Page:The World's Famous Orations Volume 10.djvu/158

 THE WORLD'S FAMOUS ORATIONS

murder, he was thrust from the full tide of this world's interest, from its hopes, its aspirations, its victories, into the visible presence of death — and he did not quail. Not alone for one short moment in which, stunned and dazed, he could give up life, hardly aware of its relinquishment, but through days of deadly languor, through weeks of agony, that was not less agony because silently borne, with clear sight and calm cour- age he looked into his open grave. What blight and ruin met his anguished eyes, whose lips may tell — what brilliant, broken plans, what baffled, high ambitions, what sundering of strong, warm, manhood's friendship, what bitter rending of sweet household ties ! Behind him a proud, ex- pectant nation, a great host of sustaining friends, a cherished and happy mother, wearing the full, rich honors of her early toil and tears ; the wife of his youth, whose whole life lay in his; the little boys not yet emerged from childhood's day of frolic; the fair young daughter; the sturdy sons just springing into closest companionship, claiming every day and every day rewarding a father's love and care; and in his heart the eager, rejoicing power to meet all demands. And his soul was rot shaken. His countr^^nen were thrilled with instant, profound, and univer- sal sympathy. IMasterful in his mortal weakness, he became the center of a nation's love, en- shrined in the prayers of a world. But all the love and all the sj'-mpathy could not share with him his suffering. He trod the wine-press alone. 128

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