Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-06-16
A NOBLE TRIBUTE.
Hon. o. D. Bakers Lines in Memory OF
the Late Chief Justice Peters.

The leading members of the Maine
bench and bar took part in memoriai cH-
ercises in honor of the late Chief justice an,
were the loving and eloquent euloSieS OF
the great jurist. The tribute OF hon.
OrviIle Dewey Baker of Augusta was Ill
verse and was as follows:
One dead-a State in tears! Yet all tne,
Drest for a festival. Could he come
back,
Think you he might not choose. himself
The rose-appareled, should his memory
deck
So full of glow and color was his life
Richly he lived. The streaming years
Pactolus- like, each brought him golden
need,
And grains of gold glittered in all his
talk.
JoyOusly. too, he lived. No bitterness
But, as the robin doth with song the day
Outwear, so with him, whatso-ere ne
His spirit always sang.
Justly he lived. racing indeed. his
truth,
The lie. unspoken, died upon the lip.
On his clear vision no man might impose,
Who sought the law for malice or offense.
Friendships he had, and strong, but yet
no man
Who lived upon that friendship dared
For favor, or to gain a wrongful cause.
His gentleness did not Der shadows run;
Let but injustice raise her front, and then
The sunny depths of his great nature
To awful Indignation. All men knew,
Instinctively, who in his presence were.
Justice, with her white robe, did wrap
him round.
Greatly he lived. Not sky. nor solemn
stars,
Deep woods vexed by no wind, nor aught
beside
Move more serenely in their ministries.
Than this great Judge among his fellow
men.
Calm in his own. respecting others
Envy he knew not, malice could not know
Whose nature was all magnanimity,
His rectitude bred no uncharity.
Justice with mercy tempered was his
creed.
Human himself, he loved humanity.
Richly if he received, he richly gave;
Miser of words. he sperdthrift was OF
thought,
Which words must stand for, else remain
but words.
His phrase was terse and tense His SEN
tenceS
Did not in open order march. but stood
Serried and close, ranks full. for battle
Despite past triumphs of the common
Full many problem still were unre-
solved
But for some great deliverance, some
Illuminating phrase. which he has left;
And we. who follow after, are made
BY even one wisp of gold, if from his
sheaveS,
We gladly CLEAN where he did richly
reap.
Yet even for him the end, as comes to
ALL
His high and ministering office. where
He bore himself so long and worthily,
Freely he put away and was content
TO rest awhile before the stream was
Hail 1nd be hailed by friends. and take
his leave,
From dust. through glory, back again
to dust!
Wanting but this. the cycle to complete,
A little room to lie little sleep.
And then the wonder of the after-work.
Even to the end, walking with sunset
path,
Life but a mellow light from out the
His gilstening honors by himself put off
Naught to bestow, or craVe-eVen tnuS'
by some
Blithe necromancy of his spirit. he
Held all men to him as with hooks or
steel
The grace that was not grace alone, but
strength,
J-nwOunding wit, sunlit philosophy. :.
Deep knowledge of ,manklnd-these all
Departed Friend. Never again shall we
The soul that was within thee hath but
struck
It's earthly tent to pitch it once anew
Upon these plains where camp the giol-
Gus Dead.
We, who yet stay, and came TODAY u
mourn,
Sprinkle instead, June roses on thy grave