The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1902-08-28

man of undoubted intellectual pow
ers, but | do not believe he ever found
it necessary to draw on his powers to
wantonly injure fellow man. do
not believe he ever Intentionally and
wickedly wounded any one.
My brothers, eulogy is frequently
worthless because it is meaningless
eXaggeration; because there is often
no symmetry about it and little or no
regard for facts or fitness in it. | shall
endeavor to avoid anything of this
character tonight for know it would
be distastful to our departed brother;
1t certainly is to me. | believe | am
speaking tonight, however, of one who
was amongst the noblest and best of
human kind. | believe our departed
brother possessed, in a high degree,
many of the best elements to be found
in poor human nature.
He was small boy when first he
came acquainted with him. Although
several years his senior we were tel
low school boys at what was then
known as Charles Street Academy n
this city. For twenty-five years after
the close of the late civil war | only
saw Judge Sloan occasionally, but for
the last twelve or thirteen years he
was my near neighbor in this city,
and with the exception of a short | er-
iod during that time one of my most
intimate personal friends. | knew
him us boy and man; as a son, hus-
band and father; as neighbor, friend,
private citizen and as Judge. believe,
therefore, that | am competent to
pass an impartial Judgment upon his
character in all these relations.
He was a devoted son; he loved to
talk of his mother and father, and al
ways spoke of them in the most low
ing and reverential manner. AS hus-
band and father he was ever kind,
gentle, affectionate and indulgent
For his devoted wife and children Lis
love flowed warm and free. The ten
der relations between him and his
loving wife who remains to cherish
his memory and mourn the loss of his
delightful companionship, were rich
in all of the good and nobility that
the martial relation can yield. The
sweet lasting intimacy between him,
his wife and children, evidenced his
high qualities of mind and heart. No
man was ever more devoted to his
family and his home. AS a friend he
was always true and loyal. His friend
ship was sincere and unselfish and q
treasure to those who possessed it..
1t was in no sense an obligation to be
met; it had no day of maturity no
days of grace and it bore no interest.
All he cared to know was that you
were true to him. Like the oak in
the forest, our brothers friendship for
those he believed to be his friends,
grew more deeply rooted as time wore
on. To him, truth was a pearl; he
had laudable ambition to succeed in
life, but he was as free from the can
ker, envy, as any man | ever knew.
He was a broadminded, liberal,
charitable man. He would always go
to the full length of his Gable Tow
in answer to the prayer of want and
the plant of Woe" His benevolence
and charity were the children of his
generosity; his candle threw its rays
into the homes of the poor and needy
whose tears mingle with ours at his
untimely death. He had, indeed, a
tender heart which was always touch
ed by distress and grief. 1t was i'm
possible for him to say no to those he
thought deserving.
Although / differed with him politi-
cally; although we differed widely in
our temperaments and manner of look
ing at men and things, still he was
| one of the most congenial, compan-
ionable men it has ever been my good
fortune to know. Brother Sloan seem
ed to have cultivated the habit of
happy thought, which with his gen
ial spirit and charming temper en-
abled him always to do or say some
thing to brush away dull care and
brighten ones life. He was compar-
atively poor man in this worlds
goods, but he was wonderfully rich in
all those elements which go to make
up the best models of human kind.
He was one of natures noblemen.n
He carried sunshine, happiness and
comfort to all who enjoyed his friend
ship or sought his counsel; he was the
kind of man one delights to honor
and rejoices to call friend. He was a
humorist himself and was fond of all
those who enjoyed humor. His HUI
NOR was unadulterated; it pleased,
soothed and cheered, but never
wounded or exasperated; it was as
natural and as innocent and charm
humor was of that character tosmooth
away the wrinkles that care and wor-
ry brings, and nearly always banished
the clouds and let in the sunshine: it
tended greatly to awaken in ones soul
echoes of murmuring rills and the
songs of birds. Some one has likened
the world to looking glass; it is said
the world gives back to everyone the
reflection of his own face; that if we
smile upon it, it smiles upon us; if we
love it, it loves us, mirrowing back a
true picture of the person presented.
l believe there is much truth in this.
and that it was illustrated in the life
and death of our departed brother
Sloan. Coming as he did from the
great middle class, the very bone and
slnew of our race, he never lost touch
with the people, he loved the world
and the people in it; the people gave
him their esteem and affection; his
bright smiles were met with smiles and
scores of friends, especially among the
great army of toilers who stood bv
him, trusted him, loved him. Now.
my brothers, would not have any of
you believe, from what l have said.
that | am SO foolish as to claim that
our departed friend and brother lived
life void of offense or that he was
| faultless. To have been all this he
would have been more than man.
Our departed brother was a man of
| e%Ia ~ g.. I'll Il