The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1900-02-17

Deserted Village and Gray's "Elsgy in
u Country Churchysrd." No one. or at
any rate. but comparatively few. in this
country or in countries speaking our
own and allied languages, believes that
ceremonies consequent upon death can
have any effect upon the condition or
well being Of the departed. aud the oh
servance of this custom merely for the
qualification of these sentiments can
confer but little benefit or advantage
upon the living. Universal sentiment
enforces the propriety Of q Latin pre-
cept forbidding the utterance OF any
thing but good concerning the dead and
the mere recital Of a catalogue OF color
less. personal virtues unrelieved by the
lights and shadows, the moods and i'm
pulses, of real and unmutilated indi-
viduai personality can serve neither to
edify nor to smuse.
A funeral eulogy to be Of substantial
value must extract from the character
and career of the deceased some lesson
which may serve to snlighten the under
standing or to inspire the conduct OF his
survivors. 1t seldom or never happens
that any man is 30 many sided or 30
equally balanced 10 his moral and intel
lectual constitution as that there is not
some one trait which is more prominent
than any other, and which lends tone
and color to his whole character. With
Mr.. HARDWOOD it seems clearly enough to
me that this trait was answering and
unyieliing loyalty to his convictions Of
right and duty, his Incorporating and
understanding adhesion to, and fearless
avowal Of, his deliberately formed opin-
ions. Not ostentatious in his beliefs.
nor insistent for the intrusion OF them
upon others, he nevertheless refused to
permit party or public sentiment or the
censure or applause Of his fellows to
effect either bis convictions as to what
II true ano right or the course Of con-
duct which, in obedience to them. he
believed himself bound to pursue. That
this trait, strengthened by habit. de-
prived him of come of the prizes and
circumscribed some Of the pleasures Of
life there is no doubt, but that it
strengthened and sustained him. as
scarcely anything else could have done,
in the main crisis Of his history and in
the final struggle which cost him bis
life is equally beyond question. This
reflection suggests the question. was his
life success or a failure? His whole
career was one OF toll and Of struggle
with financial perplexities. He never
accumulated great wealth, he held no
exalted public station. he never attained
wide celebrity. He died destitute OF
this worlds goods and he was scourged
into his grave by the eager and relent-
lees prosecution OF a wicked and unjust
claim. Was his life failure? Is it
essential to success that one shall be-
come rich, or that he shall be elevated
to high Office. or that he shall startle
the world by brilliant deeds or charm It
with the felicity of his diction ! In our
cooler moments / think that all Of US
will answer every one Of these questions
in the negative. Social and political
prominence, wealth and talents are the
means but not the ends Of high aud
useful endeavor. The b story Of civil
ization is strewn with no more pitisble
wrecks than Of those who have pos
sessed OF enjoyed some or all OF these
things. A man succeeds when be makes
full and efficient use Of such capabilitits
and Of euch means and opportunities az