The Portland daily press., 1882-03-06

their several positions. and together shall con-
stitute Board of Directors for the manage
ment of the affairs of the society, and 1our ai-
rectors shall constitute quorum.
Art. 6. There shall be an annual reunion Oh
the members of the society under the manage
ment and direction of its officers
Art. z. Honorary members may be members
of the society by vote.
Art s. These articles may be amended az
any general meeting by two-thirds vote OF
those present and voting.
The following list of officers was presented,
and was adopted with great applause;
President-Geo. f. Emery.
vice Presidents-S. e. Spring, Israel WASH
urn, Jr., Thomas e. Twitchell.
Secretary and Treasurer-A. L. Burbank.
Perry. c. j. Chapman, Percival Bonney, e. 5.
Osgood, j. A. King, H. F. Merrill.
THE DINNER.
At 9.2O D. m. the doors of the dining hall
were thrown open disclosing long tables oc-
cuping the entire space, and presenting very
attractive appearance with their elegant horal
adornments, and skilful arrangement. There
were about 240 ladies and gentlemen occupied
places, and their seats were designated by
cards marked with their names, and by
colored slips which were given to each guest
to show to the walters when they entered the
hall. In brief space of time the guests were
seated and perused the elegant maenu printed
by Stephen Berry in gilt letters on thick
cream-laid note paper, each adorned with
picture of full grown Oxford bear. President
Emery called upon Rev. Eaton Shaw who
offered prayer. Then the business of discus
sing the excellent banquet dinner was attend
ed to in earnest. The dinner reflected great
credit upon the cuisine of this establishment.
After all had been satisfied Mr.. Emery stated
that he had prepared an address but owing to
the lateness of the hour he should hand 1t over
to the reporters without delivering it. The
following is Mr.. Emery's address of welcome:
ADDRESS OF WELCOME.
After the taste of the company had been
satisfied at the magnificent bounty spread
before it, Hon. Geo. f. Emery, from the
chair, expressed regret at the absence OF
Gov. Washburn, who was expected to pre-
side, which was accounted for aud ms IN
terest in the occasion attested, by reading
portion of his letter of regret from kansas,
where he is necessarily detained. The re-
sponsibility cf placing the presiding otiicer
where he was, rested, Mrs Emery said, on
others, and the risk more or less was that
of the committee and the constituency IL
represented. He Tentrenched himself pc
hind an Oxford patent furnished by Elcer
Hooper, the first settled minister OF Parls,
the specification of which ran somewhat
thus:
One day he invited friend home TO dine
with him. The invitation was accepted.
Il happened to be on Monday, day not
yery favorable for generous hospitality, es-
pecially when guests were unexpected. On
being seated at the table the only viands
appearing upon it were mush and milk.
The hostess was sabashed, but the Elder,
was always equal to any emergency, lpro-
ceeded to say grace, and addressed his guest
thus: "You see, my friend, we have rather
frugal dinner to-day, but if you are
Christian it is good enough, and II not 1t is
too good!'
If then, the committee had made mis-
take the chairman, under this coat of mail,
which had often been found useful, felt en-
tirely armed against assaults.
The President, foreseeing that others
who were expected to speak would be IKE
ly to be crowded out should he proceed
with his Introductory speech, forebore ex-
tending his remarks, but assured the COM
pany that he would reduce to writing some
portion of what he might otherwise say,
and pass it to the reporter to be used at
discretion. The following is the result OF
| this announcement:
Mr. Emery took pride and pleasure IN
rendering all most hearty welcome, and
was glad to mingle his congratulations with
| those of the company that so many OF tue
| sons and daughters of our native county
| have united in this movement to revive
| pleasant memories, renew old associations,
| and cultivate the spirit of fraternity Jas
| hand in hand we revisit the old hearth
| stone endeared to US by so many ties OF In
4 ovz1 off III ahgHnf
would be here, our hearts take them all in,
| and we regret that the inn is not large
| enough to do the same. To those not ma
| tives or former residents of Oxford we ten
| der our sympathy, commiserating them Tor
having been born out of due place. and re-
| grettng that nature did not deal more kind
| ly with them.
| Permit me also to add that amidst the
wealth of resources for speeches on this
| occasion, as all cannot be heard now for
| lack of time, the best of the wine has been
preserved for future use, this being but the
| prelude to more brilliant displays OF VII,
| fun and sentiment hereafter.
| Oxford county twas incorporated March
| a, 1905, and was the seventh to take her
| place in the sisterhood of counties then
| comprising the state. Its elevated noun
| tains, rugged hills, sturdy forests, and
| rough soil symbolized noble and vigorous
manhood. Its, generally, peaceful rivers,
| picturesque lakes, and smiling wales be-
! token womanhood worthy to De It's com
| plement These ideals have been abun-
| dantly realized. The first settlers were
hardy, poor, but enterprising, mainly from
| old Massachusetts, and bringing with them
| a matchless emery of high intelligence, and
spirit of manly independence. These
| charisteristics combined with habits OF
frugality and industry, constituted their.
| principal capital The general character OF
| the population has always been quite uni,
form and homogeneous. Education and
Christianity were two main pillars on
which the structure of Oxford society was
based, Hence common schools, and higher
| education early provided for at Fryeburg
| and Hebron academies, were cherished with
peculiar interest, and, in many il not most
towns, a settled minister was deemed lndls-
pensable. Town libraries were very early
established. Literary associations were
formed embracing both sexes, complnihg
intellectual culture with heaven-born char
ity. The village lyceum vas also a fire.
quent feature, to participate in which, as
in nv own native town, men would travel
five miles over rough hills and through
drifting SHOWS to discuss all important
questions of the day, The district school
meetings and frequent town assemblies
were also factors of present blessing and
future promise. The fruits of such CIV
ilization could not fail to be abundant and
benefcent. Nature is always true to her
self Accordingly in most an departments,
and scattered far and wide are to be found
Oxford sons and their more lovely daugh-
tars, the memory of whose parentage and
whose homes we, at least, shall always
cherish with pride.
A single man, or town, or county, makes
apparently but a meagre show IN the
worlds history. In the vast universe of
mind and matter these seem but specs in
the horizon, appearing for an instant. and
soon their names are lost in oblivion. The
reason is, that, except in rare instance
the eve is unable to trace the connecting
links between the effects of individual life
and the head or hand which produced
them. Were to say that there is hardly
any spot on the globe that has not been
affected for good by the lives and works OF
Oxford men it would be regarded as an ex-
for they Msfs t6 Be t 1t illegally IS eKetfqt ettffqqt
batteries, and connecting lines were to be
seen uniting them with the fruits of their
life and labor, these links would be found
almost as numerous as the sands on the
seashore or drops of the ocean, and reach
ing also to the farthest extremities of the
globe. How many buildings, and where
are they, think you. which were in part
| constructed from lumber manufactured bv