Michigan historical collections . etly. There was no decay. It was a roundingout, a mellowing and the fulfillment of a beautiful and useful life. During the early years of his judicial life he was a close studentof the law and devoted himself to the mastery of the rules and prin-ciples of the science. This he did, not only as a duty to qualify him-self for the work he was set to do, but also, as I always thought, forthe joy of the endeavor and the victory. From this it naturally fol-lowed that he was at first rather disposed to straighten his course bythe rigid enforcement of the technical rul
Michigan historical collections . etly. There was no decay. It was a roundingout, a mellowing and the fulfillment of a beautiful and useful life. During the early years of his judicial life he was a close studentof the law and devoted himself to the mastery of the rules and prin-ciples of the science. This he did, not only as a duty to qualify him-self for the work he was set to do, but also, as I always thought, forthe joy of the endeavor and the victory. From this it naturally fol-lowed that he was at first rather disposed to straighten his course bythe rigid enforcement of the technical rules he was storing away. Butthis did not last, and as he came to see how often the victim wasmangled on his Procrustean bed, his kindness of heart and sense ofjustice brought him more and more into the appreciation of the maximsof equity, and the rigors of technical- doctrines were greatly easedthereby. Upon the bench he was dignified and firm, but always courteousand kind. He was benign to the losing man and tempered the winds to. JASON E. ST. JOHN. JASON E. ST. JOHN. 533 the lamb that was being shorn, so that the lamb was hardly sensible ofits suffeiing. Another thing which endeared him to the young men was his charm-ing cordiality in greeting their first appearances. I could testify forthe many who have turned their whitened faces to the wall, as wellas for some who are living, how deeply touched we were by his graciousand considerate kindness when we came before him, and afterwardswhen he thought we were in any distress or embarrassment. And myheart moves me to tell how in later years he has sent me messages ofaffection in which he referred to the time when he was holding thecourt here, and bespoke for all of us his warmest regard, but it is notfitting to dwell now too much upon matters purely personal. •Judge Graves at a ripe old age has wrapped the drapery of hiscouch about him and laid down to pleasant dreams, if indeed the deaddo dream, and perhaps it is better to say,
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