The Tupelo journal. (Tupelo, Miss.) 1876-1924, 1905-03-10
NUMBER 40

still lives. lhe elder was admit
ted to the bar at old Fulton in
the fall of 1866, he then living at
Verona, in this county, and was
at once associated with me in the
practice, and sat by my side in
sunshine and in cloud for eleven
years in the old, holding up my
hands and nobly doing his part
in the partnership until 1879,
when he too, removed to Texas,
and now, sir, amid the wreck
and ruin of a home made desc
late by the loss of his companion
he sits alone, waiting for the
football Of the last messenger,
and listening for the rustling of
the wings that shall call him
away.
The old, both of court house
and friends, have gone like the
flowers of spring, but | thank
God the fragrance of the broken
flower ever remains and the per-
fume thereof only grows sweeter
as the years go by.
And now, sir, that the old has
passed away, what shall we ac-
complish in the new? Happy
is the man that fndeth wisdom
and the man that getteth under
standing. For the merchandise
of it is better than the merchan-
disc of silver, and the gain there
of than fine gold. She is more
precious than rubies, and all the
things which thou canst desire
are not to be compared unto her.
Length of days is in her right
hand, and in her left hand riches
and honor. Her ways are ways
of pleasantness and all her paths
are peace. She is a tree of life
to them that lay hold upon her,
and happy.is everyone that re-
taineth her." If this wisdom,
sir, which cometh down from
above, shall overshadow him who
shall wear the ermine, and shall
sit on the wool sack, and if it so
saturate and permeate the bar
of the new that they shall at all
times consider themselves the
assistants OF the judiciary in ar
irving at proper results in legal
contests, the golden days, which
are generally consideredythe days
of long ago, will peer out in the
admins tration of law in the near
future OF the new, and it will be
said the erection of this magnifi-
cent structure was not in vain.
If | might be permitted to look
into the future of the new and
paint her picture, as | have at
tempted to do that Of the old,
| | would say so long as | can see
the ermine worn on shoulders such
as yours, sir, and the young broth
hood of lawyers, who have grown
up round me, and entwined them
selves about my heart, shall re-
member to walk and talk in wis
dom's ways, assisting the judges
in their work, and so long as the
yoemanry of the country, the
great commonality of our citi-
zenship, shall become and re-
main intelligent and virtuous,
would say the picture would
be like apples of gold in
pictures of silver" and some
good day, some golden day, in
the not distant future, the war
of words which we too often wit
ness in the court house would be
thing of the past, and the mel
lenium of forensic peace would
overshadow us with her benig-
nant wings; and finally, the new
would so far surpass the old that
it would only be used for holiday
gatherings of the people to dis
cuss the common interests of all.
can scarcely hope to see this
day in my time. For | am we'll
aware that it will not be long
till the brotherhood will be called
upon in the new to speak words
of coincidence of the old as shall
90 to rest. But, brethren, when
that time comes, let me ask you
that it not be done in a perfume
tory way, but with warm hearts,
and teary eyes, and whatever else
you may say, | trust you will be
able to bear testimony to the
fact that have always sustained
the honor. of the profession, and
demeaned my self as the guild has
always required. Seeing you
Mr.. Allen, in this presence | will
say if the time should ever come
| that | should have to bear testi-
mony to your loss, which | hope
may never be, | shall bring to
your bier warm and loving words
and an aching heart; and, to the
young brotherhood of lawyers
who have grown up and wound
| their tendrils round me, and with
whom | have salways lived in
peace and good fellowship, let
me say, reach out in the new to-
ward higher achievements and
the accomplishment of more
| lofty purposes than we have been
\