The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-10-31
DEMOCRATIC NOMINEES.
BRUCE TUCKER.

did not drop the professional I'VE
and write over my own signature a
tribute to his memory.
1t would not be fair TO say that he
was unknown or unappreciated in Co.
lumbia; for the exceptionally large
attendance upon his funeral Sunday,
told more eloquently than words could
speak, the high esteem in which he
was held. And yet few knew him as
/ knew him.
He was, taken all in all, the best
rounded character l ever knew. He
had never sown any wild oats. He
was as modest and chaste, as
gentle, sympathizing, patient and
compassionate rs a woman. Yet withal
firm and brave and strong as the
manifest Of men.
In the days of his youth, before the evil
days drew nigh, he gave his heart to
his God, and dailv thereafter exem-
plified in his life all the christian
graces. With all diligence he added
to his faith. virtue; and to virtue
knowledge; and to knowledge temper
ance; and to temperance patience;
and to patience goodness and to god
illness brotherly kindness; and to
brotherly kindness. charity. And l
challenge any mortal man to name the
time or place. when he faltered or
failed in the exercise Of any one OF these
christian virtues.
However this may sound to those
who knew him only passing well, God
KNOWS I would not insult his memory
with fattering words And yet l
shall not. because of what the world
may say or think, withhold from him
the need of praise that is his due.
The preacher said truly when he said
that by his side IN the workshop is the
place to learn and know man; and
there for eight years and more, have
studied and learned this one. And SO,
when I stood and looked down into
his open grave, ana heard his brother
Knight read from the ritual where it
says, ''you may have had your faults
I shook my head, and from the deep,
honest depths of my heart I said mo;
that was written for other men; ii
Bruce Tucker had fault never
discovered it; il he lacked virtue I
never missed 1T. -
What an inspiration such life and
char acter must have been, and has
been, to me and to others None OF
us can marvel. therefore, that when
he came to die, all was well with
him. And as have never known quite
30 sweet and blameless life, neither
have ever witnessed quite SO happy
and peaceful death. do believe that
the JOY of his soul began while it was
vet in the flesh. l do believe that the
smile that played upon his face and
shone in his eyes for hours before his
death, was born Of heavenly visions.
And the $50 many sweet things he
had to think about" of which he
spoke while he laughed and talked of
the 'sweetness of death" do be-
lieve was foretaste Of that joy divine
that will be his through all the ages.
What blessed privilege 1t is to die
a death like that But to die death
ike tndC, Ou6 luubt llfO q AAAO iAAO AA''
am glad Columbia has produced
one such boy and man Ms Bruce
Tucker. 1t gives hope and inspira-
tion for the future. What tranquil,
happy life was his; what tranquil,
happy death.
The lesson of his life surely cannot
be lost. How fruitful it would be,
IL we would all try to emulate 1t.
How UNNECESSARILY above the frivo-
lous life Of society and fashion. How
preferable beyond comparison to a
life of sordid selfshness and greed, or
lazy life OF Incidence and ease.
Lives are not measured by months