Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-03-23
Golden Wedding.


Wednesday of last week was a notable
day in the history of Mr. and Mrs. J. SoMERBY
of this village, it being no less than the an
niversary of their marriage which took
place just fifty years ago that day. The
occasion was duly commemorated by a gath
ering of the children, the immediate rela-
tives, and few invited friends of the parties
numbering some seventy persons in all
at the residence of n. G. BACON, ESQ, on
Barre Street, whose wife is a niece of Mrs.
! SoMERBY. A violent attack of sick headache
that afternoon prevented our accepting the
invitation to be present, yet we are enabled
to gather few items relative to the occasion
that will interest the many friends of Mr..
and Mrs. SoMERBF. The cards of invitation
were gotten up in New York in a very neat
and rich style, with an elegant monogram of
the parties ornamenting both that and the
envelope enclosing +. Mr.. BAcoN's house was
finely set in order 15r the assembly, and the
refrcshment tables, under the immediate and
chief dpervision Of Mrs sTRATrox ,have been
rareiy exeelled at any similar gathoring
The company began to assnn bic at four o CLOCK
and refreshments were served at seven. Of
some fifty persons present at the first wedding
only seven are now known 70 be living. and
four of these were in attendance Wednesday.
What change hath fifty years wrought
w hat countless memories and incidents must
have come troOping up in the minds Of those
who just half century since were gathered
to witness the nuptidls of the worthy couple,
whose love for each other had knon n no va
riableness or shadow of change during all
| those long years And the aged couple them
selves. what field of thought and reflection
with them Verify had not the hand of God
been leading them on, and his loving kind
ness and mercy been about them all these
DAYS? Fifty years of welded life, its tolls
and cares, it's joys and its rewards Their
eyes not yet wholly dimmed by age, nor
their natural force sensibIy abated. Their
children, who had not before for eighteen
years gathered under their own vine and fig
tree, now all surrounding them, and the
friends of half century rendering their con-
CALCULATIONS. 1t was a scene for painter
and all present seemed to enjoy it. The fol-
lowing poem was written for the occasion by
Mrs. DR. j. Y DEWEY of this village, whose
; husband was guest at the former wedding
On this eventful evewe meet
Il Our friends, with Joy, we say,
To celebrate the promise sweet
OF fifty years to-day.
But where are all the friends who came,
| Through piercing wind and snow,
? AS witness to the vows we made,
, Just fifty years ago?
/ ask myself, L ask my love,
Ibid you to declare:
list, wait, no voice replies
t is echo answers tckere
The earliest twig upon the branch,
So dear to all, still clings;
But, like bird whose song is sung,
just ready to take wings;
The first of all named in the RIG
Adds two to eighty-four;
God bless her while to earth she clings,
And bless her evermore.
And still see the lofty brow,
And kindling eye of yore:
One brother, now with silver locks,
Whose years do count four score.
The morning of little day,
RI And noon, have gone their round;
Next golden Autumn's paler ray,
Now Winters snowy crown.
We've Travelled long and Travelled far,
Ger mountain, hill and plain;
And SHOWS have come and SHOWS have gone
spring-tme and Autumn rain.
Yet not alone the path of life
Have we been doomed to tread:
six children, fondled on the knee
Now crown our hoary head.
And children's children, fair and sweet,
Like buds upon the stem:
who tints the daisy at our feet
| Will surely care for them.
I thank my Father, God above,
This day, as 1 behold
| Daughters and sons of friends loved
| In palmy days of old.
Heirs of the loved and gone see
| And count them DER twice told
Whose mystic shadows fall on me,
| And glances thrill my soul
| My children and my children twice,
My friends and all DEAR
| That life is long whose course is marked
| By wisdom, not by years.
After the reading of the poem. remarks
were made by Rev. P. T. BARNARD of Will
Jamestown. who is relative of the parties,
the hymn sung at the marriage in 1920 was
again given in appropriate music, and numer-