Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-07-14

Grafton at the grave is herewith printed IN
full. 1t is as follows:
Except on rare occasions, at thssolemn
time OF the turial of the beloved dead,
any words Of personal eulogy, indeed, any
words at all except those OF the services
of the church which commend the de-
parted soul to the loving kindness OF an
all-merciiu God, seem inappropriate and
out of place. !,
In the presence OF that greatest OF
mysteries, death, every voice IS hushed
and every tongue is silent.
There are times of praise and eulogies,
when with Joy and gadness we may re-
call the greatness and the goodness, the
virtues and the achievements OF departed
friends, but this is not that time.
For death is the great leveler; and,
standing beside the open tomb, all the
INEQUALITIES OF human life shrink into IN
significance and are forgotten. The rich
and the poor, the weak and the powerful,
the man Of highest talent and the one OF
humblest ability, stand equal before their
God.
For what is worldly wealth when one
is in the presence Of the great Creator OF
all things? What is earthly power or
position when one stands before the King
of Kings and Lord of Lords? What are
human wisdom and knowledge before the
All.wise and Omniscent One? What,
even, is human virtue in the presence oil
Infinite Goodness?
1t is only when the life which has end
ed here presents a notable example,
when it is an incentive and an inspiration
to higher aims and higher achievements,
that we can properly, at such an hour as
this, speak of the personality OF the de
parted. But this is such case. The
lessons to be learned from the life OF Jose
D. sena present just such an example
and inspiration as make 1t OF the most In
estimable value to us who follow after.
For through all the vicissitudes of life
he as every inch man Physically, O.
noble stature and commanding presence
and with combination of dignity ant
grace which is most rare. Mentally, o
acute and powerful intellect, to which
faithful study has added large acquired
knowledge; all supplemented by al
elouuence OF language which made him
leader among men. And with hear
eyer.responsive to the calls of friendship
or of benevolence, displaying spirtua
nature superior even to the physical an'
the mental.
His life has been spent among thos
who are here to-day. You know its his
tory and its character. What are tn
lessons that it teaches? 1t seems to m
that high above all others it teaches four
Industry, integrity, patriotism, charity,
First, industry. From boyhood to tn
grave, his was busy life. He was neye
idle. He never wasted moment. ii
believed most thoroughly that time was
trust, bestowed upon US by providence
that it might be used to the best advant
age; and he acted on that belief. Thi
was the secret of his success. lie i'm
proved every moment and every oppor
tunity. The facilities for education il
those days were but small, hut he mad
the most of them. In boyhood he learne
all that could be acquired at the school G
Padre Gallegos. When Bishop Lam
brought Antonio Noel to Santa Fe, b
studied under him, thus gaining know
edge of English. When Padre Gallegos
newly elected to congress, took him
Washington, he might well have frlttere
J, away his time in the pleasure OF the ne
9 tiona capital, but instead OF that, h
utilized every hour at the college in Alez
andria. And so in later life, he htte
himself for the bar and gained positio
. OF influence attained by very few. A
was accomplished by work, steady, syl
tematic work. The lesson taught by a
this is 80 plain that be who runs ma
, read.
Second, integrity. Wherever he Wa
known, throughout this vast territory, b
was recognized as the soul OF honor, on
I whose word was always as good as hi
bond; in short, "that noblest work I
God, an honest man." No trickery, n
} sharp practice, no double dealing, Wa
ever laid to his charge. His superit
requirements gave him advantages whic
lie could easily have used for his ow
gain but he would have scorned to do a
J., unfair act. l we'll remember an illustr
ton OF TIM. Years ago we were talkir
of the land grants, and of those who hs
o grown rich by their acquisition at pric
d merely nominal and said major, no