Putnam patriot., 1916-12-22

L
through days when we are misunder-
stood as in happier times, that one has
a steadfast friend is TO possess heav-
en-sent treasure.
| One. can never tell all that makes
his friend attractive. One can never
unbosom the joy he has in, nor can he
give full expression to his regard for
those qualities that belong to his
friend.
It is my high privilege, and, as well,
my difficult task, TO attempt TO pay
tribute to the worth of my friend,
Charles Monroe Fenner. / am not
confident rs | address myself TO the
| effort for my heart Is full of tears.
My friend was a man in the fullest
sense. He was stalwatt, erect, strong.
He yielded not easily to pain. No one
ever heard him complain about him
self.
His judgment was sound His out
look wide. He lived his life within
comparatively narrow bounds, geo.
graphically, but his interest touched
| the horizon of human affairs, and he
had convictions concerning those af-
fairs which were thoughtful. He
| walked among men without assump-
ton, but, too, without apology. He
| WAS impatient of cant and of the artifi-
cial. lie knew some things many
| things-well, and no thoughtless or
insincere statement made to him
passed unchalIenged by his better
| judgment. But, with smile and
bit OF genial wit he laid it low.
He was in love with life. He looked
the dsy in the face, and to the smile
| and cheer of the new-risen sun he gave
back CHEEKY smile. He found that
the day brought its task, but. little
reckoning of the measure of strength
that task would demand-certainly,
never mentioning 1.-THE set about it's
plishment with a song in his
heart, with ready mind and capable
hands, and when the sun was at the
west it was well done.
He loved his home. II was not just
a house where was spread his table
and where stood his couch-out a
home, and he helped To make IL So
No ineongtaous furnishings did ne
bring To it, but when with kindled eye
he brought some new matter for Its
adornment IL was in its rightful ut.
mosphere ut once, and, IL spoke elo
qaently ohm.
But he loved other places, too. The
mountains with cloaks fringed with
purple and with caps of snow caught
his eye and gave him pleasure. The
shoudering of my own Maine noun,
tains against the sky, the green of hei
forests and the glory of her rivers and
bays afforded him on rare occasions
handiwork of God and make friends
of its men and women. The detail OF
"A landscape did not escape him; nor
could the subtle atmosphere OF the
coast resist his keen sense of appre.
citation. La all these places he found
hallowed ground and rare souls and
from them he brought back rich treas
home.
He smiled upon all places where he
went and the people understood the
kindness of his heart by the twinkle
in his eye and by the kindly action of
the unnSsuming man. He talked
less than he thought, however, and II
took long time for interest in the
things he told about To wane. Some
of us are In haste To empty ourselves
of our knowledge or of our pleasure.
In fashion Ms n torrent we pour out
our story, leaving little to the imagina-
ton. Sometimes the tale is so bewil-
dering that no lasting impression is
made But he first sweetened his own
life with the things he saw and heard
aud his keen appreciation of them
would not allow him to chatter
about them. But when he did tell us
we longed for more of the story.
lie loved and appreciated music. l
always had the fancy that under other
circumstances, through some medium,
he might have given us songs of his
own. But he knew real music. He
didn't say much about il, but he had
IL and loved ii and he gave Others
much pleasure in 1t.
He knew the song birds and in his
quiet way he interpreted their songs,
He looked for their return in spring
time. lie built them houses aud
plnnted seeds for them to harvest, lie
enVied Them he told me one day lie
said; "Ifl were 10 be anything less
than human, d like To be a bird, For
they can see affair and fly AS far rs they
wish and back again. But best of all,
they can sing such songs.h "Ah me-"
| said, "Tis glorious wish and |
fancy that over yonder the spirit of
just men shall be able 10y athe grace of
God 10 do all those things and more
| think he knows il 10 be SO now.
But, oh, how he loved the blossoms
and understood them. Some of us
have seen him hold the face of daisy
or pansy or an aster in his fingers as
| though IL haC been the face of his