St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-06-05

lieved the young people were ready TO
respect the memory of the dead heroes.
AS an instance, the young men of the
village had been looking forward to
this holiday. And a holiday now means
base ball, but a few words spoken to
them concerning the real meaning of
the observance changed their course
and their presence attested their readi
ness to do their duty. Two things he
thought should be especially observed
on these occasions-grateful, loving
respect for the dead and proper dis
charge of duty to the young men and
women growing up among us to-day.
After music by the band and prayer
by Rector F. 5. Fisher, H. c. Bates
gave the Grafton. He varied the usual
( flUwery discourse by talking facts,
bringing to mind the great sacrifices
made to rid the country of slavery. He
| first gave history of the country's
great evil, noting the fact that Yer
mont was the first state to abolish it
in l777, Massachusetts following in
| 1880. The war he spoke of as Gods
retribution, an instrument for slave
country's punishment of itself. Men
tiOning the vast losses in different bat
ties, he noted that the loss at Antietam
alone was larger than the entire popu-
lation of Caledonia county and that at
Gettysburg greater than the pOpula
ton of both Caledonia and Orleans.
The magnitude of the sin could be
Judged by the weight of the punish
ment. The Grafton was to a great ex-
tent statistical, but an occasional bit
of elOquence crept into the speech, as
when reference was made to the mob
bing of Garrison, and toward the close,
when the orator addressed the soldiers,
speaking feelingly of their dead COM
rades.
The exercises closed with the audi
ence singing "America," after which
the women of the village dined the
Grand Army, the st. Johnsbury guards
and the band, in the vestry of the
South church.
! The concert at the rink in evening
was pronounced success, the hall
being so full that the ushers had to
violate the statute law by filling the
aisles with chairs. The chorus of thirty
male voices under the direction of w.
II. Herrick showed the result of care
full training and hard work. The band,
which also had prominent part in the
program, played exceedingly well,
considering the exertiOns of the day
II. II. May led off in the vocal exer-
cises with the Battle cry of freedom"
which was well adapted to his rich
baritone voice, but was given with
hardly enough vigor. The light, clear
tones of w. c. Tyler in "Just before
the battle" were next heard and were
followed by j. w. Batchelder's cornet
solo, which walked up the rather cold
audience and he was obliged to repeat
| The encore was well deserved, for his
work is far superior to that of the
average cOrnet soloist. ''Tramp, tramp"
by J. NJ. Cheney, was nicely rendered
and well received. T. Z. Grow seemed
to be handicapped by slight cold,
! but put considerable vim into "Glorv,
glory, halleluiah," and the audience
made the old hall ring on the chorus.
| The next was "When this cruel war is
over" 10y G. 5. COnant. This showed
Il high, true voice under good control,
and was followed by burst of ap-
plause. At this point Mr.. Plummer of
Boston was brought ont and favored
the audience with an harmOnica solo,
exquisitely rendered, entitled "a flag
without stain" He was promptly
recalled and gave another, equally
pleasing. w. H. Herricl<'s voice showed
the effect of fatigue in Marching
through Georgia." but he sang with
much spirit aud the chorus was espec-
tally strong and harmonious. E. A.
Silsby gave the final song, "When
Johnny comes marching home," in
good voice and in "A way that took the
boys promptly into camp and the ex-
excuses closed with '"The vacant chair"
by the chorus and polka by the band.
NOTES HERE AND THERE.
There were 30 academy boys, 50
sons of veterans, IS members of the
Grand Army, b Knight Templars and
- odd Fellows in the procession.
The band was complimented on
every side. 1t never played better.
1t takes pretty good horse to carry
the major on such day as that.
Each academy boy wore a bit of
Grape on his arm and much surprise
was expressed that so many were out.
The handsomest bouquet of flowers
was that sent from New York by Mrs.
d. n. McAlpin to decorate the grave
of her former husband, Lieut. Col Geo.
E. Chamberlin. 1t was pillow, the
Siouiiu WIN vi INC largest IVY leaves,
set with a great variety of choicest
roses.
1t won't be long now to the Fourth
A fat man from Massachusetts was
irreverent enough TO speak feelingly of
the large number of handsome teams
in the procession.
1t speaks well for st. Johnsbury that
the ball game, advertised to be played
on the fair ground Friday afternoon,
didn't draw very we'll.
At FAST ST Io11NSpUpX