The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-12-27
Held in Guthrie in Memory of
Sam 0VerStreet.
ELOQUENT TRIBUTE PAID
BY His Friend and Associate,
Roy Hoffman.

P. p. Q. E, the following address, writ
ten by Hon Roy Hoffman. was read in
memory of the late Brother Samuel Liv-
inystone Oversteet:
My Friends and Brothers:
Now is the stately column broke:
The beacon light is quenched II smCEe;
The trumDet's silver sound IS still
The warder silent on the hill"
This Lodge of sorrow has ben e7nvoked
that We might together our poor t:ibute
pay 70 the memory Of a dead fciend and
brother.
Samuel Livingston Overstreet was one
of the charter members 0 fthis organ;2
ton, an eager and earnest advocate of
its aims, u sincere and loyal worker for
the objects it promotes. 1t was largely
through his encouragement and support
that the early steps looking 10 the estab-
Iishment OF 4 lodge Of the 3enevolent
and Protective Order of Elks in Okla
homa, were taken. I have a distinct re-
membrane of the first meeting 1cr the
purpose 1t was in the Office OF Gus es-
teemed brother, the present attorney gen.
eraL There, at a chance corning together
Of congeniaI spirits neevening, but lit
Tie more than year ago, 1t seems. Dis
trict Deputy Kneisley unfolded the work
and purpose Of the order and his Plans
in that regard. Samuel Livingston Cover
street, there present, at once became an
interested and ardent advocate, ara 1
think his name stands near the first in
the roll Of membership.
The principles and teachings Ct this
order appealed directly to some Il the
strongest elements Of his character. In
my acquaintance I have never known
man possessed a Of broader and deeper
vein of what may be called "D1marity-'
He loved his felIow-man according to the
divine plan Of the Creator. In his ,e.a-
tons with his fellows there was NJ faint
of the dross of seldshness. lie WAS the
soul of benevolence. He beIzyed GRE
should do good as the vine bears fruit,
quietly without display. He abhored the
man who proclaims his good deeds from
the housetoDs. No one can say he ever
went to Sam Overstreet Cor help and
returned empty-handed. And what he
gave went with the kingly magniicence
OF a monarch, crowned and thronsd. In
prosperity or adversely, it was al the
same to him. If he had it. and it was
asked for. or appeared TO be needed, Re |
gave it. c0pious and free as the Unbound 4
ed air.
He was a profoundly sympathetic man
Distress and sorrow always toucled him
to the core. No aching heart-string ever
failed to find a responsive chord in his
own breast. You, who have known him
weL-Bekemeyer, SCothOrn. Horner, Nc
Neal, Horsefan, Elklns, Cunningham
you who have been his indmates and
closest friends viii bear witness with me !
that he never met with case Of genu- |
Inc hard luck that did not wiring his own
heart with anguish. ~ no tongue so
ready as our dead bSother's speaking
straight from the heart, to soothe the !
stricken; in his easy, graceful way TO bid
the loser cheer a bit and have another
try.
1t sometimes seems to me that some
people are born into the world in order /
thtat things which fail may have some |
nne to fall onto. Uulucky wight, with a
genius for the worst of it, knew Of enc !
or two such chronic cases continually in
his path. But even such could not dry /
the fount Of his benevoIence or shrivel |
or harden his nature
Nothing papealed to him more keenly |
than the misfortune OF another. # he /
could have had his own way about It he |
would have dried the tears of Niobe. and 1
driven every care and sorrow from the /
world. that we-poor, sttammerinE. mis- /
believing creatures, whom he has left /
behind-might go distrauEht with sin I
and grief no more.
He was the essence Of good-fellowship. /
A good fellow and a good story always |
found a warm welcome with him. He /
bubbled over with companionsaip. IN the |
social after-parts of the work of this So /
ciety no one of US entered with keener /
zest-no one followed the sparkling Jest, /
the witty narrative the song, the many !
lively incidents Of our play-time, with |
heartier or more spontaneous applause. I
You Will not consider IT irreverant, or /
any mark Of poor respect, in me TO say /
that If his spirit could descend upon us /
today, il would say: Boys. it's Il /
o'clock; go and have a god time-if can /
get a leave Of absence Will drop in and /
Join you" Even now he would rather /
see Us glad than grieving. and would |
merry at his untimely talking of. His /
was a sunny. cheerful nature over which /,
the shadows could not drift He was /
man. such as. take him all in all. YOU |
could not help but love. and it viii be /
many. many DAYS in this little circle be- (
fore we look upon his like again"
Tie was Quiet, almost TO shyness. un- |
assuming and. as often follows Of I
most lovable disposition. He despised 1
shams. He hated hyDocrites He had I
an almost uncivU frankness. He had no /
patience with these who might assume 1
a virtue though they had it not" Neither /
was there any place in his hospitality /
for those who Crjnged and fawned for /
favors. The Qualities which ap0ealed .
strongest 70 his nature were absolute
honesty truthfulness, fair-play. courage.
generosity. charity. sociabiity: AMI II /
one had these Il mattered little whether !
the world had dealt generously with him I
81 purse or sta-ion-he had the ksv 70 /
sam" Overstreet's heart 4 prince.
without these qualities, could not have /
tied the latches OF his shoes-a pauper.
with them. might have his friendship |
without stint or measu.e and strod in
his eyes peer % the r-ea-cst in the 1ard /
lie was a LAWYER. Not a digest. de
cision-ech0 nor q case INDEX" bC; one
who took broad. comp-e heus.ve view Of /
the reason and riEht Of .hings. Fc came
Of family OF students and allie mon.
He had an instructive lose for the rr7-
fession His devotion 10 the law as an
abstract science was complete. Hc loved
The law as the essence Of truth end
reason Justice was to him a temple