Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-04-06
Dr. Aver Dedicating a Town.

The world renowned DR.. j. G. AVER, of
Lowell, Mass, lately delivered the follow
ing speech at the Inauguration of the new
town of Aver, lately known as Groton
Junction, which the Legislature of Massa-
chusetts, at the request of the citizens,
changed to the name of Aver:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN
On the western coast of Scotland where
it slop.s into the Irish Sea, river, rising
on the mountains of the inner land, winds
down among the hills and empties 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 its
mouth and a contiguous harbor long stood
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 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
favored by him because he was there cured
of leprosy Oliver Cromwell made it
one of the depots 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 hallowed the cottage and all it covers
weans and wife. patches and poverty, beans.
barley, ale, hardship and the poor mans
toll. How he wraps with tenderness what
ever he names, even his bleak leagues of
pasture, the stubble-feld, ice, snow, sleet
and rain, brooks, birds. mice, thistles and
heather. His Bonny Doom, John Ander-
son, my 10 John, Aud 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 heart of youth and
maidens, bring solace to the sorrowing and
courage to the overburdened by their lot.
His inspiration has set the affections to
music in strains that are immortal.
No other one man ever made language
classic, but be has rendered that lowland
Scotch Doric dialect of fame. The name
of his home and his beloved river Ayr was
lifted on the wings of his pathos, and now
the approaching traveller yearns to reach
the spot his genius has sancti6eG.
Along the borders of the sea in paral-
telegram and surrounding the town is a
county of the same .name-Ayrshire.
1t would weary your patience to hear
the history of my ancestors from one an
cient John of Ayr, then John Aver, down
through the centuries to this Ayer,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.
NV friends, you have chosen the name
| inherited for your town with an extrAordi,
nary unanimity, and have thereby confer
red an honor upon me, the proper acknowl-
edgment 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 living inter
est in 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
I be permitted to state whence that came
| Until within few centuries all the civili
zed nations of the globe were pent up OF
the Eastern continent. Two or three
hundred years ago they leaked over int
this few and fearfully at first, then more
and more, but always in their settlement
timidly hugging the Atlantic coast. With
in the last two or three generations, they
have burst out, as it were, and over-ruI
vast continents of the West. Now the,
are scattered here and possess thes'
measureless stretches of mountains anC
valleys. hills, plains, forests and pralrie
with the boundless pampas and mountain
ranges of South America. Former gen
erations lived in villages and towns, thickl,
settled together where physicians wer
plenty and near at hand. Now, the peo
ple are widely scattered, in many section
of these many countries. For great mum
bers the timely treatment of physician
can not be had over large tracts OF coun
try good or competent physicians can no
be had at all. They can not visit patient
enough many miles apart to live by thel
profession, nor can they carry enough wit
them on horseback for their requirements
Hence has arisen, in these modern times
a necessity for remedies ready at hand
with directions for their use-a presen
recourse for relief in the exigencies {
sickness, when no other aid is near. 1t
a new necessity consequent upon the chang
ed condition of human life--a want
have spent my years in supplying, and
will tell you something of its extent. Ou
laboratory makes every day some 63O,O0
portions or doses of our preparations. Thes
/, are all taken by somebody. Here is
number equal to the population of 6ftee
cities as large as Lowell. taking them ever
day (for sickness keeps no Sabbaths), nj
for once only, but again, year after yea
through nearly one-third OF century,
We all join in the jokes about medlcln'
as we 90 about the Doctors missic
, to kill, the clergyman's insincerity an
the lawyers cheating. Yet each
these labors among the most serious r
, aIities of life. Sickness and its attcndaI
suffering are no joke. neither is the trea
| ment of them. This system OF tran
portable relief. TO be made available
the people, must keep its remedies fre.
in their memories. This is done by adve
tising. Mark its extent. An advertis
ID nent, taking the run of the newspape