Morning journal and courier., 1889-09-10
oUILFORD,s PATRIOTIC DRESS.

Crowds Flocking Into the Town-
 Yesterday Anern0on's Literary kx-
 ercises and Last Evening's Hecep-
 tions-Hon0rs to the Poet, Fisx
 Creeno Halieck-To-Day's Events.
 Every one of the neat old aged homesteads
 in Guilford which can boast of century or
 more of years-and there are any number of
 them about the town-is gaily adorned and
 decorated with buntings, patriotic emblems'
 flags, banners, shields, notices and every
 sign and insigna of a happy celebration.
 Along the dusty half.mile road which leads
 to the center of the town from the depot
 almost every building is fsstooned in this
 holiday manner. Over most of them, in-
 scribed above the homelike old verandas or emblazoned in letters of holly or evergreen,
 is the date at which the house was built. A stranger marvels at the great age which most of the pleasant old home
 steads boast of. The figures 17s8, 1723, 1789
 and the like are qnite numerous. The old
 stone house which stands surrounded by
 luxurisnt growth of shrubbery, on grassy
 hill just a little removed from the road which
 leads from the depot to the old green in the
 center of the town is an object of interest to
 all. It was built by Rev. Henry Whitfield
 In 1889. It Is profusely decorated. Over
 the low caves, upon the slanting roof were
 inscribed the numerals, "1639 .18S9," in large letters of evergreens. Another old home- stead which was especially attractive to visi- tors stands just @ few squares fur- ther up the street. It is decorated
 :a an s1sen sss of rsSs sna of tSs Soa oa settlers of two centuries ago. The ladies in charge were: Miss Lizzie Elliott, Miss Mary Shepard, Miss Hattie Seward, Mrs. George s. Davis, Mrs. James Hunt, Mrs. Lottie Foote. Miss Frances G. Bushnell, Webster Whedon, Miss Fannie Fiske, Mrs. Edgar Rossiter, Miss Amy Bartlett. It was
 day Other places, which were very noticeable for their display were the resi- dencss of Dr. William Reynolds, Rev. MT. Banks, Henry Hale, William Isbell, Miss Lydie Chittsnden, Dr. Steiner of Baltimore, E. A. Graves, J. A. Leete, George s. Davis, Mrs. Thomas Landon, Mrs. Fannie Bailey, Dr. Beebe, 8. W. Landon, Fred Spencer, Judge Post, William Kelsey, William Barr Der, Hollis Walk, Rev. Dr. Andrews, s. A. Richards and Patrick Maloney. Dr. Rey- nolds' fine residence, the handsomest in the town, was mass of decorations. It faces the public square. Just above it is an elab- crate arch stretching across the street. It bears the word "Welcome." Two others have been erected at the head of Whitfield street. One bears the dates "1639-1889," and the othst is inscribed with the old In- dian name of Guilford, "Menunkatuck." | Visitors began to flock into the town yes- terday afternoon in large numbers. Many of them attended the exercises at the First church, at half past three o'clock. The church was adorned and decked with flowers and plant until it looked like veritable flow. cry bower. The pulpit was hidden by the bright emblems. Red white and blue stresmers were twined and hung along the galleries. Behind the altar upon the wall was "1639-1SS9" in letters of holly. Every thing was. dressed in it's gsysst garb. Joel Benton of Armenia, N. Y. presided. He is a descendant of some of Guilfords old found- CTS. George A. Wilcox of Detroit, Mich., read an interesting poem entitled,"A Legend of Sachem's Head." Extended extracts are here given.
 The Legend of Sachenn,s Head.
 Full many spring has come with a its A. flowers; Aud many a dark wineer-hoar crown of the year. Revive . thousand of morns have fed with their Of deeds unremembered in historic lore; But . legend of old will sometime remain To tell of the scenes of the brave days of yore Not always these fields were titled by the hand; Not ale ay s the flock wandered over the hill;
 Proud forests once stood where these fair orchards And the wolf from his lair roamed about at his
 :,s the s. .ssy ps,9ssd pae to sas s.y But the night air resosuded with the panther's When the Red man was monarch of forest and | fields
 Dark lowered the sky of an early June morn, In that far on tme-the dim region of cid; The storm wind moaned like thing forlorn. | As 1t burst from it's cloud home and ftfuily
 IL smote the old forest and the strong oaks bowed
 While the white breakers wrapped all the reefs In And murmured hoarss masses for souls of the dead Alone upon the cliff stood grim old chief Il Of hunted band, survivor and last;
 None to share n his anger none to soiace his grief None to break the sad spell that his spirit OCT cast.
 The white foam OCT spread him, but he felt 1t not; The wind screamed alofr, but his car was deaf; For he thought only or his lone hapless lot, A tribeless Sschem was that grim old chef A leader renowned that chieftain had been, But no foeman now fears his might well or ween, Whose remnant of braves yonder no shore bestrew. Here hemmed by the foe 'twixt forest and wave; Those who turned but fell on the tioe-washed strand
 Those who swam but sank in watery grave. Save only the chisf, who escape. to this rock, Through cordon of fire, by the dawn's curly light And watched from his hiding the battles brief That ieft none alive and vain his own flight. Mohegan and pale face but wait for the day The victory scarce won if he scapss from his pay His death kne their safety-his safety their woe. oh dark was the soul of waur ega and drear; | No tree of midwinter so leafless and bare;
 Nc a ssn tos % tS. dspsS of the s agony thsre He turned him to ssaward, to landward he turned
 Like hneI on bis ear still rang the hosrss blast. As he unused of his wrongs. as he thought of the past.
 For he thought of the days and the years of yore Ere the steps of the pale face had trod on hi,
 Ere his ss, Ss,riors sueeumssa to the white mans
 And he though. of the town where, at evenings The hunt ,men would gather from the chase on the ot the wide spreading lawn where the dark eyed
 Would dance in the twilight where.the forests were still.
 The past continues with many cherished memories which flowed rapidly before the old chiefs vision, scenes and and at. | 1t was invaded by the white man. Then the aged warrior breaks into a passionate be. wailinR of his unhappy lot, and the dsstruc- | ton of his hundreds of mighty braves. Sud denly his white foes rush in upon him. mocking shout the welkin peais II | He meets It with undaunted eye,
 Nor seeks to shun the impending blow; As ho hath lived so will he dle,
 Defiant to a conquering foe.
 | With fatal aim the shot Is sspd | With deadly zeal the scalp-knife barred | The quarry falls-the chief is dead.
 Prof. Charles Frederick Johnson of Trinity college, Hartford, read a paper on Fitz Greer Halleck. It was elegantly written and dis played much thought and insight into humar nature in its stages of development. He | spoke of the grand lessons which the old | Connecticut towns which are now celebrating | their 250th anniversaries gave to the world and spoke of the many Connecticut names | which have adorned the annals of the coun. | try. The world of art he characterized al | that into which all must enter to attain tht | sleganciss of life. Guilford has been tn, birthplace of an artist, said he. Not ops | who has produced any great imaginative ere ation, but one whose words are cherished ir | the hearts of his countrymen. The speaker \ told of the events in the life of Halleck, hii boyhood days, his eagerness for poetic worki and of his career in general. Proceeding, ht | said.
 In 1890 Halleck lost his friend, Drake, an6
 the we'll known lines, beginning: "Green be the turf above thee, Friend of my better days; None knew thee but to love thee, None named thee but to praise," Are among the most beautiful and pathetic that he has written. In 1929 Halleck went
 to Elrope and met many of the great mer of that continent. Soon after his return | frov,, EnroNa In 1900 ba xurota kha apirifa ar