The Richmond palladium., 1870-06-25
The Lodge had prospered; things which


Never exerted such wonderouS sway
AS when twas given by Anthony Grey.
The Lodge had prospered; things which
seemed
Like phautasies by some idler dreamed
Now began to draw near TO that sum
Whence the Order should out of chaos come;
And so, after many grave debate
OF pow werful pros and cons of weight,
The Brothers decided TO formerly state
That the time had arrived for them to soar
The dingy room over Middietor's store
Heneelorth should know them nevermore;
But ma gic like in it's stead should rise
structure to dazzle the visitors eyes
And be, in short, the "committee" said 1t
Worthy their town and their Orders credit.
With public favor the scheme was hailed,
And laudatory results prevailed
So effica cicus that old Dan Brown,
w ho rejoiced in undisputed reuoxn
Of being the stngiest man in town
Even he took stock-sand paid his cash,
Thus perriling fame by benevolence rash
Who bought two shares from geese she had
raised.
Now, the pleasing task remained alone
OF laying the new halls corner stone.
They hal summoned all the countryside
To Join this labor of love and pride.
For da VS. and weeks the themes of talk
So, far and near, this was understood
AS jubilant day for the Brotherhood.
city brass band was to be there,
(Whose charges made the innocent stare;)
A Prominent guest OF marvellous powers
Had promised a speech of two mortal hours
And the new school ma am, from Raccoon
Spring,
Had written an ode for the choir to sing.
Early that morn, the visiting guest
Would have known, by the marshal, gaily
dressed,
Careering about W ith portentous stir,
That unusual things were about to occur;
And the country wagons were loaded down
With ruddy wives and their children brown,
Whom the sunburued farmers were driving
to town.
Folks lined the roads-all focking to see
The Odd Fellows holding their jubilee
w bile the idlers around the tavern door
Were reinforced by a double score.
The school children bad q holiday,
For the master h ad Joined in the festival gay,
The minister, too, marched with the rest
WITH a new white sash across his breast
It behooves me not to minutey tell
OF that which many remember we'll;
Suffice it to say twas famous sight
OF esprit de corps, ard public delight!
First: The initiates badges OF White;
fAudah, before the Academy" gate
A
In line of painfully decorous girls
A phalanx of eyes, and ribbons and curls-
In passing which each youthful brother
Seemed suddenly called upon to discover
That he, of all that proud ovation,
Excited sincerest appreciation
Heads mp, eyes front, and shoulders square.
fMagnifcent marching was done just there y
Alter these the Pink then the Roya' Blue,
| Next Memory's Green-then the Scarlet hue
! Shading down to the honored rear,
| Where the Past Grands marched with steps
austere;
| And last. Tom Miler's triumphal car
| He who had served in the Mexican war
Aud was MANNED and scared by many a scar, }
With his old gray horse-a marvel of bone,
| That quite as well as himself was known;
! Tom sat on his car like king on his throne,
| In a new regalia-his own design
| His vehicle garnished with garlands fine;
| And the old gray shone resplendent 100.
| SO gay with his futtering ribands of blue,
! That the Joke went round in whispered glse.
! That old Debbin had taken the Third Degree
| Uudoubtedly Toms volunteer display
| Was the picturesque feature OF the day.
! Meanwhile ia the cottage of Anthony Grey
| A grave dis scussion was holding sway,
| And he whose will had been law, now plead
| With vile and daughter to leave his bed
just tor an hour 'twould do him good
| To gaze once more on the Brotherhood.
| Twas hard to be absent on such day
/ To please him, doubtless, they marched that
way!
Though sill the good wife made demur-
| A very unusual thing for her
| And May wondered, in anxious love,
Whether the doctor would disapprove.
But whtn did womanly love withstand
| A pleading invalid's least demand 7?
So in holiday raiment he soon was dressed
Though the coat hung loose, and the Sunday
vest
Was world too wide for the sh-unken
| And, placed in his fathers old armchair
| The sole estate he had left his heir
He eagerly waited the coming sight,
| Almost strong in expectant delight.
Soon floating down the li,tle street
| Came the sounds of music, loud and sweet;
"They're coming, Hannah May, don't you
hear?
| Now draw me close to the window, deaI.
I'm sure I'll know almost every face,
| And want to see who is filing my place;
And, more than all, daIlipgs, want them to
| say
That am with them in spirit this day.
ave! May, wave Look cheerily, wife,
They'll be true in death as they're firm in life;
| Let it never be said that kin of mine
| Had fai ed to honor that Brotherly line"
With dreary semblance Of Joy, alas