and Dickay will recall
You deem il privilege to come with
your sympathy and proifered love to this
household, UNEXPECTEDLY bereaved. To
come, | do not say to mourn with them, but
to comfort them, as we may justly do. We
may suothingly whlsper--in gentlest tones
suggest--how great the blessing, 10 have a
dear life so well preserved and vigorous
for three score years and ten; and that,
when the summons came, life closed with
out long season of sickness, decrepitude
and wasting, impaired physical and men
tai state; that he may step forth from
the arena here to the life beyond with IN.
bowed form, the 1.-the and sinewy man, of
easy, graceful gait and of light elastic step
with mental faculties all in use his usual
and life long cheerfulness and irrepressible
affection his characteristic still; as one
goes to cheerful duty who may soon return,
or whom we may soon follow and overtake.
We have no occasion to associate this plea
sanity remembered friend with wasting
and decay The rather we may remember
him as having vigorous life, with animated
countenance, an inspiring voice. Then, at
the last, clasping the hands of friends till
all is still and tranquil as in temporary rest
In the far away centuries the Hebrew
spoke of death rs departure; OF burial as
being gathered to ones fathers. jeremiah
the prophet, in centuries after uses Ian
guage implying n custom of breaking OF
bread for those in mourning, to comfort
them for the dead, and giving cup of con
ISOLATION to drink for their father or theil
mother. 1t is our privilege today to dc
this. Looking at the sphere where man
has his theatre of action, we may say, this
has been an eventful life, not without sue
cessiul and honorable achievement. lts
starting point is the home of humble
gospel minister, with its narrow circum
stances pecuniarily, but with its intellectu.
al and moral culture, its spiritually quick
enng forces, and its contact with the
worlds best people. He gave himself tC
intellectual pursuits. He sought opportu
nifty for education. He came to this coun
try in lifes bright morning and associated
himself with others in the legal profession
They are his peers; he is theirs, BY Wig
orous application, by culture AMI develop
ment, he Is chosen for the bench, ant
moves on through the years in the gradua
accumulation OF honols till he reaches {
seat in the Supreme Court in this state.
Whether he had or had not any taste fol
military life 1t matters not He had pat
riotism and gave himself once and AGAR
to the service of his country, rs leader OF
cavalry. Here in this vocation he has high
responsibility ana trust and honor.
As citizen, we find him early assuming
the responsibilities of married life and
providing for himself home. He located
his dwelling on a site picturesque, salutary
surrounded by garden and field, with at
tractive outlook. 1t Is just such spot as a
man of his domestic love would choose a>
resting place, in retirement from noise and
hustle and the rivalries of ambition, for the
oompani onship and love of wife and little
children, and the goodly fellowship OF
friends.
BY diligence, by pluck, by severe intel
lectual study and practical endeavor, by
adroitness by substantial merit, he amasses
a comfortable support for himself and
household, means for the training and ed
cation of his children.
In maturer life, as he grows In years
there is growing manhood; he enters en-
larging spheres of duty, in the enjoyment
of wider range Of companionship with
the chief men of our time, and with larger
Accommodations of fortune. lie easily adapt
ed himself to the new spheres of action
and with increasing popular esteem.
1t is thus, and apparently without antlci
patton, that he encounters the messenger
of death. He withdraws himself, not a.
an aged and weary man, satisfied to rest In
closing years, but as workman arrested II
the execution of new projects, with the In
centives and fire of life's ambitions impel
ling him onward. But stop he must, and
he must rest, for % is appointed unto man
once 10 die. Nature, or rather the Lord, his
maker, interposes, To relieve him Of respon
sibillty and take of the burden of life's
years. His work is we'll nigh done. The
struggle, the self-denials, the vigorous ap
plication, the thoughtful study, the weary
Ing tolls must have an end. Aud this Is why
he is here to-day by an open grave.