The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-06-08 00:00:00

PIDDLISTAS3IfTELIDIS.

FRIENDLY SOCIErY ANNIVERSARY.

With hopes of a far more prosperous mason in 1880 than
In dripping 1819, this society took courage to le II their
anniversary meeting on Tue.day last, and the inhah.tants
of the villages stretching • great distance through the
ricer vtlley were more than usually it t treated and
enlivened. The v they was even fuller of foil me and fl iral
beauty than at this time Mit year, the grins had sprung up
green after the drought, so timely relieved by showers, and
the tire, ashes, willo ye, limee, were all in fresh dm -
age, some of it tender as at the beginning of sprint.
verywliere the well.kept gardens looked more pr.operous
than last year, although a little more backward than the
average, and we did not see anything akin to thesl area,
looses from frost which have affected Berne of the crops
round the county tow:). the n•ighbouring vilmites
the young people had come in at if " to fair," and outside
the Green Dragon • few bo.itlis. where onild he purchased
wonderful varieties of toys at • penny, or cakes and sweets
tested digestive powers, served to nt •rtain the village
youth before the field could be corn, ii for the lon. The
foci. ty missed it good may of it• v .1: .irs and fri ado in
conEquence of the large sale at stuck at Caesilborae.
Numbering 56 membera. they mu.tered 45 for the pre.
cession, and were led by the 11l .ekmore Veto Brass Band,
which played powerfully under itindinaster Elkins, their
drum painted with " Wern,uth and hielcembe Rogie."
The eniform of the band, dsrk l.lue and yellow braid with
smart caps, is decidedly taklnz, and when they wore
followed by club men with red, white, and blue rots ttet
and gay wands, a fine blue banner with the society's name
and design thereon, and another 11 tit of mysterirms
pattern, but smart =ll bright, the procession looked quite
attractive. It was so to the villagers who followed them to
the church, where the Rev. J. Hicks, a venerabledooking
clergyman, preached to them from Matthew vi., 21—" No
man can serve two masters." The club after church
Perambulated the village, calling at the residences of Mr.
Henrr, Topp, Mrs. Antle, the Vicarage. Mr. George Topp,
the New Inn, Mr. W. Collyar, Mr. S. Sanuwaye, Mr.
Groves, Mr. podding, Ur. Baby, and Mr. Jacobs, the
worthy secretary. It wee a pretty picture when they
were surrounding the flower knots on • pleasant lawn,
themselves encircled with weeping willows, laburnums
In flower, varied with laurels and Ii s. After walking
about the lovely valley, and stirring up everybody with
the strains of the band, not foraetting the beet of cymbal
and drum. the Green Dragon was reached in good time,
and there Mr. and Mrs. Drake and some popular betters
bad turned the aspect of the ling room into that of a well-
' garlanded &nine ball, boughs and flowers being profusely
employed, the tables also were gay with such blooms as
columbines, bachelors' buttons, London pride,and • multi-
tude of other old friends. The dinner was well roasted, and
• left-handed man managed to perform good foot. of
trenchermanship ; but even for hint there was capital
plum-pudding enough and to spare. In our neighbourhood
merriment reipnook they seemed cheerful enough at the
vice-Chairman s end though he hardly distributed enough
of the milk of human km ills 4 to the present Ministry,
and at the top of the table a well-known Dorchester voice
kept up a full flow of conversation with the Casino= and
his surroundings. There were :—Dr. 11c)Inery In the
chair, Rev. J. Hicks in the vise-chair, Me. Hicks,
Jun., Mr. Jacobi, secretary. and Messrs. Northover,
Vincent, Yates, Wightman, Old, Baker, Philips,
Prank Holland, Butcher, Peach, Poole, J. It.
Taylor, and David Drake, the host. So absorbed were
they in .J. R. T's eloquence, that some began to think the
Chairman would not let them out in the field, where come
showers bad fallen ; but at last Dr. IIcENEAT gave the loyal
testae, commencing with "The Queen."

"The Prince and Princess of Wales and the rest of the
Royal family " are, said the Cuaisssji, constantly shoeing
us a goodexample by theinterest they takeinall the institu-
tions of the country, by th..ir subecrip• ions to hospitals and
for charitable purposes, and, as this club is on similar
principles, the members would drink their keal.h with
coupledn
Alian with .
three times three.
,thheadna teen n or the
Rw
" The alb of the Bishop and Clergy and Ministers of
ottive ia
rdern
hick.,oininati
thew for many years, and no clergyman in this diuonie or
in any other could have done his duty better. or could be
more belov,d by his people. (Applause.) Health, and
rhso thew a 1;
long life, and may he long continue the vicar of Piddle-
trenthide. (Applause.)
Rev. J. HICKS responding, said he had • been forty
years in the parish, which he loved wore than
any other on the face of the earth, and he
should be very sorry to leave it until be went to his
long home. Kr. Bridge efts one of the drat to strengthen
his hands in the parish, both in the restoration of the
church and the building of the schools, and GI id, who
took Mon away, had soot Mr. Conning to be a kind friend
ti the poor and strengthen the minister's hands. Mr.
flicks continued he did not very much like tossta, because
there is • great deal of butter about them, but Mr. Bridge
and Kr. Canning were benefactors to the parish, and he
gave their hWths.—R•ceived with cheers, the band
Playing "The fine old English gentleman.

With the "Army. Navy, Anil Vo['towers" were coupled
the names or Snweant Taylor Ord DRY.), Sergeant
Northover, Yr. Hicks. and other volunteers.
Bind "Red, White, and Blue." •

P,oneer-Sergeant TAYLOR, ai I sergeant of the Direst
Volunteers of 21 years standing. responded. He ',entered
to say that • force of 200.000 volunteers of Rag
Witt
placing themselves before an, foe that likes to come over,
ii the means of keeping the foe away.. With tbe Anny,
Navy, Yeomanry. Volunteers, and Militia we can hold
our own pretty wi:IL (Applause.)
Sergeant NORTHOVIR responded for the Q 0.Y.C.. with
whom he had been connec:ed for 21 years. (Applause.)
"Success to the Piddletrenthide Friendly Society" was
given by the CUAIR11•11 amid applause. A greet deal of
the success ruts with Mr. Jacob, who ta been very pains-
taking, and has done his best to make it • success. The
progress of the society for the put year mar not have been
so cheering as we hoped ; but the times had been bad, and
the depreeiion in trade has prevented many frost doing
as they would otherwise. But he hoped our taxes will
decrease, that landlords will lessen the present high rents,
and friendly societies become more generally euPPurted
and more popular.

Thy,. diem were given for tile aaaratars. ILL Junk
the band adding =slog hoaoars.