The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-07-31
NUMBER 81.

with apparent impunity, had thus presented
to us great evidence of his superior physical
soundness. He was strong mentally, too.
His native vigor of mind received gains
from the varied discipline Of schools and
college and experience in teaching, in pro-
fessOnal study, and, yet more, in thirty
years practice at the bar, often in COMPETE
ton with men of signal ability. Thus de-
veloped his memory was marvelously re-
tentive. The envy Of his associates, il was
as tenacious as his grip of an argument. 1t
seemed never to let go fact learned from
book or acquired in personal intercourse.
He grasped quickly and firmly the points in
controversy; he examined and cross
examined witnesses with consummate skill;
he pressed his opponent with the most
powerful arguments that belonged to his
cause, and he often seemed to impart a
portion OF his own commanding and mas
terful vitality to the strength of his case.
The mental equipment which he had at
command was peculiarly valuable because
OF its wide scope. He possessed far more
than mere legal training. He was master
of extensive stores of knowledge of most
practical kind-knowledge of things and
events and business affairs, as well as of
men-and his outlook upon life was broad
ened by much reading in lines not pro-
fessional However closely occupied he
insisted upon securing some time to him
self for indulging his literary tastes, and
his large library grew year by year through
!
He was lover of history, and was especially
well versed in that of his native state.
Indeed, all that was ancient possessed at
tractiveness for him, and, with sufficient
leisure, he might easily have become noted
for his antiquarian interest Conscious in
some measure of his intellectual strength,
he was not averse to those contests for
which his profession afforded many op-
portunities. He entered with zest into
discussion, and in court or out of
/ | Gi in doh TO
with foeman worthy of his steel. As /
have thought of this phase of his character,
the picture of the spirited war-horse drawn
in the book Of Job has risen before my mindi
the noble steed, rejoicing in his strength,
eager for the fray and mocking at fear.
And so one of his associates of the bar as
sures us that, instead of being exhausted by
a protracted effort in court, /" he was ap-
parently refreshed by long jury trial"
| And Mr.. Heath was strong morally also
! He had positive opinions and decided prin-
ciples on questions of morals and here also
| he had the courage of his convictions. The
cause of temperance had in him sturdy
supporter Believing in the principles of
Freemasonry, he sustained them by many
| an earnest word. a republican in politics,
he was tower of strength to his party. A
! liberal Christian in his church relations, he
attempted no disguise of his beliefs and dis
| beliefs, but declared them openly, forcibly
and often. In such matters-matters of the
! IuOSl StIlOuS I'LL pOIl-ll w DIS uOl pOSSlDlt lOT
him to be half-hearted, or stand as a cipher,
He was positive, frank, unfiinching-yes,
| aggressive, If you will. He belonged nat
urally, and by right of birth, to the party of
progress. 1t fell to his lot to antagonze a
great many different persons from time to
time in court, in politics and in business
lations, and doubtless he has often been
thought to be in the wrong. But the alien
ations that grew out of opposing opinions
and conflicting interests are in allegiance
now; and it will be admitted on all sides
that he was a most valuable champion of
every cause that he espoused. l am glad
to be permitted to offer concerning him such
| testimony as comes to us to-day in the
united utterauce of tn" judges of our SUI
preme court. They were all together in
our village yesterday, and, sharing in the
general sorrow, felt constrained to pay this
marked and exceptional honor to Mr..
Heath's memory, sending to her who is the
chief mourner under this blow (of whose
personal loss and grief do not venture to
| speak,, this testimonial: " "ReSOlUed, That
we have learned with profound sorrow of
the sudden death of Hon. Charles II. Heath,
a leading member of the bar of this state
that because of his ability and integrity as
| a lawyer, and his high character as a man,
we deeply deplore his loss to the profession
and the state; and we tender to his widow
our sincere sympathy in her great atflic-
ton" All how is the strong staff
broken >" Yes, he was indeed strong
staff }" and, confident in his strength, he
added responsibility to responsibility, care
to care, enterprise to enterprise, and be-
cause his health did not break down he
continued to do, it would almost seem, the
work of two or more ordinary men, until
the swift end came. Cares did not worry
him, as they are apt to worry people of a
nervous temperament. The veXatious per-
pleXities encountered in his Office were not
allowed to go home with him at night and
disturb his rest. He could put them out of
mind and drop promptly into refreshing
sleep. And, knowing all this, he was
perhaps led to overestimate his power
of endurance. But there is limit to
all human strength. He reached that
limit at an utterly unforeseen moment,
and henceforth we shall look for him
in his accustomed haunts in vain. And
how greatly will he be missed! AS a law
yer whose list of jury cases tried in the last
thirty years is pronounced unequaled by
! that of any other member of our bar, how
his familiar form, his never-failing fund of
anecdotes and personal "reminiscences, his
keen wit and ready repartee, will be
missed among his associates As loyal
member of the Masonic fraternity, how will
! the brotherhood deplore his loss, AS a
| publc-spirited citizen, ever ready to de-
| vote time and strength TO what he deemed
| the common welfare, whether in political
! lines, or in reformatory measures, or in
| educational matters, or in business enter
! priseS, or in general improvements, how
earnestly and often shall we wish for his
encouraging word and deed in coming days
And as most Jealous friend and helper in
the church of his choice and conviction,
and in its Sunday-school, where for sixteen
years he has taught Bible class with such
regularity that it almost seems as if the
number of his absences could hardly equal
the number of the years of his service, how
he will be missed AS a personal friend,
counsellor and benefactor, also, how many
will lament his departure! Here Mr..
cordial and kind and encouraging co-opera-
ton with him in his work and to recent
manifestations of his benevolence and self
sacrificing zeal, and he closed his address
with some brief practical reflections and re-
minders.