Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-08-02
BRATTLEBORO LOCAL NEWS.
SIDNEY GRAY BRISTOL.
Tribute From His Roommate at Yale
and HarVard-His Memory a Con-
slant lnspiration to Better Thlnns.

slant Inspiration to Better Things.
To the Editor of The,Phoenix:
Dear Sir: A letter of inquiry received
today from a friend in Brattleboro has
shown that a brief statement as to the
life and character of the late Sidney Gray
Bristol may be of value to some of your
readers. This statement is made with no
desire to render more pitiful the awful
tragedy of the 10Th.
Mr.. Bristol was my most intimate
friend, my classmate at Yale and my
roommate at the Harvard Law school
and l feel that / can speak of him with
as much accuracy as one man can ever
Judge another. He disliked affectation
above all things. and what follows is
written in a consistent effort to exagger-
ate no trait of his character. and to dis
tort nothing by way of eulogy.
OF all men l have ever known, Sidney
Bristol was at once both the purest and
the strongest. He knew the world thor
oughly, but had retained a mind singular
ly sweet and clean. In all our acquaint-
ANGEL speak deliberately have never
known him do anything or say anything
that today / would hesitate to write to
his mother, were she still living. To him
the most beautiful thing in the world was
little child, and with all his force of
character he showed continually the sim
plicity and straightforwardness of child
hood.
The strength of his character was as
remarkable as its quality. His plan of
life for the next 10 years had been fully
| formed, and in this his own interests
were subordinate. He wanted to live that
| he might work for others, and he wanted
| success for its effect upon the happiness
| of others. The determination with which
! he applied himself to the realization OF
| his ideals was wonderful. From IA to Is
hours a day. he worked. month after
| month, hardly thinking of recreation and
| without for an instant losing his good ma
| ture. To my remonstrance that he might
| possibly he undermining his health he
would answer with entire seriousness
| This is nothing at all. Wait until
| graduate and get out West!'
| The courage of the man was as note
| worthy as his other qualities. | think
| he feared nothing. He certainly did not
| fear death. for dozen times he has told
| me that he feared only that he might
| die before he had been able to realize
| all his hopes. Pain or personal disap
pontment could not discourage him. Tn,
| only time l have ever seen him disheart
| ened was once when he feared some mis-
| fortune might come to a>~aear relative
a misfortune which he could do nothing
| to avert.
His patriotism was of sterling quality
| He cared nothing for eXternals and
made no display of his feelings, but hi.
| love of country went deep and was abso
| lutely sincere. The bitterest disappoint
| ment in his whole life was when tn,
| transport in which his regiment had EN-
| barked for Cuba in the Spanish war hat
| its sailing orders revoked and dropped
anchor again in Tampa bay Had h,
lived he would undoubtedly have taker
| an important place in public life. His
| unusual power over men and his complete
| integrity would have made his influences
| widely felt.
Mr. Bristol had been completing hi:
education in the East since 1884, Durinl
| all this time he continually strengthened
| his home ties For a man who had seer
| his home so seldom the affection he main
| tanned for it is remarkable. During the
| summer of 1897 he was at home, but ir
| 1898 he was in the service. and in 1899 he
| was in England. Last summer he was
at his home in Michigan and would have
| gone there again this August. / know NJ
man with equal opportunities of seeing
them who has kept in such close touch
with the members of his family. At the
| very end If for a moment he realized hi:
| condition. we cannot doubt that not one
| thought was given to his personal disap
| pointment at the sudden ending of his ca
| reer.
Why n life with such a horizon SHOULD
| come to such an end is one of the mys
| teries that for the present we must leave
| unexplained. Certain ii is that no on'
| who knew his character can ever pas:
| beyond it's influence, and that no matter
how high any of his friends may rise
the memory of Sidney Gray Bristol viii
| be a constant inspiration to better things
Faithfully yours.
EDWARD CLARY ROOT.
| Greenwich, Conn, July 80, 1901.