Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-01

eulOg1Stic, l must even SeeHl SO. we
I yield ourselves to the fascination OF
courteous manners and polished adj
dress, even when we know but little of
the soul within; but, when, to these
outward graces are added the charms
OF Thoroughly manly nature, soul
| full of generous impulses great
| heart beating warm and true, kind
ness and consideration for others. ten
der aid delicate as a woman's, then. il
we are in the least capable of appre-
ciating these qualities. our pleasure
must quicken into admiration, our ad-
miration into lively esteem. Capt
Hutchins was a gentleman, and as
such, recognized man, whether he met
him in the polite circles OF the cultf-
waited and refined, or among the hardy,
untutored lumbermen of our lakes and
streams He was not troubled with
that dignity whose safety demands con-
slant supervision; and his frank and
cordial manners won their way like
magic to the hearts of rough, uncult.-
waited men who read in his manly face,
| his quick sympathy with all that was
| earnest and true in their conduct and
lives. He despised with his whole soul
| baseness and intrigue in any form, and
| for that most despicable of character
istics, meanness, his contempt was tin-
| sparing. 1t seemed strange to me, al
| ways that any base, hypOcritical ma
| ture could dare expose itself to those
| clear ingenious eyes that read the
truth SO clearly.
| OF the few whom he admitted to the
joy of his more intimate friendship
was one from whose pen | regretfully
remember might have come more
feeling and worthy tribute, Charles
| Henry Burbank, man of large brain
and noble heart, who died at the West
nearly three years since, at the very
commencement of an honorable and
promising career. 1t is pleasant to linz
these two names together. On earth,
fellow coI'egians, though not class
mates; brothers in Psi Epsilon, broth
ers in true nobility of soul, they are
today rejoicing in renewed friendship
brothers in Heaven
But if we would know a man well,
we must meet him in the retirement of
his own home. This is the true test.
Here is the character, stripped of its
snowy mask, repellant and poor, or
beaming with luster that the outer
world can never behold. l cherish in
memory a picture of what Capt.
Hutchins' made his home. which
I would not exchange for the rarest
work of the greatest master that has
ever lived. l recall the pleasant study
parlor, the large and neatly arranged
bookcase with it's wcll-chosen con-
Il tents, tried, old friends of many happy
days; the noble faces of great men
locking down upon us from their sta
tions on the wall; the comfortable
easy-chairs in which we sat and let the
hours go by. thoroughly charmed as
we listened to converse, now SportiVe
49, playful then earnest and grave;
now sparkling with anecdote and hui
Nor, then rising easily to the height
of exhaustive thought: sometime
flashing with poetry and feeling; by
turns metaphysical and argumenta-
tive; but always graceful-never by
any chance uninstructive and dull. Re-
finement and inestimable grace were
here Did the sunshine lie in golden
waves upon the carpet, it was we'll; if
not it was just as bright. Day after
day. and many times day, there
came one with a manly step and
|
his greeting and his smile warmed
heart and life better than the sunshine.
think no one could enjoy close COM
partnership with Capt. Hutchins with
out remarking how largely he gave of
his own intense vitality to all around
him; not human beings alone, but tn
every inanimate thing The easy chair
in which he sat. the table at which he
wrote. the books from which he read.
were full of him; the very air seemed
trcmulous with his presence.
From early boyhood Capt. Hutchins
manifested strong prediction for a
soldiers life. He has often remarked
that nothing but an unfortunate acct
dent, by which an arm was permanent
Iy weakened and injured. had prevent
ed him from seeking a military edu
cation. He was an appreciative admir-
er Of the genius Of the great French
general, was conversant with all his
battles and perfectly familiar with
their most intricate and skillful move
merts.
When the storm gathered darkly
over our land and at length burst in
fury upon the country he loved. his no
His calm. earnest view of a patriots
duty will be best given in his own
words:
eff any man has not already given
his life to the service with no desire t.
retain upon it any claim for himself
he is untitled to be a soldier in this
war. IF our officers can think of their
own lives when in battle. they are
unworthy the trust imposed upon
them"
in consecrating his life to the service
of his country he had no slight sacri-
flee to offer United in marriage to q
lady whom he loved with all the
strength of his nature; just admitted
to practice at the bar; rich in the hap
pness of q home that monarch
might have envied him; he yet put
aside everything that was dear to him
and stood up undannted to meet peril
and. death They came to him in his
first battle, after days of fatiguing
marches. and the severe privations to