Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-10-19
NO. 25O.
A(efan0rla Q6azette
FRIDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 10.


friends of Daniel j. Smith, Of this place, thu
gifted author of sour Centennial Pocm," AS
stmhled al his pleasant home to manifest their
kind regards Tor the rural poet" and his good
wife on the occasion of the thrtieth anniversary
Of their wedding day. The gathering, all III
bidden and unexpected by the venerable couple,
was none the less cordially welcomed by then,
and seldom IN many years has rtunlon OF old
friends and acqualntanc2s 10 cur ncighborhood
been attended by rlcasantcr and more impress.
sivc circumstances. 1t was little episode in
the daily routine OF our qaiet country lie, which.
while it was source OF much enjoyment, On
the evening alluded to, will be long and protita'
bly, remembered by all the participants. The
bountiful repast spread upon the table from
the well provided baskets of the guests was
prnceiy and varied in style, and was enveD
cd by o cheerful fund Of Jest and annecdoc to
which everybody present contributed. anu
which everybody enjoyed. At the close Of the
entertainment the wedding associations oil the
day. thirty years before, were formally called up,
and the nuptial VOWS OF the long ago replghl'
ed then, by invitation, one Of the company be.
| ing called upon for some remarks, addressed
the happy twain, in substance, as follows =
My friends, ain commissioned by this assem-
blagc of your ncghbors and friends to cordially
consratulatc you on the occurrence Of this thir
ticth anniversary Of your wedding day. To-
night YOU arc permitted by the blessing Of
benefccnt Providence to look back over lapse
Of thirty years Of counu5ial felicity. Like good
old John Anderson My 10 John and bis faith
| rdl partner, Of whom the poet Burns has SO
touchingIy written, you Eave been climbing
good while lilies hill together and, now, at
| this stage of your journey, if the pathway, you
| have been travelling seems to you as smooth ard
| as foWery, and the skies which are bending
| above you seem as bright and as propltlouS a.
they did on that 10 you we'll remembered
morniog in the long ago. when 10 all the eli
lhusiasm Of young loves VOWS you began
hand in hand your pilgrimage together, It Is ln-
deed we'll for you; and We sincerely icAcltatc
you 10 that il is So. and earnestly trust that
many more anniversaries may be n store for
you. But you will pardon me if observe one
thing in the programme here very UNUSUAL on
occasions like the onc which has called US TO.
scthcr. 1t is, that in looking over the group
before me- | sec the smlog faces OF no children
! to rise up and call you blessed. Whether thla
| be your tGrlune or your misfortune L canuot
say. OF one thing onEy a;n ! certaln: that II
you have no child to lionor you, you have none
| to upbraid you for bad example and Improper
! training; none to wound you 10 lngratlud'
with tooth sharper than s9rpent's and Done
| in Waywardncss to bFing down your grey bars
| in sorrow TO the grave. ln conclusion, my
| friends, | suppose l. may say to you that by
this time you have gottcn fairly over the "hllI
top" aod arc going gco,y down the decllvlty;
and if 10 looking back over the devious way
YOU have journcycd and arc satisfied with your
past actions; and if in looking forward you
have serene trust that You will safely rcac!'
that goal for which We are all yearning, then
let me say to you, that tho measure OF the
years you have already lived, and OF those yet
10 scrc for you, will not have been mectcd out
| to ycu in vain.
TO these remarks Goodman Smith re
sponded
My Friends,--I shall not make even an el'
| fort to portray in words the tccilogs OF my vile
and myself this evening, Or TO express our
thanks fer the interest manifested by you on
this return OF cur marriage anniversary by such
an unexpected and friendly demonstration.
But there is a sensation Of sadness cnmmlngIcd
with the pleasure produced by this occasion.
| when We look around Us and find, IN all thus
asscmblagc, but two countcnaucca that wcir
known to rs prior to the sOlCmnlzaton OF our
| marriage. There arc two potent causes that
have produced this radic. change 10 our social
relations We were married in distant State,
beneath the mighty shadow ol tho towering
CatskiIls, and by the side OF the limpId streams
whose unfailing sources arc deeply hidden IN
their rocky bosoms But were We Standing to-
night at the very hearth where VIC plighted our
nuptial vows but few who surrounded US then
would b. present to participate IN this the
thirtieth anniversary of that event. Death has
been steadily An! surely accomplishing his mis-
sion, ill perhaps ms )rIty OF onr then cotem-
poratcs have been summoned by hlslmpcrIous
mandate to their eternal homes. But we feel
iccply grateful that az old friends pass away
new ones are continually gathering around u,
SO that here, 10 our adopted State, Wo arc sur,
rounded by 4 circle OF hearts endowed with all
the warmth and affection Of those we lett be-
hind us, or those now stilcd by the incXorablc
hand of Death And We feel to night that tins
friendly and wholly unlocked for demonstration
on yonr rart is one OF our strongest Incentives
to 50 live among oar ncighbors that we may
merit and receive, to- the end OF our earthly
pilgrimage n continuance Of your appreciation
and esteem.
| At late hour, the ieas!ing and tho speak
inc aud the other parts oil the evening" pro
grammo being finished, the delighted company
| dispcrscd, and the thirticth anniversary OF the
wedding day OF "Our Centennial Poet was
over lloMESr"N.
Ez37~Gn nArEs FOR HEALTH. The use Of ripe
Grupcs for dinner ig CT incaculab!o benefit I"
the human SYSTEM and the Pure Grape Juice.
properly lormonteL, is invaluable for weakly
persons and invsIids. The Port Grape Wine OF
Alfred Spcor, N. j., is generally pronounced
the most roliablo Vino TO be obtanol u
ekJ'"rUE CORNER" S. ". or KING AND
Fai,rar streets, DEALHAM'S, is the only
: place 60 buy FIRST CLASS MERCH nj
TAILORS CLOTHING ready Iuade.
First Glass Dress Suits $50. So. $50. &c.
Business Suits, IS. sc 50, SIS, 50, $40 Sl2, Sl5
SIG 50, Sc.
Ovcrcoats Of Finest Imported Boavor, Sstit
Lined, $40.
DO. Cut Beaver, both sides visible, S25.
French Worstod $27.
Beavers SIS. SIS, S12, $40 and So.