Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-03-31
THE TOWN OF ITER.
speech with an Advertisement I'm IL.

The town Of Groton, Massachusetts,
has been divided, a portion retaining the
old name, and the rest selecting by unani-
nous vote to be called Aver, after the ia
nous physician whose almanacs and pills
are known all over the world The inau-
guration of the new town was celebrated
in due FORM with firing of cannon, waving
of flags, speechmaking, and other ceremo-
nics. Secretary Boutwell, wrote letter,
which was read on the occasion, and DR..
Aver acknowledged the compliment in the
following excellent speech, containing an
advertisement of his business which we
cheerfully publish for the benefit of lib
eral, prompt and honorable customer,
whose honest pride in his business rests
upon Il substantial basis Of fair dealing
and public usefulness. He said
On the western coast of Scotland where
it slopes into the Irish Sea, a river, rising
on the mountains of the inner land, winds
down among the hills and cmpties into the
Firth of Clyde. From remote time it has
been called Ayr, from an old Scotch word
"Ayry," meaning an eagles nest-the
river of the eagles nest. Near It's mouth
and u contiguous harbor, long stood Il
hamlet which became royal burg or
town named from the river, and now about
one-third as large as Lowell-the city Of
Ayr. For more than a thousand years it
has been noted in the history Of Scotland.
During the wars of Robert Bruce it was
one of his resorts, and was especially IA
vored by him because he was there cured
of the leprosy. Oliver Cromwell made it
one of the dcpots and headquarters of his
army in his attack upon Scotland, and one
of his old forts is now the Citadel of Ayr
But above all its distinctions, Ayr was
the birthplace of the poet Burns. And
what poet What voice has he given
to all the endearments of home! How
has he hallowcd the cottages and all it
covers-weans and wife, patches and pov-
erty, beans, barley, ale, hardship and the
poor mans toll. How he wraps with ten
dernes3 whatever he names, even his bleak
leagues of pasture, the stubble field, ice,
snow, sleet, and rain, brooks, birds, mice,
thistlcs and heather. His Bonny Doom,
John Anderson, my 10 John, Auld Lang
Syne, and Highland Mary roll round the
world in ever ringing symphony with
what is purest and best in human nature
His songs WOO and melt the hearts OF
youths and maidens, bring solace to the
sorrowing and courage to the overburden-
ed by their lot. His inspiration has set
music in strains that are immortal
No other man ever made language
classic, but he has rendered that lowland
Scotch Doric dialect of fame. The
name of his home and his beloved river
Ayry was lifted on the wings Of his pathOs,
and now the approaching traveller yearns
to reach the spot his genius has sanctfed.
Along the borders of the sea in par
allelogram and surrounding the town is
county of the same name-Ayrshire.
1t would weary your patience 10 hear
the history Of my ancestors from one an
cient John of Ayr, then John Ayr, down
through the centuries to this Ayr now be-
fore you; through their vicissitudes of
poverty and plenty-of fortune and mis-
fortune; how they have intermarried with
England, Ireland and Scotland, and later
with the Americans, who are an excellent
mixture of them all.
My friends, you have chosen the name
| inherited for your town with an extra
ordinary unanimity, and have thereby
conferred an honor upon me the proper
acknowledgment of which | do not feel
fully able to express. But beg you to
be assured that it is appreciated and that
it will be gratefully remembered with a
living interest i'll your prosperity while life
remains to me. and, trust, beyond that,
by my children after me.
If this name has become noted among
the many that are worthier around you,
that is greatly due to its publicity. May
| be permitted to state whence that came ?
Until within few centuries all the civil
lied nations of the globe were pent upon