The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-02-19

the pleasure of your company at Reception
aud Breakfast to be given at the Hotel Bruins.
wick, Boston on "Wednesday. Fec. 3. 1879, at
Twelve O'Clock, i'll honor of the SEVENTEEN
Birthday of
OLIVER WENDE LII HOLMES.
An early answer is desired.
go DEvoNsnrEE ST., Boston.
NOVEMBER IL, 1879.
The above card OF invitation found its
way to the desks of the most distin-
guished literary men and women Of the
land, and the number who accepted,
formed on the Sd of December one of
the most brilliant and cultured assem-
blages ever gathered in New England.
The guests, to the number of one hun
bred, were seated at six tables, which
were arranged with an artistic exactness
with reference to position, that con-
duced greatly to the social and intellec-
tual enjoyments of the occasion. At
the head of the magnificent dining hall
sat the honored guest, DR.. Oliver Wen
dell Holmes, the frosts of seventy Win
tiers lightly touching his venerable head.
Mr.. Houghton, senior member of the
Atlantic Publishing House, occupied the
first place at his left; on his right sat
Mrs Houghton, and close at hand were
Whittier and Mrs. Stowe and President
Eliot Opposite the guest at the fur
Their end of the hall sat Mr.. Howells,
editor of the Atlantic The first seat
at the right of Mr. Howells was
intended for Mr.. Longfellow, but
he was unhappily detained by sickness.
A diagram of the tables designating the
seat occupied by each guest is presented
in the February Atlantic. A litho-
graph of the same was furnished each
guest so that it was easy to discover the
names of any who might be strangers in
person. Among the notables whose
names appear at the festive board we
find Mr.. Eggleston and Mr.. Clemens;
Dr. Bowditch and Mr.. Parkman; Julia
Ward Howe and Col. Higgenson; Mr..
Parton and Mrs. Aldrich; Governor
Rice and Mr.. Harper, and more than
four score others whose names are ash house
hold words in American literature.
The Doth of August was the anniver-
sary of Dr. Holmes birth, but since
many of his friends and literary asso
ciates would be absent at that season the
festival was postponed to the day above
named
Mr.. H. o. Houghton, in conducting
the initiatory exercises of the intellectual
portion of the great feast said "In an
old almanac of the year 1909 against the
date of August 80, is the simple entry
Son born The ink with which that
entry was made was blotted with the
coarse sand universally used at that
time, and that sand to day, firmly i'm
bedded in the ink, still glistens on the
record. May the sands of this life which
blot the record of immortality awaiting
our Autocrat be as adhesive and COLI
tinue for many years to come to give out
its coruscations of light and truth and
beauty !" Ladies' and gentlemen, |
give YOU as sentiment The Autocrat
of tho Breakfast Table; O King, live for
ever
At the giving of this toast the COM
pany rose enthusiastically and drank the
health of Dr. Holmes. When they
were again seated and the applause had
died away DIR. Holmes read a poem pre-
pared for the occasion, replete with pa
thos, tenderness and beauty.
We reproduce the following stanzas,
regretting that our space will not accom-
modate the whole:
Old age, the gray beard Well, indeed. know
shrun K. lettering, bent, of aches and Ills the
In sermon, story. fable. picture poem,
OF have met him froIn my earliest day:
Yes. long, indeed. I've known him at dis
tanca,
And now my lifted door.latch shows him
take his shriveled hand without resistance,
And find him smiling as his step draws near.
What thouln ofgilded haubles he bereaves MS
Dear to the heart OF youth, TO manhood's
prime.
Think OF the calm he brings the wealth he
leaves us.
The boarded spolls, the legacies OF time
Affairs once flaming. still with incense fra
Passions uneasy nursIings rocked asleep.
Hopes anchor faster, wild desire less vsgraut,
Lfe's flow less noisy, but the stream how
deep
still ms the silver cord gets worn and slender.
Its lgn,ened task-worx tugs with lessening
strain,
Hands get more helpful. voices, grown more
tender,
soo'he with their softered tones their slum-
berous brain.
But. q my gentle sisters, O NV brothers.
These thick-sown snow flakes hint OF tolls
release;
These lee h err ruises bid me leave to others
- WI Az M ks f,r