Connecticut western news., 1880-06-02

ion, headed by the Lakeville cornet band, ! hen marched into the church, filling it to it's ltmost capacity. Thos. L. Norton, president ,f the day, opened the exercises with a few appropriate remarks, followed by prayer by he Rev. c. l.. Kitchel. At this juncture a ,hill was thrown over the audience by the re- port that Lot Norton, Esq. of Lakeville, had allen down in the church porch in it, and } few moments later that be was dead. This threw pail over the enthusiasm of the audi ence. After the reading of the roll of honor, by Dr. B. S. Thompson, an appropriate se- lection was sung by quartette, consisting ot Miss Fannie Turner, soprano, Miss Georgina Shaw, alto, Mir. Geo. B. Burrall, bass, and Mir. H. s. Wilson, tenor, Miss B. c. Arm strong presiding at the organ. This was well and effectively rendered, as may be said ot all music both vocal and instrumental, rendered by those parties on that day. The Rev. C. L.. Kitchel then introduced to the audience Col Homer B. Sprague of Boston, who de- livered the oration for the day, which in en- thusiasm, eloquence, and oratorical grandeur, it has seldom been our lot to hear surpassed. Doubtless more enthusiasm and appreciation would have been shown by the audience had it not been for the death of Mir. Norton, which rendered them less capable of enjoying the rare treat which was given them by Col. Sprague. And right here let me say word to the mothers of the town; it is this: Be sure and attend the services of Decoration Day, furthermore be sure and take the baby. If you haven't baby, borrow one; ii you can't borrow one, let this be warning to you, and provide yourself with one before another decoration day comes around. There were probably, at reasonable estimate, one hun dred and fifty infants between the ages of O aud years present last Saturday, and when the speaker lifted up his voice and spoke, they, taking the spirit of patriotism from hlm, lifted up their voices in one sublime and awful chorus filling the hearts of the bachelor DOT, and and admiration d for Herod of old, each desir. ing in his heart to be moro like him. After the singing of America by the choir, the ser.
 vices at the church were concluded by the benediction, pronounced by the Rev. MT
 White of Lakeville, and the procession was formed and marched to the cemetery, where the graves of the soldiers were decorated bJ the young girls chosen for the purpose, one girl being chosen for each grave. After the completion of this, the soldiers were marched to the town hall, where bountiful collatior
 was provided for them by the ladies of Sails
 bury and Lakeville, this concluding the cer
 emonies of the day. QUIs. AtAA6V1A1Ge
 Death, the tireless reaper, is in our midst
 cutting with relentless hand the grain for tn
 heavenly garner and saying in solemn word
 to each of us, Be ye also ready" On Satur
 day Mr. Lot Norton died almost instantly a | the church door, from heart disease, so quick
 ly and painlessly that it could have been onl..
 beautiful surprise to him to awaken il
 heaven. Surely we cannot mourn for him ! o+ 1ot tod from fhn i'll
 of mortality to all the glory of the ''rest tha
 remaineth."
 On Sunday night Mrs. Minnie Little Horn
 beck died at her home in Weatogue Flo
 some weeks she has been very ill, and thu
 most devoted care was unavailing to save tn
 tenderly loved life. The father and mothe SO bitterly stricken in the death of their onl
 child, and the husband in his heavy grie
 must feel the pulse of sympathy beating i
 many hearts for them.
 On Sunday night Miss Hattie Church, die
 at Salisbury. She has long been an invalic
 and has faded slowly throug h the spring. o
 an old tombstone in New York churc
 yard there is beautiful inscription:
 'who plucked that howers'' the angry gardent
 ''The Master p hastily his mate replied.
 The gardener bowed his head and held his peac | REX.
 The annual meeting of the steamboat con
 pany was held on. Friday, 18th ult, and M
 Henry Chapin elected president for the CT
 suing year. It was voted to reduce the fa1 to the uniform rate of ten cents. The stean CT will begin her summer cruise with a pro pect of fair skies and abundant patronage.
 What of the Village Improvement Society
 If it is to be revived, as we hear, would it nt
 be well to do so early in the season, that i
 effects may be visible before the summ
 closes? The exercises for Decoration Day were he
 at the Congregational church on Saturday
 3 o'clock. The soldiers, headed by the bar
 and 20 little girls bearing flowers, entered u church, and took the front seats, which al always reserved for them. On the platfor were the Rev. Messrs. White and Kitche
 and Col. Sprague While the soldiers we
 entering, "Hail Columbia" was played by M Wilson on the clarionet, with organ accor
 paniment. MT. T. L. Norton, president , the day, then asked the Rev. c. l.. Kitchel 3 lead in prayer, after which the quartette sal sThe Brave, Noble and True" The pre-: dent then made brief remarks, and at tht U close was hastily. called out, but it was D 3 generally known until the close of the exe - cises, that his father, MT. Lot Norton, h e died from heart disease when entering t :, church. The exercises were continued 7 reading the roll of honor by Dr. Thompso U and MT. Kitchel then introduced the speak e Col Homer B. Sprague, who made an excee a ingly interesting address. He said that co t ering graves with flowers is not a new thiI s Two hundred and fifty years ago Milton
 t'Lycidas" bids flowers be brought to de
 the grave of his frinnds and we see it neal > home in all our churchyards, by those W T would keep fragrant the memory of thu
 dead. The first Decoration Day was Augusta. May 1865, when the Union arr 7 7 was there. This has spread from year ., year. until now, not only the soldiers of I, Rebellion, but all who have died in the 8 ,f vice of the Republic are remembered. , cannot clasp their hands or twine fadele :, laurels about their brows, but we do the b. s we can we bring the springs fairest blt - soms, emblems of immortality, and strew tn n graves. MT Sprague described the taking ., Sumpter, and the presidents call for 75,O d men, and said that then from New Englal 7 brain of the nation, sprang liberty, flu # armed into the arena as Minerva from t # head of love. He described the, progress
 the war, the soldiers life, the camp fir
 made bright with southern rail fences, a t. brighter yet with Yankee wit, the friendshi l. formed, such as civilians rarely know. Tn
 ID glowing terms he spoke of Connectic whose soldiers were always in the thickest o every fight, and who sent more men in pl
 portion to the population, than any state ( t Icept Iowa and Illinois. We must rememt ', that it was not the southern people, wal f, hearted and hospitable, or the southern arl # brave, and therefore generous, as brave m # always are who killed by starvation ~ TTnion soldiors in nrison h1lt a few men !. i, heads of the Confederacy, who have gain 'e e for for themselves lasting scorn. It IS well 1- strew with flowers the graves of the de- 10 but do not forget to strew with flowers a pathway of soldiers in our midst. The ;s dress was full of beautiful and fitting poeti 70 quotations, and closed with those verses
 l well known from LongfelloW: