The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1898-03-05

assuming, and without OstentatiOn.
He was self-respcctin% without being
proud. He was open ana candid in
bis intercourse with others. always
frankly and sometimes bluntly. ex-
pressed his opinion. He was incap-
able of double dealing. saying one
thing and meaning another. promis-
ing one thing and doing another.
Honor and integrity were his natural
inheritance. and as inscparab bic from
him - the air be brcathcd. Uncon-
sciou>ly and naturally ne repel!ed the
attempts OF those that aimed even un-
consciously. t. tarai>i the bright O.
catchcon Of his integrity. Thus when
a member of the State Senate. before
the enactment of athe constitutional
and Legislative provision against the
acceptance of railroad passes by
public officer. he returned the passes
transmitted to him Nth the remark.
that the Stale paid his travelling cx-
peEscs. as Il Senator. from ana to Tie
state Capitol. He hated wrong and
oppression. and was always ready to
stand IN the breach for the rights of
the rcopl;. Thus he resisted the in
liqUiIus railroad dcb. and tax that had
been fastened upon the people of this
township when most of the principal
.taNDayvrS were disfranchiSed and
spent his time an" money in an en-
dcavor to relieve the property OF the
township from this heavy burden.
although villitcd by many for his
course in that matter. But threats.
abuse and villiticatiou could not
swerve him from what he considered
right and Just. He was man of un-
doubted courage. During the war,
when predatory soldiers. too often
made the lives and homes OF the citi-
Zen in a border state unsafe. while
not seeking trouble and always pru-
! dent. h"Isever Onall proper occasions.
failed te protect home and fireside.
Thus or one occasion. when some OF
these Irresponsible scouts proposed to
search his home for suspected Con-
| feder8tss. he told them shat no Con-
federa]eS Were on his premises, that
! his niace was up stairs sick, aud that
they might look around the place be-
low but could notgo up stairs, and he
! planted himself at the head of the
stairs, and so firm and undaEnted WIS
his appearance and conduct thato the
| lawless band desisted and went away.
One of his most marked character
istics was his firm aad urFielding de-
termination. WheR he had once made
up bis mind he rarely deviated from a
course marked ovt. Tbgs when in
1S;tH, on business fer Sto6dard county.
WAY to jefferson City on horseback,
! he found on his roate a. river Swollen
by a freshet and no ferry. He did
not stop, but NuRged in with his
horse to swim the river In crossin.
a river in this manner on horseback
it's dangerous to pull the bride, 50
he threw it over the neck of the horse
and let him go. About halfway across
the stream. the horse turned AT d SwaIR
! back. But he started him IN again
and when the horse was about the
middle of the ;tlcam hc turned amaiR
and sEam back. Sc the third time
| Undaunted ne 8rent into the river u
| fourth time and when near the centre
of the stream pushed the horses
head in the wafer. and this so cor
! fused the animal as to the direction
he was moving that he carried him
across. 1t was on his trip. he often
related, that he rode into ST. Louis
up TO the old Planters House and tieing
his horse to the posts in front of the
hotel. entered, and that the landlord
afterwards came out and took charge
of the horse, taking it to the stable
which was then run in connection
with the house. How the world has
changed since them In his inter-
course with his Reighb0rs Judge Ran
ney was ever ready to extend
them = helping hand He always ex-
ercised those neighhorly Offices and
amenities. distinguishing the highest
class of American farmers and plant |
ers. When the first German Settlers
came to this country they found in
Judge Ranney a warm and .dsinter
ested friend. That they appreciated |
his friendship and knew his worth is
shown by the fact that when his slaves |
had been set free and enticeG away !
from his farm. although he was will !
ling to pay them for their work, and |
his corn stood ungathered in the field,
his old German neighbors Geo. Siem- !
ers and George Keller, deceased, !
unasked and unrequested came with |
their teams and gathered his crop for
him. He never forgot this act of kind
ness. Nor was Judge Ranney unwil-