Middletown transcript., 1909-11-27
COL. IseEasolL's ELOQUENT raIBurE

p
4 The fn'ln~ii'p heautifHl and eloquen
t'ibute Was spoken by Co, Robert G.
l"gersoll. in the presence Of number o
tie nnnt prttninei men, then in pubiit
tllfe, 1t ,hr bier II bis brother, Eben G.
/ lg4r-o,l, in Washington, D. O., Say
';l-', 1879. II j. lslly cherished as one
"i the mos xqlllrlte lirces Of literaturs
pxtant:
! "i,,at friends, am going to do that
. llich tie dead on promised he would do
Tor ne.
''rhe iaved and loving brother. bus
band. father, friend, died where man
llond's morning almost touches noon, and
white the shadows still were falling toward
the west.
''iie had not passed on lifs's highway
the stone that marks the highest point,
but teing weary for a moment lie lay
down by tie ws!sile ard, using his
burdeG-for pillow, fell into that dream-
less sleep hat kisses down his eyeIids
still, White yet in love with life and
raptuied with the world, he Passed to
silence aud pathetic dust.
"Yet. after all, it may be best, just in
The happiest, sunniest hour OF all the
sos age, Willie eager winds are kiss ing
every sail, to dash against the uns zen
rock, aud in an instant hear the billbws
roar above sunken ship. For whether
in mid ocean or 'mong the .breaker4 of
the farther shore, wreck at last must
mark the end Of each aud all. And every
life, no matter if its every hour is fitch
with love and every moment jsw9led
with joy, will, at its close, become
tragedy as sad and deep and dark as can
be woven of the warp aud wool OF mystery
and death.
ssThis brave and tender man in every
storm of life was oak aud rock, but in the
sunshine he was vine and flower. He
was the friend of all heroic souls. He
climbed the heights aud left all super.
sillions far below, while on his forehe ead
feIl the golden dawning Of grander day.
''He loved the beautiful, and Was with
color, forul. and music touched to tears.
He sided with the weak, the poor, the
wronged, and lovingly gave alms. With
loyal heart aud with the purest hands he
faithfully discharged all public trnsts.
"Ile was wo;shiper of liberty, friend
Of the oppressed. A thousand times l
have heard him quote these words: For
justice all place a temple and all season
Summer He believed that llappiIE less
is the only good, reason the only tor ch,
justice the only worship, humanity the
only religion, and love the only priest.
He added to the sum Of human joy, and
we're every one to whom he did some
loving service to bring blossom to his
grave, he would sleep tonight beneath b a
wilderness OF flowers.
Lille is narrow vale between the cbld
aud barren peaks of two eternities. We
strive in vain to look beyond the heights.
We cry aloud, and the only answer is the
echo OF our wailing cry. From the voice
less lips of the unreplying dead tn ERE
comes no word, but in the night of death
hope Sees star and listening love can
hear the Iu>tle Of wing.
"IIe who sleeps here, when dying, rbis- !
taking the approach OF death for the re-
turn Of health, whispered with bis latest |
breath. i am better now.' Let US believe,
in spite Of doubts and dugmas. of fears
and tears, that these dear words are true
of all the countless dead.
"The record of generous life runs like |
q vine around the memory of our dead |
and every sweet unselfish act is now a |
perfumed flower.
"And now to you, who have been
chosen from among the many men he |
loved to do the last sad Office for the |
dead, We give his sacred DUST
Speech cannot contain our love. There |
was, there is, no gentler, stronger, manlier |
man."
The ball bearers were Senator William
B. Allison, Senator James g. Blaine, SEN |
ator David Davis, Senator Daniel W.Voor- |
hees, Representative James A. Garfield, |
Senator A. S. Paddock, Represe ntative |
Thomas g. Boyd, Ward FL. Lamon, ex-
Congressman Jere Wilson, and Represen-
tatiye AdIai E. Stevenson.