Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1886-09-30
. A Silver Wedding.

Surprise parties have been quite fire.
uuent in this locality of late. there havI
ing been several arranged and carried
out successfully within the past few
weeks. But one of the most skillfully
arranged was that perpetrated on ou1
! friends and neighbors, Mr.. and Mrs. 5
| NJ. Thompson, OF our town, on Friday
evening, the oath inst. One very laugh
| able feature of the occasion, and that
which afforded a great deal of mirth to
| the friends of the happy couple, was the
| fact that both had asserted at the sur
prise patty given in honor OF our friend,
Mr.. Solomon Bentley few days ago,
that THEY could not be surprised in
that manner. They could not under
stand how their friends could arrange
party for TEEN without their knowl-
edge. Little did they know, that at the
same time, the same group of friends
were arranging to celebrate the 10Th an
niversary of their marriage. The scheme
Was quietly arranged by the immediate
relatives and friends of Mr.. and Mrs.
Thompson. During the day the genial
pastor of the L. P. congregation, had
some very important business with Mr..
lie should accompany him out to the
farm, while the pastors wife had arr
ranged decoy quilting party for Mrs.
Thompson, and few OF her friends who
were in the secret. During their ab-
sence in the afternoon, and not suspect
ing for a moment what was going on at
home, the friends of the pair to the num-
Der of forty, gathered at the residence,
and bringing with them well laden
baskets of eata0les, proceeded at once to
prepare dinner. At o'clock the time
arranged, everything was in perfect
readiness. Shortly after tnat time, Mr..
and Mrs. Thompson appeared on the
scene, previously arranged by Mr.. and
Mrs. Balph. The surprise was com plete,
and all joined in merry laughter over
their success. AS soon as quietnesS had
been restored, they all repaired to the
dining room, where Two well-filled Ia
bles grOaned under their burden of good
things. The bride and groom of %
years ago, were seated at the head of the
table, with the aged mother of the
groom, who, by the way, has almost
reached her four-score and ten years,
sitting on the right. Dinner being over,
the latter part OF the evening was spent
in congratulations and pleasant cOnver-
sation many references being made, by
the friends, TO the little schemes and
plans they had resoTted to, in order to
prevent their being detected while ar
ranging the affair While the friends
were all gathered in the spacious par
lors, an address, extending the congratu
lations of the whole party to Mr. and
Mrs. Thompson, was delivered by the
Rev. DR.. Balph, as follows:
A silver wedding, what a day,
What thoughts troop home to mind;
The past recalled, the present scanned,
The future underlined.
a silver wedding! 1t affords many a
pleasant thought for reflection. 1t is sug-
gestive of silye locks. 1t is suggestive
CT Times changes. When we scan the
present, we see some of those who started
with US on the journey Of life; but by
glancing back over the past, We can see what
wonderful changes Time has wrought. 1t sug-
gests time to come. That while this is a Joy
Gus occasion, it is nevertheless a christian
joy. 1t reminds us that the silver chords must
soon be broken. 1t suggests happy meeting
in the future, when, we hope, we shall all be
deemed in heaven, never more TO separate. In
concluding he said: Mr.. and Mrs. Thompson,
we congratulate you for the kind providence
that has watched over you for the past twenty
five years. You have had little to ruffle the
stream of life, and much for which to be thank
full. The surprise we have made, we hope, was
happy one. We intended it as such, and
hope you may receive it with the same kind
spirt in which il was given
Mr.. Thompson, replying. said:
Kind Friends-We accept your congratula-
tions with the greatest of kindness, and most
certainly appreciate the motives that prompted
your actions. Twenty-Five years ago to-day
my wife and were united in marriage. Many
are the changes that have occurred since then.
The angel of Death has visited many homes dur
ing that period. The loss of a daughter; then
a son, mother, father, and many other dear
relatives have been taken from our little band
of relationship. Many a dear friend has gone
Among them our late PASTOR Rev. DR.. J. B.
Johnston, Father Kerr, Samuel Gfin, Morri
son Giffin, Robert Kerr, and many others, have
passed away; yet we have passed through the
lights and shadows of the past twenty-five
years, being permitted by a kind providence to
enjoy the comforts and blessings of this life,
for which we certainly feel very thankful We
appreciate the beautiful gifts you have bestOw-
ed on US, not merely for their intrinsic value,
but for the evidence of affection YOU bear
toward us; and whenever our eyes shalt fall on
them it will remind us of our many friends, and
of this pleasant and happy occasion.
Then all joined in singing those beautiful
lines so appropriate on an occasion of this kind:
Behold! how good a thing it is,
And how becoming well
Together such as brethren are,
In unity to dwell.
Among the many presents were the follow
ing: Silver butter dish, Misses Ella and Mag
gle Kerr; fruit dish, Mrs. Morrison Giffn and
daughter; water set, Mrs. Mary Ann Henry
and daughter Alice; toilet bottles, Miss Ida
Henry; gold spectacle for Mrs Thompson, Miss
Mary Kerr; gold eyeglass for Mr.. Thompson,
W. L. Kerr; sugar spoon, Mrs. VIM. j. Clark;
album, c. NJ. and Thos. A. King; China cup
and saucer, Albert A. Kerr; toilet dish, Mr.. and
Mrs. David Brown; silk hankerchiefs. Mrs Jas.
7. Bently; knives and forks, Mr. and Mrs. Jas.
Kerr; cake basket, Miss Lizzie Bentley; cake
knife, Miss Bella Kerr; toilet case, Miss Mag
gle and Ida Kerr berry dish and spoon, Mr..
and Mrs. Solomon Bentley; water set, Mr.. and
Mrs. r. (, Giffin, China soup bowls, Jas. Kerr;
table scarf, Miss Sadie Bentley; miniature
mouse trap, Mrs. Luella NJ. Clark; Suggestive
that the slyest may sometimes be caught in n
trap.)
The hands on the dial were almost pointing
TO the LONGEST hour when the Marty disnorsod