The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-19

Judge Severance's strict adherence to
the right for rights sake was most re-
freshing. The brotherhood of man was
not closed book to him, for his SYM
pathies went out constantly to men of
all degrees in life, and the humblest
and most abject citizen drew as heav
lily on his fund of pity and sympathy
as did the greatest in the land in times
of need. All of his words and acts were
of the masterful type-he did nothing
on small scale--because his great
mentality always controlled, and its
horizon was wider than that of the
average man. He was so purely demo
catic in his every tendency that he
seemed simple and plain on all occas
ions, and was so easily approachable
| that every one with whom he came in
contact could list him as friend and
contact could list him as a friend, and
narrowness of mere impulse in his life
purposes, and for that reason never
made any open demonstration of re-
hgious belief, vet those who have had
the good fortune to know him init
mately can testify that he possessed
strong convictions on all things spirit
lual, and In his reflective moments held
and expressed some of the most beau
tiful sentiments along that line that
could possibly emanate from the human
mind He was so commonly human and
simple that he had the most vigorous
adherence for cant and fOrmality. This
often led to his being misjudged in re-
ligious matters, yet it only required the
proper occasion to demonstrate that he
could practice the precepts of the Chris
tian religion so tenderly and effectively
that all doubt about his possessing
strong spiritual life were dispelled
When aroused by that which offended
his sense of fair play and equal justice
he was dangerous adversary, and on
such occasions no effort was too arduOus
nor any sacrifice too great in behalf of
right and Justice. Yet ne could turn
from the stern battle of life on any Oc
casion and devote his whole nature to
ministering to suffering and want as
tenderly as a woman. AS friend has
said, he possessed two sided nature,
and the pendulum of life swung con-
stantly back and forth between the two.
He could rise to great and daring deeds
when the occasion demanded, and could
turn about and retire to the simple !
things of life and live in obscurity |
without appearing to grow any less
massive and wholesome in any particu- T
lar. Judge Severance was so humanity |
human that it would be rank hypocracy !
to pretend that he did not have some
of the faults common to us all. He did
have them, but it requires no cloak of /
charity to conceal them, because they
are and always were sufficiently
screened by the sweet humanities pos
sessed by him in SO large measure.
1t is difficult to write of Judge Sew
GRANGE without seeming to exaggerate,
and yet our best efforts fail to properly
picture this great and peculiar life.
In his death, Mankato has lost one of
it's noble men. He leaves a legacy of
life well spent and much good done
which. will 5ontlive the, name and fame
Of many of greater pretensions, and
which will surely bring greater solace
to his family and friends than could
possibly be provided them had he devot
ed his life to amassing great wealth, or
in political intrigue for self aggrandize-
ment, as many lesser men have done.
A friend said recently in speaking OF
nim: 'Ihat man has never been fully
appreciated by the people" and this is
true. The only regret left in his passing
IS that he was not fully appreciated,
md yet this is largely due to the fact
hat Judge Severance would ask or re-
,eive nothing only on merit, and never
sought personal appreciation at the loss
IF his simple modesty. ,,n.r