The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1874-08-15
Mr.. Il. L. Sheldon's Silver Wedding.

On Saturday evening last, there took place at the
residence of Mr.. James Aud, one of the proprietors
Of this journal, one of those pleasant little affairs in
which the generous spirit of Honolulu society often
times takes delight. A large company of ladies and
gentlemen assembled at the house in order to afford
Mr.. Sheldon, the Chief Scribe of the ADVERTISER, q
pleasant surprise in commemoration of the twenty
ffth anniversary of his wedding day. He and his
wife were inyeigled to the house under a false pre-
tense, and when there were surrounded by a numer-
Gus circle" troops of friends "-tendering most
cordial congratulations. The puzzled looks of Mr..
Sheldon were rather amusing, as he enquired what
he was to be congratulated fort Mr.. w. NJ. Gibson
then addressed him, saying that " his friends had
assembled there to congratulate him on his wedding
day, and had planned for him a Surprise He
went on to say, that " the world is full of surprises,
but they are usually of q very unsatisfactory char
aeter. We are almost always surprised to find q bill
somewhat larger than we expected. We are sur
prised to find that a man with q smile for our face,
has q bite for our back. And some of US are un-
pleasantly surprised to find how time is sliding on,
and that just as we are beginning to learn the value
of life it is passing away. And so the surprises are
mostly the wrong way. But once in a while, espe-.
cially in this good city of Honolulu, the usual fashion
is reversed, and a man is surprised by meeting un-
expectedly at his house a joy instead of q disappoint-
ment-donors, instead nf DINNERS And that il
what takes place this evening. Your friends have
remembered that this is the silver day of your mat
rimonial life. And I express the trust that If now
you are bound with q silver cord, it will not be
loosed, except to be exchanged for a golden one.
Your friends, who now surround you in such num-
bers, wish to give pleasure to you and your family
on this evening when you commemorate the twenty
fifth anniversary of your welded life. The yoke of
m~atrimony is oftentimes spoken Of as a burden, and
has a great deal Of small fun poked at it by news
paper men, but 1 trust that you have found it light,
yet if occasionally a burden, as every bliss must
have its alloy, l hope that a quarter of a century
has obliterated every grudge in your heart that you
may have felt against him (now presently who first
imposed it upon you. Some Of as l believe now
here, would risk his imposing the same upon us, if
favored by q happy occurrence Of sentiment in the
right quarter. However, L doubt not, judging from
your happy expression, that you look back with sat
i~sfaction upon your welded life; and I desire to ex-
press q fervent hope that you, with your judicious
and facile pen. will in the course of the coming
years assist in advancing the prosperity of the coun-
try, by the promotion of Reciprocity, immigration,
and other good things; so much so, that should some
Of us young fellows be fortunate enough to greet
you and Mrs. Sheldon, (Whom we are happy to meet
here with your, when you have arrived at your mat
rimonial half century, that we may then be able to
surprise you, as Jupiter did Dame, with a shower Of
gold. The worthy senior proprietor Of the ADvER-
T1sER, (Mr. Black) has chiefly thought Of and
prompted this surprise for you. Here are his taste
full gifts of silver for yourself and wife and daughter,
with a purse of coin from your friends, and I trust
that you will take pride in preserving these beautiful
silver utensils until they are replaced by golden ones
on your golden day"
Mr.. Sheldon expressed and manifested genuine
surprise. He felt deeply the kindness and thought
fulness that had prompted the oceasion,-too much
so to be disposed TO make O speech; had his friends
but given him previous intimation, he might, per-
haps, have ,critten a passable speech. But one
thing he wished to say with heartfelt satisfaction
that after the lapse Of twenty-five years, he and his
faithful wife loved each other better even than when
they were first wed.
And then the Rev. Mr.. Damon, editor Of the