Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-08-20
Written for The osfori Demecrai.
DEDICATION OF TNe PILGRIM MoNU
NgNr AT PLYMOUTH.

MtNl ~ FkNMOONNs
ever since was child" remarked
a lady to me, II have heard II said, we
will have a glorious time In Plymouth
when the monument IL flnlshcd.' And
now, see hcre, " pours, and all our time,
strength and money the same q wasted.
I never thought Il could rain when We
had the de,iication." Aud imagine she
expires sscd the very general sentiment of
the people, when they awoke Ia lind a
depressing rain falling In dogged, per-
sltsent fashion a N II meant to ~ on for
ever, the short Intervals of sunshine only
making the showers morc disheartening.
AZ ak o'clock however. the battery
guns boomci cut AZ nine heavily laden
trains rollesi In from Boston aud way
stations, aud the streets filled With men
of the a.. \. X. Ia their we'll known blue
old Fellows with the enblems of their
order: Masons with aprons aud rrgallas;
Knight Templars In their snowy uni
forms, glittering with decorations; aud
great crowds ~ people, who, regardless
~ the rain, were eagerly scanning the
different delegations a. they assembled.
The family doctor proposed Ia ~ With
his lodge of y. x \. Masons In the pro-
ccssion, which, under the circumstances,
seemed almost a. brave a. were the I'll
grims themselves when they sst sall In
1850: aud II has occurred 10 me since,
perhaps the spirit. ~ the departed Ia
iher. watched over the heroes Who event
marching along" Ia their honor that day,
for In spite of vet fcct aud soaked cloth
ing aud dampness everywhere, not one
case ~ cold, sorc throat, or fever has
been reported II might be well 90 mem
tiOn that In the heaviest shower. small
silk umbrella. which the family doctor
carried, sheltered a one time four knight
rcmplars aud himself. these worthy
gentlemen bciug somewhat anxious to
preserve a. Gar as possible the beauty of
their long plumes curling over their hats
hut alas for feathers and white lid gloves
on such morning,
Your correspondent was Invited "a
spend a. much ~ the day as shs pleased
a a house which occupied the home
stead lite IL John llowland aud samuel
Hopkins, passcug,r. Ia the MaNIloNrr.
II stands ou lryden street, the hrst
| Ithoroughfarc aid out la New England.
ani. of course, the procession, mile and
a half IN length, ,came through. Nasons,
old Fellows. soliicr-, hrr companie.,
banner. fylng and hands PLAYING, With
an enthusiasm all The rain slnc" Noah
could not dampcn.
The decorations along the route " The
| processiou were very beautiful. kri'
| whitc and blue hunting ~ course pre-
dominated, bui an the other colofs we're
usel with huc eicci. yellow especially
Wa highly decorative. The moitocs
Ncrr .ingularly appropriate and 'uggcs-
tive. aud in rvply a. similar remark a
/ lady sad Ca me- "Nhy, Ne have been
thinking ~ them for years" The hfst
that greeted the Ni.iior a. BE- alghievi
\ from the train. Was un the arch erected
/ bV the Old colony Railroad Company, in
gold letters on q black ground. and rad,
"Wclcumr to the home - the lilgrims.
On The .irret leading to the monument,
I the evergreen arrh hort the insprlpiion
EVE this daV lay corner stone PR
riuu.." n ssy unto you thi. generation
shall not Ia.. away till the.c thing arv
done" llli. was usel first thirty YEAR
a. ~ that Thursiay and h-low was added
"laiih crowns the work" At the head
of North street. which leads to the rock.
the arch was Inscribed "lIefor- IA lies
the rock. oar nations corner stone" on
| I.r,dcn street leading FROM the water to
Burial llill, the tablet of the an'h had
the Norls:
I'll hin - srasss tsfoFs us,
| Thsir watsfy say ishini -
Plymouth l,ock House ou Coles llill,
had a quotation from Choatc'- speech:
There have be.n laid to rcst together,
/ the earth carefully smooihsd that the
/ Indians might not count the number. the
/ true. the pious. the beautiful, aud the
/ brave, till the heavens o. no more.
would sleep there when my own hour
comes, rather than elsewhere. would
D. near thcn In the last day and have a
part Ia their resurrection" The old high
school building was appropriately In
| scrihrl "a true people must b. an In
tslligent people" Thomas Bartlctts
house. buiii In lao, borr M, verse;
'-Thsy huie thoaEhi hg~ purs ush
| Win year. shsuhi sNiher ruund that day
/ llos l11s shouh kesp their tnsmorie. bright,
/ iius uiis a fvalm thelf -ous shuui sSay
On North street stands an historic old
homestead built by Edward winsloN
many years before the Revolution. The
frame was brought from England, and
the trccs were planted by hi daughter
| Ina i5iO This building was profusely
decorated, a. Was the ancient structure
/ iust above. where ten. John WinsloN
/ liyed and later Ten. james Warren, and
whsrr the sister of Jane. otis wrote her
history ~ the struggle for independence.
No Decorations weTc placcd upon the
monument which lowered above the mas
of people In perfect completeness.
Next La order the procession, Invited
guests. aud those holding tickets, vent
/ "a the Immense tent, designed Ia accom-
moiaie twenty-five hundred persons.
/ There the banquet was served, aud then
came the feast IL reason. Of course, Mr..
Grumbler had expressed himself very
/ freely la our midst, a. we'll a. out of ",
regarding all the arrangements for the
/ celebration, aud one faVorite theme was
to criticise the selection ~ the orator
and poet. The birth, education, politics,
aud religion of both Mr.. Breckenridge
aud Mr.. O'Rellly were discussed Ia pub
lic aud private, aud IL was discovered
that the chosen orator i a ION of Pre-
byterian clergyman and Presbyterian
elder himself. la the south, too, where
piety assumes strict garb, Ike unto
that 81 the Pilgrims themselves. John
/ BOYLE O'Reilly l. ~ foreign birth but ln-
tensely American In feeling, and II
seemed emlnently proper that the event.
which was to mark the advent of those
principles from which have sprung our
| Ideas Of freedom aud national greatness,
should be broad enough Ia step into any
state In the Union or any nation la the
world aud draw Into II those who we're
brothers, II not by blood. al least by the
same sentiments Of patriotism and free
dom. Aud the Grafton and poem them
selves were the most fitting rebuket Ia the
narrow spirit that would have limited to
our state that honor that In sense be-
| lOnged Ia the entire American people.
John u. Long, son ~ Maine, and
whose lips have been kissed by the Attic
bees, was the admirable presiding officer,
aud. graceful. generous and eloquent, he
cannot De- excelled. Lieut.. Governor
Brackett. Hon. Henry Cabot Lodge, Hon.
". Cogswell aud others, spoke la n hap
py way, aud so the exercises closed.
think they will not b. regarded az in-
feri0r Ia those when Edward Everett and
Daniel Webster were the chosen orators.
And then at sunset We turned our faces
hOmeward. There were confused visions
of never ending professions, of floating
bunting. Of drapcd fags; there were
memories ~ an orator with white hair
and whi.kers, whose face seemed some
what like Jane. e.. Blaine; of a poet
with bright eyes aud boyish looks aud
whose words had the power of man
hoods thought there were glimpse- OF
Pilgrim figures In quaint costumes that
came before our eyes-qualnt aud prim
IA, .lr... hnt one hal alas hell "A cigar