Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1874-10-17
APOET'S WELCOMEH0aE
"F1BIE WON At HOME rs OF All
F1ATE THE BEsT.V

Reception of Bayard Taylor by
His Friends and Neighbors of
HOclessfII, Kennett Square and
Wilmington.
II was announced in the Wilmington
papers some days ago that the Hockessin
friends and neighbors of Bayard Taylor,
purposed to give expression 10 their plea.
sure at their distinguished neighbor's
return and their thanks for his loving
mention of their pleasant valley in his
poem of Liars" by giving him recep-
tion upon the ground over which he took
his hero in that story. Their friends aud
the friends and admirers of Mr. Taylor at
Wilmington and Kennett and other
nelghboring places were invited to join
IN this welcome-home. The only public
notice was that thus given and such invl.
tation as could pass around by word,
where 1t was understood that all who
cared to come were invited, and yet this
was enough TO secure at Cuba Hill lin
this county, but near Cedar Croft,
Bayard Taylor's home), the place
selected, on Saturday, what We may
without exaggerasion call an ovation to
our Foet, and such aB, ovation as has
rarely been given TO author r-uard sf..ife..s
he days when grateful Greeks crowned
their noblest singers with eonsecrated
laurel.
The Hockessin and Kennett people and
few from this city gathered at Cuba
Bill In the morning aud there spread ir
the pavilion long table with an amplf
supply of good things for a picnic din
ner. The pavilion was also
BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED
by their hands, with flags and flowers
In one place the flags of America and
Germany were festooned together in com.
pliment to the well-beloved wife the Poet
brought with him from her German
home, which has been also second home
to him. The other decorations were
gathered from the woods around about.
Evergreens, autumn leaves and flowers
in rich profusion covered the sides and
pillars of the building, while the table
was piled high with flowers and fruit,
but even among these the wild field
flowers he has so sweetiy sung were not
forgotten.
CONSPICUOUS amongst the decorations
were the maple turned TO crimson and the
sassafras TO gold, and the gentians of the
meadow and the asters of the wold, so
beautifully sung by the poet that they
they were entitled 10 join, by their pres
ence, in this welcome and these thanks.
Besides these were fragments fof MS
own poems, surrounded with wreaths,
such as:
Fame won at nome Is OF all fame the
best"
"The prayer for inward Light
The search for outward truth"
A faith humane,
| In good, that never can be slain.
A spirit OF beauty walks the hills.
At one end of the building, enclreled
with wreaths and hags, appeared the
inscription
: b. Il.
Welcome
| ...s.....s....
And facing it,and Just above where the
guest Of the occasion sat, appeared, alsc
wreath-encircled, an adaptation from
Tennyson's welcome to Alexandra, and
made to read thus:
Poet and traveller from over the sea
Though Saxon or Dane or Norman we,
Teutcn OF Celt, or whatever we be,
We each and all JOIN in our welcome tS
thee.
Mr.. Taylor arrived in Wilmington &C
eompanied by Mrs. Taylor, on the moor
train from New York, and a special traiI
in waiting on the Wilmington S Weston
Roqe sco9 ssos, took then and. Q nnphs1 Q
Cuba Hill. where his friends from Hecges
sin and Kennett had already gsthefet
together, with the remainder of his Owl
family, including his venerable fathel
and mother, who had driven over from
CedarcToft, The gally decorated pavilion
wore
FEsTIyE AIR,
and the platform was crowded will
people when the train arrived, VIII
greeted Mr.. Taylor with cheers when h
stepped from the cars.
He was at once escorted to the seat Q
J honor at the table, and for a time fal
, Justice was done to the more substantial
feast which preceded that which Il is ou
. pleasant duty to report.
After the clalter of knives and fork
, had eied away, and the fragrance q
coffee been Joined TO that OF the vii
flowers, an impromptu choir, compose
, of Messrs. Rhodes, LiehtensLleu, e. |
2 James and DR.. Oge, the Misses ConnC
/ and Mrs. Cooling, with Mr.. Parry at tn
; organ, sang Mr.. Taylor's own translate
Of" Der Wacht am Rhein," after whic
p Mr.. John G. jackson, of Hockessil
/ made the following
D WELCOMING ADDRESS.
r Whenever any number of congregele
: chords are attuned to the same strain, no
y easy is it to produce responsive -vlvrsSu
0 amongst the whole. Let one OF the nun
Der emit q tone, and how promptly lho'
Q attuned in unison will take up the r
s frain and produce throughout thrill ,
v spontaneous harmony. Thus it is wit
{ the hearts of men, when alike warmed
II The reception of thought or aetioi
=. Let one heart speak, and how prompt
- others will respond. Iu no other wa
e can we account for this hearty responI
n to the suggestion that we should unite
y giving greeting to our celebrated countr
man and neighbor, Bayard Taylor, he
d present before us.
1t was my good fortune, Mr.. Taylor,
le few weeks ago, at a pleasant reunion
=. the friends of Hockessin, held at Ia
" very spot, to quote from your poem
le 4" Lars" the aattering illusions to ol
lt "high, wide and fertile hills " Of
ie "healthy air." our "ancient meeliI
el house," and to suggest that we
Hockessin owed a debt Of thanks 10 yt
III for these and other favors whereby Of
!, pleasant country is becoming almo
u classic ground, embalmed In the enGurlr
ID literature of the day through your kid a
)" probation. The thought had dwell wi
r. me for some time, and those casual gor
~ struck a chord which seemed TO thr Il 4
en- country side. They found many re'po
vi sIye hearts, not only in Hockessin, b
ht elsewhere, and this hasty but --s<ar
slt assemblage of your friends here to-day
IT. measurably the result of suggestions thl
thrown out. l make this allusion III
all may understand why so humble
individual should be chosen to take I
n iniliatory step in expressing to you
~ earnest greeting of welcome and than
~ on behalf of this social gathering.
nj More especially, then, is II my provir
70 TO speak on behalf of Hockessin, a
~ leave 1t for other and more eloquC
~ friends to express what their hearts IN
nh dictate. We have had no rehearsal
NJ this little performance, and know
no. how many may wish to extend a word
- greeting. De it many or few, kn
al you will be patient with us, for our OIL
80 ings are not In the spirit of fulso
|. - uALLely Dub epIluS bpohbNhOuusll AA'
he heaIts luil ~ lIiehuly ,eeituss ~ ,inr A,u
greeting, and OF hearty appreciation
an. your well earned fame as traveller, autl
Oh and poet.
~ X On behalf of the Valley of nocke 4'
- then, permit me to formally thank !
,c5 for frequent illusions to our home,
roy your published works for selecting n
re- re- It's Z" ancient neeting house" the pl
rs where your wandering "Lars" fol
IN en- rest and peace in the quaint
az, quiet family of Ezfa Mendinhal
ID and where his wild Berserker blood fol
od' soothing power from the hand AND ht
ihs Of that truly pictured wonsaSs~
hnt daughter, Ruth.
Let me thank you again, not alone
a behalf Of the QnakeTs Of uoekessln,