public, and it may be ungracious to recall these incidents on an occasion like this.

Breathing, as he did, in his "May of youth and bloom of lustihood," the atmosphere of Pike County - that generated lawyers, legislators, statesmen, office seekers and office holders, as the genial sunshine of spring kindles into energized life the seed in the ground, it was not wonderful that he became fired with ambition to achieve greatness and a name.

As a mere side adventure he also sought the "pomp and circumstance of glorious war." Following the high waving plume of his leader, John B. Henderson, he won his spurs in his first encounter with that redoubtable knight errant, General Jeff Jones, of the "Kingdom of Calloway," who, after a day's parley, sued for peace. Putting Jeff under bonds to keep the peace, with a collateral understanding that he should not go outside of the County, unless Henderson and Dyer came into it, Henderson was breveted Brigadier General and Dyer was made a Colonel.

Then eagerly turning his steps into the primrose paths of peace, Dyer began to gather new laurels in civic achievements, and put himself in a receptive mood for anything good that came his way. He met with such success as a lawyer as to attract public attention at home and abroad, resulting in his appointment as United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri. Because of his personal knowledge of the ways of "the whiskey men," he achieved a national reputation in the prosecution of the "Whiskey Ring." A second time was the honor of the office conferred upon him. While he became the dread of vicious offenders against the federal

statutes, he was ever the covert of the innocent, and the good Samaritan of the unfortunate. He so administered his office as to receive the special approval of the Department of Justice. From this vantage ground the way was made easy for his friends to secure him the preferment to the United States judgeship for this district. The only serious objection made to his appointment was "old age," and President Roosevelt awarded him the commission with the understanding that he was neither to die nor resign within ten years. And he has made good. For over ten years he has administered the vast business of this Court without bankrupting it, and it is still "a going concern," doubtless to the great disappointment of the waiting expectants for the succession.

I admire Judge Dyer for his absolute naturalness and sincerity. There is not in his nature an atom of hypocrisy, nor about him the meretricious display of the canting Pharisee. He has never been so bad as he is good. He has never been so temperate that he would not eat when he was hungry, if he could get it, or to refuse to take a drink if he wanted it and could get it. He was never so pious as not to swear on occasions. He was never so amiable as to be inane, or so dignified as to be supercilious. He was never so rich as to become avaricious, or so poor as not to be proud. He never had a dollar he would not divide with a friend or risk in a game of chance. He has not worn out his constitution with overwork, as he had the philosophy to stop and go "a-fishing" when he felt the approach of weariness.

It may be pardonable to say that as Judge he has

reached the ends of concrete justice rather by intuition than the slower process of induction. With a keen insight into the nature and relation of things, guided by the genius of common sense, Judge Dyer has probably hit about as near the mark as some who exercise a more technical analysis or severer investigation in making applications. So through it all he has preserved a ruddy countenance, instead of presenting a haggard face "all sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought. Like some of the rest of us, he has been reversed, and consoled himself with the reflection of the late Tom Fimlin, of Kansas, that after all "Law is but the last utterance by way of guess of the last fellow in authority."

Because of the way in which Judge Dyer wears his eyebrows (like the pendant moss from a Southland oak tree), he may not be regarded as a "thing of beauty," but he has always been "a joy forever" to the multitudes who have witnessed the flashes of his wit, caught the drift of his quaint humor, or listened to his exhaustless repertory of apt and original stories, and especially to those who have been brought within the charm of his genuine friendships.

While it is not given unto mortals to make the warm gulf stream of youth flow on indefinitely into the artic region of age, the octogenarian can find solace in the philosophy of Steele, who said:

"An healthy old man, who is not a fool, is the happiest creature living. It is at that time of life he enjoys only his faculties with pleasure and satisfaction. It is then we have nothing to manage, as the phrase is; we can speak the downright truth, and whether the rest of the world will

give us the privilege or not; as we have so little to ask of them that we can take it.'

While Judge Dyer will never feel the full measure of personal independence and freedom so long as he is manacled with the restraints of office, from experience I can commend to him the wine of old age prescribed by the ancient philosopher. It will exhilarate, if it do not intoxicate.

As today Judge Dyer stands in the sunset glow of life, it must be a sweet satisfaction to him to look back over the long and dusty road he has traveled, and see that no serpent's trail lies over his pathway; no shadow of dishonor rests over it, but that the whole way is flooded with the sunshine of blessings reflected from his fruitful life. And as he looks over this vast assemblage of Judges and lawyers, and other notable worthies, gathered in this chamber to pay the full measure of the tribute of affectionate regard, he feels, no doubt as never before, that after all, "Friendship is the only rose without a thorn."

For yourself, my dear Judge, my wish is that you may remain upon the bench as long as you desire, and your judgment approve; and that like the aloe plant you may flourish and bloom at the century mark; and for myself, that I might be present to say, as I now say, "All hail to the Grand Old Man."

JUDGE WALTER H. SANBORN

We have listened with pleasure, gentlemen of the Bar, to the eloquent tributes to the character and service of our beloved and honored associate, Judge Dyer.

We congratulate him that you have presented these testimonials here and now, while he yet lives in the full vigor of all his mental and physical powers; here and now while he may enjoy that greatest boon vouchsafed to man on earth, the respect, affection and honor of his worthy fellow men. And we congratulate you, his friends and members of the Bar, that you have today the satisfaction of having given him that great gratification.

A loving and devoted husband and father; a friend without shadow of turning; a loyal and active citizen, whose love of country through all his long and honorable career has never known any sacrifice too great to preserve her unity, or vindicate her honor; a soldier who grasped and enjoyed the duties, for the love of his country, of a soldier's life as his greatest joy; a wise, earnest and effective legislator; a successful and renowned practicing lawyer; a prosecuting attorney, whom the guilty had small chance to escape, and an impartial, independent, able and efficient judicial officer, he has well earned all the abundant honors that have been showered upon him, and we join with you in the wish and hope that his vigor, his life and his service may long be continued here.

JUDGE DAVID P. DYER

Members of the Bar, ladies and gentlemen:

I am without suitable and appropriate language to fitly express the gratitude that I feel toward you and others who have kindly come to the court room this morning to manifest by your presence and express by your words friendly congratulations on the