The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1897-06-18
RICHARD 5avMsy MCCONNELL.

beneath the oaks of Edgewood GENE
terry on Sunday afternoon. the eiF
lnst' Those moss-clad trees have be- er
the witness of much human sorrow
out no sorrow has ever been NOR,
poignant, no parting more agGnizlng
no affection more genuine aud drvo
ted than that of the relatives ans
friends who gathered to pay the last
sad tribute of love to the young life o.
Richard Brumhy Mcconnell.
AS friends knelt by the grave ia
cover it with a wealth of lilies and
roses, the sun shot its parting rays
across the scene, like a benedietion Of
peace from out the bosom Of better
world.
In the presence of a death 50 sudden
and so sad, tie hearts of friends in
stlnctlvely turned back to the mem.
ories OF this once bright ana brilliant
life, which had come to SO unti,nelv
an end. We shall always remember
MIN in his boyhood days: a boy as
pure as the lilies that lay upop his
grave, with face that was never
elouded by the shadow Of life's troub-
les, over which broke the ripples Of
his smiles as sunlight breaks over the
face of the earth. We remember him
when he returned to us from our sister
state after several years absence in
Atlanta, and though but a mere boy.
the cares and duties of life lay heavily
upon his young shoulders.
Early in his boyhood he became the
hope and the actual stay of his family,
yielding up many hoyish pleasures
that his earnings might bring comfort
and cheer to parents and only sister.
Then to us comes the vision of his
marriage, when amid the gay con-
course of friends, the profusion of
flowers, and the inspiring strains of
the wedding march he knelt at the al
tar, to leave it the happy and conse-
Grated husband. Once more memory
raised the curtain and we see him ten
derly watching over his dying firstborn
alternating between tender hope and
dark despair, but finally with broken
heart, and yet submissive will, yield
ing his dearest treasure to Him that
gave It.
The responsibilities of vastand in
frtao 70 b.rSsuoSo tIar, .o..,o f.-t ,,,..
him in ms youth. Promotion brought
with 1t responsibilities in business that
made burdens aud demanded great ex-
perience and matured Judgment. The
burden was too great sud struck him
down in his youth.
We would nothing extenuate nor
Ought set down in malice Offences
to tie law there may have been in his
life, yet should the good that he did
be inferred with his homes that the
evil might live after him? How much
of that evil was Involuntary through
stress Of circumstances beyond the
control of SO young d person? How
much Of it should be laid at the door
of friendships importunities- false
friendship too? How mueh 10 error
of business judgment, nuscaiculatiou,
the broken promises Of others and the
many incidents and accidents that are
the appertenanct OF All business may
reasonably be considered ere the con-
demnation Of men should be fixed
How many are there whose lives will
Justify them in Withholding the man
tie OF charity? Though the sum Of
evil may be great, yet ear it not be
atoned for hy great sacrifices and does
not sacrifice show repentance unto
repAration? And can more be done
in this life? All then, let forgive
ness be as generous as repentance is
deep. We feel that there has been
both of these. The last sad rites, the
respect of farewells, The flowers and
tears at the tomb, the sympathy for
the living that he left, the multitude
in the funeral procession, and the alb
sence of reproaeh after death, all at
test that the people of his native town
before whom be had passed ia and
out in the span of his life withheld
not their beuediction as the earth re-
ceived his mortal body.