The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1912-06-28


obedience 10 Wills that had not ninched before
tho wrath OF kings
On the thirtieth OF June Che orator for ths
celebration at Quincy called upon Adams in
his home and asked for n toast. II give you"
said the feeble patriarch, Independence for
evsr!" Asked II he desired TO add anything 20
the sentiment. the old hero replied mot a
word"
The great day dawned and John Adams stlll
lived. But the candle had burned 20 It's socket
and could give but feeble flicker. "'Tis a
great day 'Tis a good day" he said 20 the
anxious relatives who surrounded his bed. Rea-
son wavered but the nutterng mind in its last
earthly moments recalled the friend OF Montt
cello-the old comrade who had stood with
him shoulder TO shoulder In the fight for free
dom. Thomas Jefferson still survives" he
murmured In voice so feeble that tho last syl.
lables were scarcely dstnguishable Those
were HIS last words, His spirit departed with
the descending sun.
He died in error Thomas Jefferson did not
survive. For days the good Democrat had fet
the approach OF death and had prepared for II.
desiring only that he might live until tho
Fourth. ON the third the stupor into which hs
had fallen became almost continuous. All.
doctor" he said. awakening In the night, ARE
you still there IL II is Fourth" IT soon will
be-" answered the physician. As midnight ap-
preached those watching noted anxiously tho
passing OF the minutes. hoping and praying
that the feeble thread might hold and death
be hallowed by the great anniversary. Tho
wish was granted Not until ifty minutes past
the meridian did the soul OF tho great com
moner exchange lmmortatles
II was before the days OF telegraphs and
railroads. The news spread slowly, Five days
elapsed ere the denizens OF Baltimore and
Washington learned OF what had happened Mt
Braintree. Meantime the inhabitants OF vir.
ginia and nelghboring states mourned the
death OF Jefferson maryellng greatly over the
strange coincidence that one who had been
the author OF the Declaration should die upon
the hftieth anniversary OF It's adoption.
Then came the news from the north. and
men realized that not one but two patriarchs
OF liberty had departed on the day when hearts
were bounding with Joy over blessings which
sres Of a former age had handed down-that
almost simultaneously these two had been
translated I'm the midst OF the accamatlons of
millions TO the judgment OF their God Had
steeds and chariOts OF fre descended 10 fnke
up these partners IN earthly fame and coheirs
OF eternity It might perhaps have been more
wonderful but not more glorious
As the news spread over the land 20 the VII.
lagos and the hamlets. 1T raised everywhere
Il 'HIIll OF FWOllOn, buCH as mas never been
caused by any public event II was not the
wall Of grief, such az is drawn forth by the
sense of prvaton by the loss OF valuable Ilvos
The advanced ago OF tho persons, n nothing
else neutrazed that. Il was the offspring OF
the mixture of feelings. the chief OF which
was tho surprise az the strangeness OF the oc- !
currence vencration for the men themselves,
and delight In the splen dor which r. would re-
feet upon page Of the national annals Ger
taIuly the fabulous passing away OF the first
Roman king, nearly on the same anniversary, |
IN the midst OF elementary chaos. does not
compare with II In grandeur Men loved 10
meet each o'hor and 20 dwell on the most
minute particulars. as they were seduOusly /.
laid before the public by the newspapers and |
70 read tho comments raised 10 unusual elo- |
quence by the tone Of tho general mind"
Never has Il fallen 10 the lot o' any com
mauder," wrote the adjutant general TO an
nounce 20 an army such an event ~ now calls /
forth. the mingled grief and astOnlshment Of
tho republic Never since history first wrote .
the first record OF time has one day thus min
gled every triumph with every tender emotion
and consecrated a nations Joy By blending Il
with the most sacred Of sorrows"
For weeks the newspapers contained little
else bat descriptions OF the lives and deaths of
the departed patriots In every city IN tho
land memorial meetings searched sacred and
profonc history for n parallel. or the hun
dreds ~ such OratOns one az least will sur
vive Webster's classic on adams and Iener.
son" In bis message 10 Congress. the noble
son of a noble father. in calling attention 70
the countrys loss. reverently announced that
the time. the manner, the coincidence are Wis
ible and palpable marks OF Divine favor for
which ! would humble myself in grateful and
silent alteration before the Ruler OF the Uni.
verse"
Nor was such language e1travagant The
passing Of the two patriots formed not only
the strangest coincidence in the annals %
mankind. but u marked tho end OF an era--0'
the heroic age OF American history