Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1875-06-24
To the american.

To the american
PORTLAND, Me-, June q. 1873
Portland has had a Centennial Tea PARTY
The object was IL raise funds for the Philadel
pha celebration. The occasion was the com
menOration Of the Centennial of the Bate Of
Bunker Hill. which occurred 10 b, sure on the
Seventeenth Of June l,7J, while our Tea party
was on the fDartes nth Of June 1870; but As
Portland has not a. yet committed any overt
yet Of Centennial cclebr .tion. her patriotic
Itryor could not wait for the cud Of the cen
fury. but enjoyed il celebration lust as well
At the end Of ninety-nine years three hundred
and siXty-two dag, and then the committee
wanted to do the fair thing by the Boston Gel
:bration, on the Seventeenth, and not TO EN-
nrrass the main exhibition at Bunker Hill by
sd show in Portland on the same day. The
Centennial Committee in the city, was compos-
81 Of ladies who We're full of zeal and good
works in the cause, and succeeded in inspiring
With enthusiasm. even the dullest, and most
conservative OF their gentlemen friends.
The work Of preparation went on apace.
The minuet mus; be learned, and the services
d Mr.. RAYMOND the Tespsichorean artist.
we're engaged 10 instruct the Young men and
aides IN the beaute, of that grand old dance.
a popular sentiment must be awakened in
avor Of the affair. and straightwav we
eunI that under the Impetus OF the commit
ee's gentle persua>ions, such a sentiment had
prung up full armed. Zach able bodied mas
dime must be induced to repre,e sent some EN-
ientde al person of hundred years ago, and
'hen the matter was first discussed. every
antleman Of my acquaintance, swore or affirm
d a the case might be, that he never would do
|, But it was not long before symptoms of
Yielding Were visible, and in "A few DAYS the
Teat question which greeted grave and gay
dike was, What are you going as Sober
npied, dgnitied gentlemen who had been al
teir life time innocent Of disappearing. were
DIV found submitting themselves to the de-
YES of the gentleManly Littlefield, the costum-
X artist of Portland, or to the more ambit-
Is, but somewhat grasping Haydn of Boston.
complete subjugation had the ladies effect
that small masculine mass meeting was
ED, and a motion was unanimously passed to
owhatever the ladies directed in the matter:
ever was old Mr.. Weller in a more remarka-
lie state of ''inadvertent captivation, than
'ere the gentlemen of Portland, to the ladies
the Centennial Committee.
1t all came out well too. The daily papers
ave told you how handsomely City Hall was
ecorated, how it was the 'grandest event Of
be season. in capitals, how gloriously the min
tet was danced, and how each original state
lad q table well loaded with thu food peculiar
o its climate and manners.
The mock tea table scene, supposed to be
nst after Washington's Inauguration. was ami
aated and brilliant; after supper Col. David
humphrey, (Mr. W. W. Thomas, Jr) acted
8 master of ceremonies and made reference to
,ading events of the time, which called forth
ome OF the eminent men of that age.
Speeches in character were made by Robert
Doris, (Mr. Nathan Webb, Marquis de La
ayette. Col. A. NJ. Bradbury, Alex ander Ham
ltoa. Dir. Clarence Hale), Count de Moustier.
Gen J. NJ. Brown and Chief Justice Jay,
Mr.. George j. Davis.)
The Ball which followed, was a scene of an
estral beauty, which occupied the giddy rep
esentatives of two centuries, till into the |
corning. Here the two ages met and mingled.
;heridln said that the best way to show re-
beet to our ancestors, is to keep out OF their
ociety as long AS possible; but this was not
e kind of respect shown to the mock ances-
ors Of the party, for it was notable fact that
y costumes of both centuries were often in
Y same set, and that Count so-and-so, with