The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-02-13
LOVINGLY PERJSED
LETTERS FROM OLD FRIENDS.

A student lamp at his elbow. In the
gloom of dark day. illuminated the study.
The wan light from the fiarins jet made
the face of the scholar look ghostly. His
hands ceaselessiy wandered In an aimless
search for something to do.
They reached for letters which were fin
gered lovingly: they adjusted and read
justed the shade over the eyes: the glasses
which continually fell down the nose were
replaced by nervous fingers: they stroked
The beard and face and caressed the lips
that tremhled with emotion. Never for an
instant did the hands cease to hespeak the
wonderful vitality which was holding the
wasted frame together. All the while the
active mind showed its keenness for what
was passing in the world without the
barred windows. The sound OF street traf-
fic disturbed the stiffness of the study. but
these noises seemed to be company for the
patient sufferer.
These were some Of the last scenes which
attended the preparation OF Professor Wa
terhouse for the end. The same method
which had marked his everyday work at the
university was followed out In the details
for his funeral. which will be found this
morning among his papers. as intimated TO
Chancellor W. s. Chaplin of the university.
1t is known that he expressed a wish to be
cremated. The disposition of his ashes and
OF his collection of valuable papers will be
announced when the chancellor opens the
receptacle where they have been placed.
Professor Watsrnouse was a man whose
entire career was changed iii early life by
accidents which untitled him for the more
active pursuit OF mechanical! invention. for
which he had shown a prediction. Whan
mere boy. a fall from n buggy resulted
in his left leg being twisted. He suffered
ar1putatior without anaesthetics. A few
l,.. h.a he i'm Of fH,a,
accident in which his ribs We're broken
and he lost the sight of one eye. These
injuries troubled him for the rest of his
iite, and as he said short time before
his death resulted in internal derange-
ments.
Despite these fearful handicaps. against
which he fought through Eeventy-three
years he was noted among the students OF
the university as one of the strongest
physical types OF manhood in st. Louis.
When he was 60 years old. he could draw
!ir chin up to the horizontal bar In the
gymnasium. He had a strong grip and /;
is related that during the visit Of William
MuldaDn to this city some years ago. the
athletic professor cf Greek crushed a ring
on the hand OF the wrestler.
INTELLECTUAL ATTAINMENTS
OF PROFESSOR WATERHOUSE.
The remarkable intellectual attachments
of Professor Wa;erhouse were developed as
he related, by his bodily infirmifies. He was
forced To turn to the calling Of the scholar
His relish for the affairs of the world was
displayed by the singular fact that al.
though recognized as an authority or
Greek roots. he turned his energies into
such channels as the advocacy of tbs
American cultivation of ramie, a Chinese
hhrous plant, suitable for garment cloth;
the building of the Isthmian Canal: the re-
clamation of arid lands. and the intellectual
and moral profits derived from the holding
of International expositions.