Omaha daily bee., 1906-08-19
The Lesson of Two Graves

Two men, each os considerable prorni-
nence in his world died recently and each
did characteristic thing Immediately be-
fore his death. and yet the world would
not have supposed that either would have
done just the thing he did. The men were
Governor Hogg of Texas and Russell Sage.
And the characteristic and yet unexpected
things they did were these: The Texas
governor directed that a pecan tree be
planted at the head Of his grave and a
walnut tree at the foot: and Russell Sage
directed that his body be buried in a steel
casket Weighing three tons and burglar
proof, locked, sealed and consigned to eter-
nifty.
The world looked with expectancy ana
hope and confidence-confdence In the
deathbed virtue of terror-stricken humanity
for some great benefaction to be dis
closed by the will of Russell Sage, the mill
lionaire miser the poorest rich man in all
history. 1t was disappointed not so much
In its own expectations as in its charitable
estimate of the man himself. Instead Of
such a beauest We have the heavy steel
coffin that is to guard his corpse from the
hand Of ghouls. ,.rs.,- ,r.,-
Mr.. Sage. 1t seems. remembered acutely
the misfortune that befell the body OF A.
T. Stewart which was taken from Its
grave and held for ransom in the sum Of
500 900. The miserly millionaire did not
like to think that such a fate might come
to his dead body, to be stolen from the
grave. where 1t was enjoying Its solitary
vacation. and hawled about as II 1t were
a commodity on "the street" Also. We
may imagine he did not relish the thought
of having 10000 OF his cherished gold
paid for his body after the money making
genius had fed from its tenement The
body could not longer make money and
the great and virginia. fortune OF the mil
lionaire must not be levied upon to pur-
chase so profltless a piece of clay. The
massive coffin, heavy as that In which
Alaric was buried in the bed of the Busen-
tinus, cost the millionaire some $4,000. 1t
must have been like wormwood. the thought
that he could, were II not for a senseless
prejudice, have had his body cremated for
a trinlng sum, and secured 1t forever from
the hand OF ghoul or robber
Consider these two graves-the tree-shel-
tered one OF the governor of Texas and
that OF the miser- millionaire with Its great
steel sarcophagus locking his body and
eventually his dust SECURE from every raw
age save that OF time. What different les
sons they teachl Russell Sage did not In
tend to have his grave send forth a lesson
for mankind but It does and 1t will.
Whether or not II was in his thought, that
steel coffin was his monument; II is part of
his character and carries into the future
the unbroken lesson OF his life.
Governor Hoggs grave was designed by
him to teach his people thrift. The trees.
be II noted. are fruit-bearing. each suggest
ing orchards and groves from which COM
petence or comfort, perhaps fortunes. may
be won Though dead. he yet speaks words
OF urIsd 70 10 n
MARVEL expresses it. "a green thought In
n green shade" 1t Is a noble monument.
He had no fortune with which to endow
institutions OF learning or of charity, but
he had the inspired thought to leave a mes
sage, written in living green Those trees
are "the flag OF his disposition. out OF hope
ful green stun woven" They are his lass
will and testament-and was there ever q
bstter1-Columbus Is. CO. stats>