The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1895-12-05
I'm MEMoRIAm.s

On the 21st of November, 1895, there pass
ed from the ranks of the living, into to
great majority" spirit of great intrepid
ity and cast in the noblest mold of humanity.
Captain James j. Wnant, who had sue
cessfully opposed his skill as mariner to
the elements in their varying moods, for
upwards OF thirty years, on the waters OF
the Pacific, at last yielded TO the fate of those
who Ego down to the sea in ships" and sur
rendered his life prey to the hungry billows
over which he had so long guided his vessel
in safety.
The homogeneous nature OF mankind at
tracts US to the dry land. The vicissitudes
Of fortune are not so constantly confronting
us with perils to the body, on the land as on
the sea. 1t may not be true that the larger
proportion OF intelligence is found ashore,
but the number who follow the sea, compared
to their species who cling to native earth, IS
very few. When one, therefore, who reads .
and thinks, and in meditation and study ,
grows wise, and yet is wiling to fore.so the
allurements of social life, and find home
| amid the majestic billows of the ocean, we
are inclined to wonder at the attraction such
! a life can have for such a man.
Captain Winant was such a man. Culti-
waited in art, in science in literature; con-
scientious in his political beliefs; wise in his
economic and social views, his was rare
and brilliant mind. To cqualize any somher
shadows which the dangerous character of
his vocation might haze cast about him, ma
ture had endowed him with an inexhanstab c
fund of humor, which found expression IN
so gentle and refined manner as to leave
the impression of sweet music on his COM
panions. The story of his lifc will never be
adequately told. No one could have told it
SO well as he. There was deep and hiding
faith in the virtue of mankind. That Is a
good kind of faith to have. Virtuous men
aAd women have such q faith. With Cap
tain Winant this was not merely sensuous.
It lightened eveey dark recess and made
plain every avenue from which his inte!ll-
gence went forth TO comfniHgle with the in
telligence Of the race, and it necessarally
follows, that he appeared to others as he be-
lieved the right side of humanity to exist in
them. He was, accordingly, genial, courte-
Gus and sincere. Seamcn are universally
sincere. Their life is real, and that il.surcs
} sincerity.
| Perhaps no words can 50 ittingly illustrate
the gentie nature OF the man, as that touch
ing poem which he wrote after the death Ut
his syoung and lovely wife, some six or seven
years ago. 1t is as follows:
IN MEMORY OF Mes. j. J. wISANT.
'Kcep quiet, let me die in peace. Take
good care of the children. AMIE."
1t was near the hour of midnight,
The city WAS at ress
r When we knew that she was dying,
Our dearest ana our best.
Yet calm and brave she waited,
Her beating heart to cease;
And she mumercd low, keep quiet!
l Oh! Let me die in peace.'
4 ''Take good care Of the children"
Again she softly said
} Then her. heart beat low and rested,
a And we knew that she was dead.
We knew, before the sun rose
: On the next succeeding day,
A band of loving angels
Would have borae AaE- far away.
Istood and gazed upon her,
My darling one, my all;
Then left the dying bedside,
i And passed into the hall.
a And there my little ,Nita,
/ In her snowy gown OF white,
/ Stood leaning DER the railing;
In that dark and solemn night.
| Her little head reclining,
To catch each passing word,
Then her little lips moved softly,
l And the only sound heard:
tsIs mamma dying, papa ?"
. And her voice was full OF pain;
: And then her eyes grew brighter,
, And she said, 'MamniaI grow again"
: Oh! that a touch of childish faith,
a ray of heavenly bliss,
, Gould come to every weeping heart,
In such an hour as this.
And i. such faith by nature
Is in early childhood wrought,
How sad that we should live to doubt,
And grow beyond the thought
And our dazzling little baby,
T As she saw us stand and weep,
Looked calmly on her mother,
And said, Poor mamma go to Sleep"
Yes, darling little children,
Your mamma's S free from pain;
And maybe you but speak the truth,
To say she'll live again.
Intuitive in you may be
Divinely planted thought;
For from the mouths of babes
'Tis said, the greatest truths are taught.
The manner in which Capt. Winant met
his death is known to all. He died in the
discharge Of his duty. What manner Of
death could be more sublime, than to die
protecting the interests intrusted to him.
Men die on the battlefield protecting their
, country, which means their families, their
homes, property and government. That is
/ patriotism. Man die protecting property
t entrusted to their keeping. That is heroism.
Patriotism and heroism are synonomeus
t terms. The patriot is hero; the hero is
/ generally patriot. Captain Winant was
r hero IN every sense of the word. No one
knew so well as he the imminent danger of
repairing the rudder gearing, and on this
errand he went alone To save the lives OF
his men and the property of his charge, he
| gave up his own life. 1t has been we'll said
| Of him, that to die thus-doing his duty.