The Topeka state journal., 1899-09-25
Capt. j. G. Waters Tribute to
the Late G. G. Gage.
Address at Presentation of Por-
trait to Lincoln Post.
HIS LIFE REVIEWED.
Touching Comments on a Career
of Philanthropy.
One of the Best Efforts Of a
Remarkable Orator.

Lincoln post hall was crowded Satur-
day night when a portrait OF the late
G. G. Gage was presented the post by
Mrs. Gage.
Judge Samuel A. Kingman presented
the picture to the post on behalf of
Mrs. Gage. Short addresses we're made
by General J. K. Hudson, Judge John
Martin and Colonel George w. Veale-
Captain J. G. Waters, on behalf Of the
post, replied to Judge Kingman's pre-
sentatiOn remarks.
Following. is Captain ]. c. Waters
1t was only yesterday that he was
here; along these aisles his foot falls
have but fed. Put out the lights, draw
down the curtains close, sit still in the
very hush and lap of silence, and you
may even now hear their patter on the
floor. In these memorable seats but a
moment ago sat his stalWart form. All,
yesterday is tomorrow and both are
gone. From what has been to what
will be is the instant flash of the pres
ent, which hardly invades the cOntin-
uity of the night Prophecy and history
stride arm in arm
Whether back of old age lie three
score years and ten or the full rounded
century, it is scarce a memory and
hardly a reminiscence. The highest
glance is the cradle in which it rocked
There may be, to US, a perplexity in
the swift fight of the meteor but
somewhere, it is answered with wis
that causes day, that nOurishes affec-
tion or freights the weary eye lids down
under their load of care to fOrgetful
and refreshing sleep.
Everything in this hall is the pre-
cursor of the inevitable hour. The
charter is yellowed; the pictures
have faded; there is a thump Of canes
along the floor; and you may hear the
hobble and limp as comrades come and
go. This is a place in which youth
has but little part. The veterans on
these benches are SCARED and worn;
gray locks fringe their polls; the WT1n-
kles are deeply set in their faces; their
hands have the tremble and palsy and
their voices are uncertain and Waver in
their briefest question or curtest reply.
The place is haunted by specters and
peOpled with shades. They pull our
sleeves, they grasp our hands and they
silently interrupt whatever the story
may be. This chamber is full of strange
things but all are wied as HendriCk
Hudson's men at bowls as the balls roll
ed and the Kaatskills reverberated with
thunder. And who knows that it may
not be from the same f1agOns we may
be given a sleepy drink before this en-
chantment ends?
Here the veteran shoulders his crutch
and fights the battle over again and
sees the remembered face of a cOmrade
whose bones have bleached an alabaS-
ter white. The banner that headed the
charge is again in the hands of the
color sergeant, but his leap over the
bastion is now vigorless from age and
slow from long infirmity. The artillery
opens and the flash of Dahlgren and
Parrott long in the scrap pile, destroys
the webs that laced the grimy muZZleS,
which the peaceful spiders spun The
Bloody Angle one more reddens with
slaughter. The hell at Petersburg vOm-
it's again. Little Round Top is crest
ed with blue coats and up from the
woods Pickett again advances to mark
with a wave of blood the high tide of
treason. Over in yon corner of the
room they go again up the rocky slope
of Mission Ridge and in another little
knot, all by themselves, they drink
again the polluted water of Anderson
vile and watch with a crazed and hun
cry eye for some pOrtent of the flag in
a heaven that is brass, out of sky
that is dumb.
Verify this is a hall of the herOics
TJndisturbed bv the petty gossip of to-
day unprovoked by what is now oc-
curing, they have a far away look, like
the half buried Sphinx, not at the trav-
eler chipping its cheek. but down the
forty centuries when morning aWOke
Memnon to its song. Every incident
in these sacred precincts makes for the
final catastrophe. Watch the silk worm
weave its shroud. thread here, one
there, and then the filaments shut it
from sight. Hold the cocoon up to light
and still its shuttles fly, but stin it is a
shroud.
We will add this picture to the stored
honey of the hive. In this Pantheon,
dedicated to the great Republic and its
splendid institutions of liberty, let it be
hung. There may be a tremOr on my
lip and a moisture in my eye as 1 say
these words. as I surmise there were
in yours but a moment ago It is one
of the sweetest agOnieS of old age that
the heart melts the eye on the most
miserable or frivolous excuse. We have
at last come to know complacently and
well, how soon mans shadow is drawn
into the night; not a black plutOnian
darkness, but the splendid luminous
MI in firm n 1T11a a Hh a
turn, we see nearer and clearer the
eternal stairs OF Hope and Faith.
IT wage not any feud with Death
For changes wrought in form and
No lower life than earth's embrace
May breed with him can fright my
faith"
The life of this good man answers the
challenge of the dumbeSt mystery and
is a fearless reply to the pale sheeted
apparition of death. 1t makes bridal
robe of the winding sheet, and wreaths
the clamnny cerements with flowers of
asphodeI; it turns the ghastly rattle of
the clods upon the coffin lid into com
rade'S impatient goodbye.
1t were the fdlest of tasks for me to
leaf with tawdry tinsel the tried gold
purged in the refiner's fire. 1t is the
story of a superb soul We may well
designate him as the states first citi-
zen. 1 own that 1 have an object in
my speech. II is not alone that the
solace of loving words may tighten a
widows sorrow nor that q ray of sun
may feck the sonber shadows of her
grief Balm is not to be pIucked from
such a plant. Her healing can come
from no human word 1t has weight
ier significance His life is a patriotic
taunt, a magnificent menace to all
those who shall be blest by the good
Lord in stewardship and store. 1t is
a duty of highest citizenship to faunt
such a life into the public face. The
wealth of the United States could i'm
paradise the land. 1t could fang
hunger, put bloom into wasted cheeks.
and fire with its old luster many an eye