A Good Life

Oeo:gO W. Smítíh, was boni in Einggo:d oounrty, Imva, Aprdl 25, 1S70, ank! diied at Aun Ai-bor, Midliigan, Safflday, March 28, 1897, aiged 26 years, 11 montba anud five days. He was the second boni of "Willi-am C. Ñiuitii, a lammer. At thje earlty age of 4 yore, death deprtved hiin of the line auid ciare oí lus motliier. Hel remaSaed witto his taithiar vuiutil la his 13th. j-ear, wben, throuigh ü'issaitisfactiooi wiili his lionie :i6e, lie ram) away ainiil sinice tliat time iuae battlied -vith the woirCU a-lo.iïe. Aftr leeuvtog liorne lu weinit t'o tlie stote of Kaiwaü and 1OT a few yeans lemgagetl liru manua wwk pi variums klnids, prlncipally rarnütig. At tlue age oí 18 his saviir.üs -ere suiiteianit to enabje liim. to 6o reut and eqm'lp a tann oii his own aecoumit whw-h lie comducted wittü a ía.ii' dtigree of Biicceas tlirough two aeaeoas. 1 t.lu' wimter oi 1890-91 1i.e was aa active membsr ota country ".iterary society .mul iids interest, in the WDTk oí this society, caused liimi to feei the neekl o furtlier educatn t han liad previousCy been his piwrt'U'ndlty te obba,iiu. He tliereKn-e co'ntíu'ded luis farmiug operations and ■iki Mard'.i 1891 became a student to t'lie Kamsas State Agrtouïtural Oolïejge art Mafataiatta. Here he remainefl alxnit a year aTid a ha'.lf. Hte reewd at th,is tnetltutioott was aji exoe'.leivt showing of diligent work and gooü schojarstdp. His studies were oliïefiy hj wlemces, bub incluúed considerable wo.rk m. miathema,tic6, Engii-sh and oiratiarj-. Wliile here he determined to enter t'lie professlon of the Ibjw, aiud a,t tlie ond oí the summer term oí coege, in Aaigust 1892, he left Ifamhattafi and came to; Ann Arbar, and was enirofjüed as a student in the lia'w ilepartment oí the Universllty o( Michigan. H'is finajiclal resoowces at tliis time wro very idnnited and aCter paymemt of tl firet year's fees, he f 011114 himseíif wiibhioiiit moans, bat Bet tw wark toraveCy tw próvida íor Ms aeedsi by Idiaimg wfhat6oe"icr wark he could. ilad to do im, Ms spare hooirs. Ihiriiqg hls Krart year ia Ann Arbor liiei "baciied," o.ooki'ug nis owin mieaiS. Koon after oamimg hiere he begam tlie etudy oí sliiortlnamd aind iin a few months became ac expert stemographer. As stenographer he wias fortúnate in secujiing soone assiigorments in court woo-k imcCuding thie report ing of a ca.se i)u the Federai caurt at Toledo, and thús wark affonfed Mm, revenues wlwöli mlade fhe c'.wising montlis of bis aoOtege caieei" comparatiTely f ree from öPifkoilities. He graduated froni the Uw diepartmeut wi-th the' class oí 1894, but remla-iuiioil another year lor post graduóte work, receöving tilue diegi-ee of Siaster of Iavs in. June 1895. Duirdmg tflifc 3at college year lLe oonld'ucted a scIlooII of shorthand In, tibe Sheehan block, on .State st. Afber receïvmug the Ucister's grce. Mr. Smli'tli marte au extended ti'iï t'hiPonigih the west iai search of a. loüatdkm. II e remjaioed a íew weeks at the toome of lite fa.ther in iavra, renewiiang the assóciations of tuïla a;v-;y clúldli:xI. líe was íor a tim employee! ta a law office in CtüeaOo, Twut in ue (oClowtag October lie 'i-et.ui-nied to Arai Avhor, and lor one yea-r a-:is assocáfafced ia the law bushuess Wi'tb Chai-1'es H. Kline. In August "Jast he ente red imito partnership with U. .1. IohmJaa aad F. A'. Otítvws. Tbese hviisi'.ly recited f-acts ira. tUe Sife oï out deceased fri-eoid presen a piatlnetdc picture oi; a,a amibitious spirIb coua-ageousLy struggliag against taO obStacCles of adverse ïortuue. His uutiimeCy ewl at tte veiry threshoid of a promising career, wlnen the arduous labors oí proparatfiom ha;d been siiöceesfuMy passod, is a striktag 11ius-tratiotn of tlMi uncertiainties of all human eradeavor. Geoeige Smith was a man of a simple, mniaííectecl naituire, unobtruslve in mia.njiier, modest oí hls attainments. Hia was poüsessed oí "arge synupatlules and lus heart was quickty miOTied y the iinïiappiaess and t-1'o.ultos oif otlrere. Those who saw tlie tears co'ui-se down iiis cheeks as lne safc ín a cüui-t oí jiMfrice oa:y a few weeks agio and l.tstemed to tlie disc:os'ure oí au uiiliiappy btory irom the ílps ff a ijoor wonran, underetand IKOiW dieep'Jy be was toudh&d by the aiilisitortun.es of tJlie poor. Hlis peraonal churacter was above, repnoiacli. In. ajl his business relations he was evr Bcrupulously mindful. of hiis integrity a-nid his honor as a ïawyer aired as a man,. A'lrtlhiough just entepjnlg upon the pr.actjj&e af his cfiosen proïession, he gave graat pronnitee of a successful caneen: ir; liis cli'Oeeu work. i A natural backwardness and miadesty of dcnicaiüior prevented his abilities from toeinig ï'e.aldily appareat, but thiose ■who axe intimabeCy associafced with h,im Tiniow his painabaking and carefuï methode of sbudy ajid hiBi ready nptüttidie in graspimg a i-egal propositiiQn. Hlils sympiaíliies fr humanity causad liÈm to look wilth favor upom the lèeaia and piaras af various social refocmers. His legal training, however, diil no'fc allow luim to eatr fully; httto tiMj program of sociiajÜBin. On of lids pitaña for tlie future was the ■n-iiyting of a book ia whicji hö propoaed t-o diiiscuss the ï-eiiafciioni of ls."vr tu' Bocite'ltette ideas. H liad already beslui tio oollect tlie mateUials ior liis Aicvi-k. The tfeease from whloh he died was of a cancero us nature and h,ad probiilKy affecited hi'm fcxr several years, xt did niot make itsoTf apparaat untll about t&ree mornths ago. Durtng the cDo-siog weeks af his lifa the inpoaldis oi dilseae "vare very rapid. HU suifferings wre very great, yet tluwugh it all he bareup witü a hewism urad ïortiit.ud that was 8urpitisLng to those Who at tended hLm. Hiis reUgto'us oomvictious a.re not tnown, His eariy religlous assooiatious were witli the Mettodjlst cliurcli hut he diid' no idemtily liimeeM with any Chuirch after comiag to Anoi Arbar. He eviinoed great interesfc ia th.e stuidy of tha Biiblle and in tüe oomiparatíTO stody oí tlie leadtog rejigiioiig of the wor-ld. Some 'jiight is thrawa upoa his religious sentinneut by the reptly reoeatly made by hinn to a íriand vrho iinquired concernIng liia reC.igious views. H said : 'I Vhslnk thie m.ain thing is to do good ia f.he woafid." Such waa hia simple creed, which doubblesa he wonild have exemp'jiiled ia manifald ways had he lived. He is aoivv at reet- lfet us belflieve ia eatlre peace with his Maker.