Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-10-03
The Rockingham Jubilee.

cleared and the dust laid by the rain OF
the previous night, rendering the day
one of the finest of the season.
A special train left this village about
3 A. NJ. with about two hundred. Large
Numbers were added TO these from Sax
tons River, Grafton, Bartonsville and
"Old Town and a goodly crowd of six
or seven hundred people formed in pro,
cession, with Cbarlestown Cornet Band
for music.
The exercises were held in the old
church, which presented gala day APP
pearaDce. Fair hands and brown ones
must have been very busy to work such
magic upon the venerable walls, which
were literally covered with beautiful de-
vices in evergreen and autumnal tints,
/ The old sounding. board was succeed
and frescoed with laurel and festooned
with beautifully tinted leaves. Beneath
these, and behind the speakers stand,
was the word Welcome" The desk
: was decorat, d with crosses and wreaths
in laurel and the bright mountain ash.
The walls and galleries were covered
with greens aud wreatbs Of bright leaves
interpreted, making the old house more
gay and beautiful than in it's paimiest
youth. On either side Of the pulpit and
around the galleries were the following
notices in green q Dare To be true"
wine is n mocker," ;" Water is best"
Conquer We must, our cause it is Just"
"a pledge we make, no wine to take"
}. b. Divoll was president of the day
and the exercises were opened by prayer
by Rev. Mr.. Haskins. A speech of well
come was made by Rev. Mr.. Grogan,
which was very happily responded to by
Rev. Mr.. Hamlin. Short speeches fol-
lowed by Rev. Mr.. Atwater of the Bur-
lington Wiin,ss and Rev. Mr.. Wilder.
Mr.. Everett Of Massachusetts spoke at
some length upon the evils of moderate
drinking and its results.
At this stage, dinner was announced,
to which call every one responded with
a will. The tables laid just east and in
proximity to the church, were four in
number and accomrn odated 260 at one
time. A bountiful supply of things
good and substantial were interlarded
with choice delicGcies. Flowers were in
abundance and added much to the at
Effectiveness of the tables. Too much
credit cannot be given to the ladies of
old Rockingham for this, their share of
the work. They probably fed over six
hundred people with nice dinner, with
out money and without price.
The supply of food seemed almost in
exhaustible and locker on could not
help being reminded of the feeding of
the five thousand Is centuries ago. The
ladies were untiring in their exertions TO
attend to the wants of all. The young
men too were attentive, and every one
was well served and voted the dinner a
great success. Mrs. H. B. jackson and
Mrs. j. B. and J. L. Divoll of Rocking
ham, and Miss Stowell of Brandon with
many others are deserving the especial
thanks of that crowd who partook so
plentifully Of their hospitality. Dinner
over, the church was again filled to over
flowing with an audience eager TO hear
" Farmer Allen" of Boston. Mrs. No
BILE of Chester read Cor recited) with
much pathos The Hungry Wolves"
which was touchingly appropriate to the
occasion.
Farmer Allen then held the house
with close attention while he talked in
his convincing way of the evils of
drunkenness and drawing such strong
conclusions as to carry conviction with
each word. He gave some reasons why
the liquor traffic was SO persistently fol-
lowed, the principal one being aUarice.
Mr.. Allen is strong speaker and TO APP
preciate him one needs to be able to see
him he is very emphatic and his illus
trations are always hit. Mrs. Noble
then followed with Trowbridge's Vaga-
bonds" and Darius Green and his
Flyingmachine," both of which were
enthusiastically received by the audi
ence.
After music by the band, and singing
by the whole house "The morning light
is breaking" and few words by Mr..
Grogan, the assembly broke up with ex-
pressions of satisfaction that everything
had passed so happily and successfully.
A procession was again formed and in
separating from the Saxtons River dele
cation of some 70 or more, rousing cheers
went up for them, the ladies, (" The
Temperance Union," the president of
the day, &c, when the different dele
cations went their ways, each and every
one hoping that in one year they might |
meet again under like circumstances in
good old Rockingham and hold another
Temperance Jubilee.