Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-07-27

THE CoITs IN PoRTLAND.-The Portland
Press of yesterday morning contains long ac-
count of the arrival of the Colt excursionists in
that city, and tells how they spent Tuesday
evening pleasantly in speech making and dane
ing. We quote: GAS the steamer came up the
harbor she was greeted with guns and the
whistles of the steam vessels. At Railroad
wharf the party was received by the mayor and
a large cOncourse of citizens. The Portland
band was in attendance, and headed by platoon
of police, the procession of ladies and gentlemen
walked through the damp atmosphere to city
hail. which had been prepared for their recep-
ton. After music by the band, Mayor Kings
bury gave them full and hearty welcome
in speech, in which he referred TO the pleasant
associations formed on the occasion of the visit
of the Colts last year" The mayors speech
was responded to by Mr.. W. Mecomey, and
speeches were made by General Sprague, Rev.
Asa Bullard, and Captain J. B. Colt, of the
steamer Brunswick. After the speeches the
company danced until ten o'clock, and then the
party broke up and returned to the steamer,
which sailed at eleven O'Clock for Eastport,
AbOuI Olsb hoOblh 1hOOoiEhs
MeSsrs. Editors-As | looked from my win
dow yesterday and missed the weather cock
from his accustomed place on the steeple of the
"Old South" there came to my mind the fol
lowing verses, which were given to me on a
similar occasion some sixteen years ago. Their
author was then a familiar presence in these
streets, from which he has now passed, with
most of his generation, but those of us who
knew and loved him from our childhood, do no
forget the genial face, the gentle, kindly greet
ing, or the quaint and humorous fancies with
which he enliyened his quiet talk. His thoughts
flowed with ease into verse either of gay or
pensive strain, but he never made these illusions
public, although he would quietly slip one into
the hand of friend whom he thought the
verses might please. Such are cursory con-
temptations on passing event:
Thou veteran rooster of the "Old South church,"
Once more descending from thy perch,
Where thou hast kept aloft so many years,
Pray tell us, while you tread once more
On terra tirma, how the scene appears,
How changed from that ye knew in days of yore!
Placed on the steeple top, to watch, and tell
Which way the varying wind doth blow
While thine was much the greater labor
Than that imposed on thy neighbor,
The noisy, Cabling bell that lodged below.
Raised far above each ordinary biddy,
Thine elevation never made thee giddy,
But thou hast kept the "tenor of thy way"
Quite mOdestly from day to day.
With most appraised to such exalted station,
1t happens as we more familiar grow,
We lose in part our awe and admiration.
Not so with thee, for when thou art brought near,
Thy greatness doth more papaby appear.
o happy was the hen that brooded thee,
Well might she strut and cluck with glee.
With every change thy duty is to veer,
To shift thy platform every chance to seize,
And huetuate and whirl with every breeze.
Yet some will doubt thee of the Webster school,
And thy constituents would be very lothe,
whether for union or abolition
They'd readily subscribe to this petition)
That thou shOuldst ever know a south or north,
Whatever president may rule.
And now with fresh respendence gilded Ger,
pray, good people, speedily restore
This weather Waterman to the place.
Which for so long time without disgrace
He ON your steepe top hath held before.