The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-08-17

4 Nation fathers to do Homer t. the
Fathers.


Plymouth, Mass, Aug. To
night, tho / have been rained ON,
elbowed and crowded, although l
can not find a bed to sleep on in this
overlooking city, and am going to
Boston to bed at 1:30 a. H., j am
happy. This has been one of the
most enjoyable days of my life. To
day the great national monument to
the pilgrims was dedicated, and de-
spite the rain the exercises were
most imposing. When the sun set
last night the little city of Plymouth
with its $4,000 inhabitants, tho
showing her age, was in holiday
dress, and as she is spread over sew
everal little hills the lavish display
of bunting made her appear many
times larger than she is. Although
small she felt her Importance, for
she felt the eyes of the world were
upon her Every spot where the
Pilgrims feet had trod, from the
sold burying ground" on the hill to
the remotest bound, seen from the
top of the new marble shaft of Faith,
was dressed in the national eolors.
In the harbor where the Maytower
lay at anchor on that bleak Decem-
Der day in 1920 there was a whole
fleet of small craft literally hidden
with flags, streamers and bunting.
The sites of the first house, of the
''old fort" the first meeting house
(by the side of the now splendid
Unitarian church J. the graves OF
that long cold first winter, the com
mon spring" where all slaked their
thirst, and Pilgrim Hall were all
specially remembered. The spot
where was held the first meeting
with Massasoit was spanned by an
arch. The tent where the addresses
were delivered was erected in Gov
Carver's garden, and the tall, half
completed monument of the warrior
Miles Standish, standing out like a
lighthouse in the distance against
the blue sea, seemed to signal back
the glorious cheer. Pulpit rock, y
on an island in the harbor, was ap
propriately decorated. since here the
devout Pilgrims spent their first
Sunday.
This morning dawned rainy and
drizzly and grew worse till II O'Clock
when it stopped. By this hour the
Masonic services at the monument
the formal dedication-wcre oyei
and the long procession was in line
and from the steps of the Samoset
House the orator of the day, thu
Governor and staff and the many
distinguished guests from all owe
the nation had gotten into their ear
riages. Now the rain stopped anc
the procession started
Despite mud and drenchcd skin.
the men marched admirably and a
many points we're loudly cheered
And so through all the pripcipa
streets was heard the tramp of mar
tial men, and the bones of Miles
Standish must have thrilled and
been tempted to be resurrected. AT
2 o'clock the dignitaries entered the
large banqueting tent, where ladies
with tickets had been admitted fol
the last hour and which was now
open to all holding the tickets
There were just PISS seats and all
were taken. Through the kindness
of the vice president of the Monu
ment Association great Metho
dist-our party consisting of Rev
Mr.. James and wife, pastor of Nj. f.
church at Plymouth, Rev. Mr.. Sew
all and wife, pastor of Cong. church.
Plymouth, two brother theologists
and myself, had the good fortune to
be placed just opposite the centre OF
the guest table at a table reserved
for the wives of the guests of the
day. Ny seat CHANGED to be by the
side of Mrs. Breckenridge, the wife
of the orator of the day. She is a
beautiful woman and pleasant. as
only woman from the South can
be. At her throat, she wore small
gold pin and on it in blue, white and
red enamel was the representation
of Confederate flag. AT the raised
table just across from us are the
guests of the day. At the head is
ex Gov. John D. Long, the happiest
toast master in the world and the
most popular man in Mass.-her flu
ture Senator--sitting in Gov. Car
ver's old chair. At his right sits
Hon. W. C. p. Breckenridge, M. c. OF
Kentucky, the orator Of the occasion,
To the right of 1t. Gov. Brackett
(who is acting governor) is John
Boyle O'Reilly, that sweet singer OF
Erin, so enthusiastically American
Senator Hoar with his grandmother
face was conspicuous among the 9th
er two hundred guests, gathered from
all over the United States.
The dinner over, Gov. Long arose
from the first governors chair and
said: Ladies and gentlemen, ask
you to listen to something sweeter
than any voice-the Temple Quartet
of Boston"
After the music Gov. Long, in in
Producing Mr.. Breckenridge, made
a most eloquent address of ten min
utes, which was most enthusiastical-
i ly received. Mr.. Long is one of the
most felicitous of after-dinner speak
ers, equal to Mr.. Depew, while as a
toast master he is unrivalled. To
day in the scene oftimes he arose and
made introductions he carried the
audience--nowc onvulsing them with
laughter, now inspiring them with
the loftiest flights of impassioned
oratory. / might add that in theiI
annual social courtesies, Harvard
and Yale always have as their re
spective dinner presidents, Mr.. Long
and Mr.. Depew-the one son OF
Harvard--the other Yale man.
When Mr.. Breckenridge came for
ward he was greeted with round af
ter round of applause and tiger.
Then followed his GRAFTON of | houl
and fifteen minutes. spoken in his
clear, beautifully modulated voice
without note-fully jnstifying Mr.
Longs Introductory epithet. "the
prince of American orators"
When the corner stone of the mon
ument was laid Edward Everett pro
nounced the grafton; twenty years
before at the same spot, upon like
occasion, Daniel Webster was the
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