Year: 1879

Those who heard Col. R. G. Ingersol
make his great speech at the Fair Grounc
in this place, in the fall of 1876, will re
member that his brother was with him
The brothers were very much attached
to each other.


Col Ingersolps brother had served sew
eral terms in Congress- from Illinois
Some ten days ago he died very sudden
ly in Washington, City, of appoplexy oil
heart disease; and Col. Ingersoll made
the following eloquent address at the
| funeral:


My friends, am going to do that which
the dead oft promised he would do for
me- The loved and loving brother hus
band father, friend, died where man.
hoods morning almost touches noon, and
while the shadows still were falling tow
ard the west. He had not passed on life s
highway the stone that marks the high
est point, but being weary for a moment,
he lay down by the wayside, and using
his burden for pillow, fell into that
dreamless sleep that kisses down his eye
lids still. While yet in love with life,
and raptured with the world, he passed





all, it may be best just in the happiest,
sunniest hour of all the voyage, while
eager winds are kissing every sail, to
dash against the unseen rock, and in an
instant hear the pillows roar above a
sunken ship. For whether in mid sea or
mong the breakers of the farther shore,
a wreck must mark at last the end of each
and ALL and every life no matter if its
every hour is rich with love and every
moment jeweled with joy, will at its close
become tragedy as sad and deep and
dark as can be woven of the warp and
wool of mystery and death. This brave
and tender man in every storm of life
was cak and rock, but in the sunshine
he was vine and flower. He was the
friend of all heroic souls, he climbed the
heights and left all superstition far below
while on his forehead fell the golden
dawning of a grander day. He loved
the beautiful and was with color, form
and music, touched to tears He sided
with the weak, and with willing hand
gave aims, and with a loyal heart and
with the purest hand he faithfully dis
charged all public trusts. He was
woIshiper of liberty; friend of the op
pressed. thousand times l have heard
him quote the words: For Justice all
place temple anu all season summer.
He believed that happiness was the only
good, reason the only torch, justice the
only worshiper, humanity the only relig
ion, and love the only priest. He added
to the sum of human joy, and were every
one for whom he did some loving serv-
ice to bring a blossom to his grave he
would sleep to nig ght beneath a wilder
ness of flowers Life is a narrow vale
between the cold and barren peaks of two
eternities. We strive in vain to look be-
yond the heights. We cry aloud, and
the only answer is the echo of our wall
ing cry. From the voiceless lips of the
unreplying dead there comes no word,
but in the night of death hope sees a star,
and listening love can hear the rustic of a
wing.


He who sleeps here, when dying, mis-
taking the approach Of death for the re-
turn of health, whispered with his latest
breath, 81 am better now" Let US be-
lieve, in spite of doubts and dogmas and
tears and fears, that those dear words
are true of all the countless dead.


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 con.
tain our love. There was, there is, nc
gentler, stronger, manlier man.