Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-12-24

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was founded.
Before sitting down Mr.. Brainerd pro-
posed the sentiment " Forefather's day :
a living memorial of a deathless past; =
and called upon Gen. Grandey to re-
spond. The latter made one of those de-
| lghtful speeches for which he is famous.
No report can do it justice, or begin to.
1t was full of suggestive references to
the past of Middlebury and to the dis
tinguished men whom it then contained,
such as Rev. DIR. Merrill, "the pope of
Vermont; Samuel Swift, Peter Starr.
lloratio Seymour, Gov. Slade, Charles
Linsey, Julius A. Beckwith, Ira Stew
art Judge Phelps and DR.. Labarec. Mr..
Grandey furnished the best of entertain
ment for half an hour and every one was
sorry when lie closed.
\ duet by Mrs Pitts and Mrs. Miner
was next on the programme.
Mr. Henry II. Dorr of Rutland was
called upon for a poem and gave one,
entitled Take Heed" which follows:
The great Creator wrote in books of stone
And mighty scrolls of pages manifold,
The records of the ages which were old
When the first light of history dimly shone.
Now, at long intervals, the years give birth
To men who turn and read on some new
The story of a long forgotten age
When the primeval peoples walked the earth.
Great cities, builded on this continent
When the old years we know not of were
young,
Flourished and fell and over them was
flung
The dust of time when their strong life was
spent.
ON distant western prairies, silent, wide
As the great deeps which stretch from
strange monuments of elder nations stand,
Which the slow DRIFT OF centuries could not
hide.
The hardy Vikings of the stormy north
Set sail and built their towers beside our
Long years before the sturdy Geneese
In his wind-beaten vessels ventured forth
Still, this old land was new; and east and west
Broad miles of prairie and vast leagues of
Patient, cxpectant, waited the favoring
breeze
Which bore the Pilgrims in their dangerous
quest.
For larger liberty and ustcr law
Than kingly counselors would grant, they
came,
Brave men who thought and, thinking.
dared to claim
The rights which their prophetic eyes fore.
saw!
stern to II fault, for stern men must they be
who fought to live, and at New England's
birth
Wrung from the rugged and reluctant
Rude nurture for the child oflibcrty!
Yet, stern men can be tender: and the brow
Which borrows sternnes, from the crags
and peaks
SOtcns and mellOwS when the warm heart
speaks,
As mountains soften in the sunset glow.
Theirs was the principle which gave them
strength
To dare the danger lurking in The wood,
To lay the cruel ghost OF want which stood
Beside each humble doorway, and ut length
To triumph over all. Their wise men laid
The broad and deep foundation stones
whercOn
Was built the freedom that their children
Beneath the flag whose bright stars shall not
tadei
Shall never fade! but multiply and shine
With richer radiance while time shall last,
II later generations heed the past,
And cherish in their souls the spark divine.
Not all is wise that fires the heart of youth,
Not all is good that bears the stamp of age;
But men must seek upon the ancient page
The guides to glory and the soul OF truth
safe in our freedom, shall we ask "what need?"
10, stealing in upon our long content,
voice of prophecy and warning blent,
cries from the silence OF the past -"Iakc
Heed"
Take heed! for in the stronghold of the free,
With torch and dagger clutched in his red
hand,
The false apostle shrieks his wild demand
For license, in the name OF liberty!
Until the dainty sons of stalwart sircs,
The willing bondmcn OF their weak de
sires,
Brought woe and shame to a majestic state!"
\ greater nation it is ours to keep;
And reading well the story of the years,
The stern and unforgotten truth appears
"Whate'er the generations sow, they reap"
The nation that the fathers faith torcsaw-
That ancient faith, undaunted and sub
lime,
shall last. God grant, until the end OF
The child OF liberty, truth and law
Gen. Grandey wanted to hear Rev. Mr..
Thomas sing "Ihe Sword of Bunker
Hill" and that gentleman complied with
the request, much to the qualification of
his auditors. 1t may be said in this con-
nection that when Mr.. Thomas was in
college here he was a member of the col
lege quartet. which is said to have equalled
any of the fine ones that have since been
so well known.
Prof. Wright was asked to respond to
the sentiment; sour country its genesis
came by the sea, for numbers crossed the
mountains" He told of the New England
characteristics of his native State (Ohio)
and made number of happy hits in the
course of his remarks.
Mr.. Judd of Port Henry, n. Y, was
called up and commented on some of the
lessons that were to be learned from the
Pilgrims.
"Ihe most Hellenic State of New Eng
land; which and why?" was the conun-
drum proposed to Prof. Eaton for solu-
ton, which gave him opportunity to
draw interesting comparisons that brot
down the house.
The evenings entertainment concluded