The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-10-11
In MemOriam.

ldence or Mrs. Jones, corner or
Eighth and Salmon streets, Port
land, Friday, August 80. at 8
o'clock p. M, OF typhoid fever. De-
ceased was man of far more than
ordinary talent. Nature had dealt
out to him lavishly of her splendid
powers. She had crowned him
with the crown Of genius. She
had breathed in his nostrils the
breath of an artist. She seemed
to have brought him into the world
en- rapport with herself, for he
moved among her crags, and groves.
and valleys with the tread OF one
long familiar with their grandeur.
With his brush he painted the
mountain and the flower. With
his pen he pictured the glory of
the sea and the valley. The muses.
toyed with his prolific brain, and
rhyme gave evidence of superior
talent. "The Phantom song"
from his poetic pen, reminds one
Of that mysterious poem, "the
Raven" His mind ran along the
line of the melancholy and mourn
fuI. His scrapbooks arc well sup
piled with poems and bits of prose,
all breathing this same sud spirit.
Ev his brush he produced many
pieces of genuine artistic merit.
These cvince that he drank at the
same spring at which Raphiel and
Dsre drank; and had he lived, and
been permitted to follow his chos-
en- profession, the world would
have sad he drank almost as deep
w as did these masters OF the
brush. He was coming into most
favorable notice in Portland, Wien
he was called upon to lay down
his brush forever. Only thir-
~ summers had come and gone
since he saw the light of day on
beau f'ul San Juan Island, when
the youn: and rapidly rising artist,
in whose breast love for the beau
tiful, sublime and sad. beat high
and strong, laid aside his palette
and companion for long rest; and
in beautiful but lonely Rivcrview
he sleeps. The rocks in silent
majesty look down on his grave.
Tail, snow capped Hood in his
match ess mayniiiccnce, that has
So often furnished him sitting,
gazes full upon the artists grave Oh
the hillside. Just as manhood's
sun, soilencd by the silvery voices
Of admiring friends, was falling
full upon his head, the message
comes, and the young "child of &C.
Mus" takes the messenger by the
hand and follows HIM away. His
life seems as picture of magni
fccnt conception laid away half
finished. AS a beautiful poem
half written, or sweet sad song
whose melody is shattered just as
we begin to be enchanted by its
music. james Pickett will ever
live in the menhry of those who
knew him best, as one of the tru-
est, purest, manifest of men, as
well as one OF the rarest geniuses
of tlis Northwest has ever pro-
duccd. Young friend, true heart
ed man, gifted soul, rest in peace!
Portland, Sept. Z. DAVID WErzEL.
The very interesting table OF
population by counties compiled
from official sources by w. II.
Roberts and published in yester-
days Press, disclose the fact that
whereas, according to the census
Of 1880, the population of Wash
ington was almost equally distrib
uted east and west of the Cascade
mountains the local census Just
now completed shows that western
Washington has a population of
10000 to 99,O13 for eastern
Washington. Instead of being
nearly equally divided, the popu-
lation is now as three to two in ia
vor of the west. This result af-
lords evidence of the trnth of the
claim generally made that the com
mercial advantages and resources
of the west will attract a much
larger population than the east,
and that the true center of popu.
lation is now, and will continue to
be, west of the mountains.-Argus.
The legislature elected by the
people on Tuesday, will assemble
at Olympia to begin deliberations
on Wednesday, the 6 of November.
One of the first duties of the state
legislature will he the election OF
two representatives to congress to
Congress to look out for the inter-
ests of Washington, with the sen.
ators of the other states. It is
generally conceded that as the leg.
islaturc is republican that the
senators will he of like shade.
East Of the mountains puls forth
several candidates, and those from
this side are ex Gov. Squire and
}. G. Haincs, of Seattle and Wal
ter j. Thompson, of Tacoma. The
prospect is very favorable for thc