The Republican journal., 1903-11-26
A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE.

The kennebec journal was requested
by friends of General Choate to pub
fish the remarks of Hon, H. NJ Heath
at the memorial exercises, and we are
glad to be able to present them. MI.
Heath is generally recognized as one of
the most eloquent speakers in Maine,
and in this instance he had the inspira-
ton Of a warm personal friendship:
May it please the Court: 1t was not
my privilege to follow with the breth-
rem of the Bar our friend to his resting
place where he sleeps the sleep OF etern-
al peace. The command OF another
court held me away in the line of duty
that SO often makes duty hard. This
morning is my only chance to pay i'll a
small way the great debt | owed him.
You all knew him as friend, rich i'll
his professional and public work.
knew him in a deeper way-my next
door neighbor for almost 20 years-a tie
that i'll a small city like ours brings out
the dearest things of life. The lives of
our homes ran on together. Our joys
he shared. Our troubles he made his
own. AS the children came to bless
my home, what wealth OF love he
gave them, and they, him. 1t was a
delight to him to watch their
stumbling steps and catch their
broken words as they sought to learn
the world about them. Outside our
family circle, he was their first and ear
Hest friend. They struggled to walk,
first to my knee, then to his. In lisp
ing numbers they learned to call 1.-The
General,"-I can hear, today, his ring
ing, SOULFUL, honest laugh when he
thought it no loss of dignity to become
their playmate and their friend. Such
men, lovers of child-life, are made in
the image of God. To them, to me, to
all that knew him well, he was com.
fort and JOY. Sunny of temper, cheer
full, hopeful, what wonder that chill
dren loved him we'll. They read human
nature with truth that knows no rule,
yet never errs.
We owed him so much as the river
of life ran on. Weary and worn with
the vigils of an anxious night, it was
''the General" at early morn prompt
with words of hope to tighten the bur
den of the coming day. With the pass
ing of the cloud. how true his happi-
ness, how strong his tenderness. l
recall a day when down into the valley
of the shadow of death l walked; a
dim vista of trembling lips and whit
ened faces; little conscious that the
great unknown was almost near at
hand; out of it rises memory of his
strong and helpful hand,-a bulwark
of courage for hearts so sore and tried.
Day by day as life came back to me
what comfort he was with his tender
heart. Believe me when say | have
known no man for whom | had greater
personal affection. His long illness was
to me and mine daily grief. For weary
months, the first inquiry from them all
was for the news from ''the General"
AnxiouSly, with you, we waited for
the turning Of the tide that never came,
a tide without flood, ebbing and ebb
ing away until lost on the shores of
eternal time. When God called him,
circle of our home.
Do | touch on things too sacred
for public speech? | hope not. |
paint him in this dear relation of life.
True manhood best thrives in the re-
ligion of the home. Outside, love of
power, desire for wealth, personal
vanity. love of flattery, spur us to the
deeds of life; in the home manhood
grows in hearts like his. Public plaudits
are but bubbles on the sea of life-all
beneath is the deep current of the
home. He was in very truth Chris
tian gentleman. Let others speak of
him as a lawyer, loyal to the truth.
Let others speak of him as a public
man, true to duty and fearless where
duty called. l hope ! have done no
wrong in bringing only the flower of
sweet friendship to lay upon the ''cov-
cred bridge" through which he passed
to his eternal home. His memory re-
mains as a friend of friends.
Kodol Dyspepsia Cure