The Helena independent., 1891-12-22
! FORETATHERS DAY.
The New England society Celebrates a m
Fitting Stylo

Il AHG NeW EHE lMnu SOctety Get0DrAAee ~ n
Fitting style.
Forefather's day was celebrated BY Til,
New England Society OF this city last nigh
by q social gathering, and banquet, a
Engleborne's hall. About 125 ladies' Ant
gentlemen were in attendance. Prominen'
among them we're How'd. n. Croker. JudG,
Hiram Knowles, W. A. Chessman, III. II
Rrunell, Judge Horny N. Blake, kev. 4. n
Kelsey. A. M. Richards, III, M. Hrandagee
VIC. Child, q. g. Russell, A. y. Keith,
John Quirk. I. M. Shepherd, A. Il, Pres
cott, y. II. Langley. A. NJ; Spratt and Others
equally we'll known. A. b. Keith acted as
| master Of ceremonies as we'll as toastmaster
When the company were all assembled in
tho big hall, all stood up and sung Amor
ioa." then MIR. Keith called ON Judge Cor
nielus Hodges to make the opening address
Judge HEDGES took for his subject Yankee
lnyentions," After referring to the prog
resa of inventions and inventive genius, hs
said New England had been far in the lead
in such matters. Connections had Rener-
ally been foremost, with Massachusetts and
Rhode Island close behind. Inventions
credited to other states were in great meas
ure the production Of the universal Yankee,
who in search of the main chance had gone
everywhere with advancing settlement and
had never lost his penchant for contriving
some new device to save labor or multiply
its fruits.
"We are told. he continued, THAT ne
proved largely such in New England, and q
mother of good Puritan stock. 1t is
easier to trace the parentage in the mater
nal line. yet in this instance, Mt least, the
free school system of New England. pro-
vision for which was laid on the Maytiower,
was the father of invention. Every boy,
whether rich or poor, in town or country,
md rrh adj aafi n n w Snn
lect and give it an impulse to action. The
groundwork was laid broadly in the general
mechanical instinct, and when the time
came to turn it to account for productive
industries it seemed to flash all over New
England. If any more favored locality
succeeds in producing anything better or
cheaper than it has heretofore been pro-
duced in New England, forthwith a new
levyis ordered upon the Inventive genius of
her sons to make n new advance and dis
tance competition. 1t is magnificent
spectacle worthy Of the world's admiration
as we'll az gratitude, for all the world
shares in the fruits Of her victories. And
while New England has grown rich from
her inventions and manufactures she has
contributed to the rest of the world
more than she had retained for herself.
All honor then the Yankee inventions.
May their numbers and shadows never
be less. Other sections Of this great
coal, iron, copper, silver and gold, Rrander
rivers and forests, and more congenial
climate, but as long as New England leads
the world in inventive genius, she will
never lose her foremost position, influence
and power in shaping the destinies of this
great republic of the world. Though the
exports of her natural products may have
dwindled to granite and ice, in the
awakened and quickened perceptive and
inventive faculties of her sons are broader
and richer fields and more productive and
exhaustless mines of more useful and
precious metal than in all the world be-
Sides"
The address was literally applauded, and
at its conclusion. Mrs. Blake and Mrs.
Avery favored the company with duet.
Another song by quartette, to the tune of
"Glory Hallelujah,' served to whet the ap-
petites of all present for the good things
before them. The spread consisted of
plenty of every thing familiar to New Eng
pie and cider cut good figure. 1t was
heartily enjoyed.
After the dishes had been amply dis
cussed, the regular toasts we're proposed by
Mr.. Keith. They wore: New England's
to Good Government" re-
sponded to by Judge Knowles; ''The Min
ute Men of New England" by Judge
Blake; THE Relation of the Blue Laws to
the Wooden Nutmeas," by p. G. Russell;
G. W. Baird; 'sThe Home Of Molly
Stark by Miss Ella Knowles; "The Land
of the Fighting Quakers," by w. G. Child;
1.-THE Heroes of the Green Mountain" by
Rev. +. D. Kelsey. There were other i'm
promptu toasts, and the gathering broke up
at a late hour after good nights enter
tainment.