Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/51

 THE

GRANITE MONTHLY,

A NEW HAMPSIimE MAGAZINE,

Devoted to Literature, Biography, History, and State Progress.

I-

Vol. Y ]S^0Y-EMBER, 1881. JSTo. 2.

ANSON SOUTHARD MARSHALL.

��BY J. N. MCCLINTOCK.

When a man has lived a long life, established an estimable character, ac- complished the hopes, ambitions, and plans of youth and mature years, has added his mite to the welfare, prosperity, and advancement of the human family, has calmly considered and prepared for eternity, has deliberately adjusted his temporal affairs and waits to be gathered to his fathers, his fall is like that of some noble old forest tree. We know the tree has lived its alloted span of life, its death is natural. We mourn for the loss of children, and try to penetrate the decrees of Providence which removes them from our midst. Faith reconciles us to the inscrutable ways. . ■

But when a man, in the- prime and, vigor of manhood, in possession of a highly cultivated mind, a vigorous intellect, sound judgment, a warm and ten- der heart, the noblest ambition, and all that makes life desirable and the future promising, is summoned to resign his life from a circumstance over which no forethought or prudence on his part would have availed, the human heart will and must rebel.

The bullet, the invention of modern civilization, is peculiarly fatal to man ; on the battle-field, thousands have succumbed to its deadly effects ; in the hands of the robber, burglar, assassin, murderer, it is fearful ; as a plaything, it is dreadful. In the hands of a boy, it may, in a moment of time, annihilate the most useful life in the nation. When once it leaves the projectile it speeds to fulfil its mission, its end only known when accomplished. By a deflected bullet was destroyed the life of one of the noblest of the sons of New Hampshire, —

Anson Southard Marshall.

Macaiah Marshall,* the father of Anson S. Marshall, the oldest inhabitant of Lyme, died May 23, 1 881, after an illness of seven weeks, at the advanced age of ninety years. He was the father of sixteen children, all respected and beloved by the community at large ; only three remain, one son and two daughters, to mourn his loss. He was ever a true friend of the poor, and in his long record of years, many a deed of charity and whole-souled benevolence is warmly remembered by a large circle of friends. His public enterprise led him to assist in building churches and school-houses, and he contributed liberally of his means in every way for the public good. He belonged to no church, but God, who "looks at the heart," and declares "by

at the age of eighteen.
 * Macaiah Marshall was boru ia Chelmsford, Massachusetts, and removed with Ms parents to Lyme,

�� �