The Newtown bee., 1891-08-07

for the evenings banquet. There were
two long parallel tables covered with pa
per donated by Wilkinson brothers COM
pany and long settees were provided for
the hungry guests. The walls were taste
fully festooned with red, white and blue,
streamers were suspended from corner to
corner of the ceiling and on the walls
were handsome flags. On the north was
the flag of the Center school district, on
the south the Booths hill school flag;
on the east side, north of the entrance,
was suspended the flag of the by-gone
Philomethean club. There were seats
for so, but the crowd that surged down
from the park filled the tables again and
again. They were served at the hands of
deft mattresses, with sandwiches, cake,
fruit and lemonade.
First of all the organizations to arrive
was the Elias Howe, Jr, G.. A. r. drum
corps of Bridgeport, which came up 20
strong in bus, with w. o. Towle lead
er. They reached the Center about z.
to Bonnibrook, the elegant Summer resi-
dence of Hon d. N. Morgan, they played
several selections. At Bonnibrook, the
reporters were entertained by Mr. and
Mrs Morgan and the ancestral home of
Col Agur Judson was brilliant with lights
and gaiety. Col Judson, great grand
father of Mrs Morgan, was Revolution
airy hero and in direct descent from the
Judsons of the earliest days of the colo
MES. Mr. Morgan's son is tenth in de-
scent from William Judson, a Stratford
man, who, in 1888, owned land in what is
now Huntington, five miles long and
three miles wide. The band marched to
the park, while the crowd, augmented by
arrivals from New Haven, Trumbull,
Monroe, Shelton, Birmingham, Ansonia
and elsewhere filled the space about the
well-lighted grand stand. Red fire was
constantly burned, fireworks discharged,
the cannon doomed at intervals, the small
boy footed the diabolical horn, with
shouts and laughter from the people. e..
j. Buckingham had been prominent in
arranging the celebration and his store
was blaze of light; in front of this and
within the park, which had been sur
rounded by scores of Chinese lanterns,
was a crowd estimated by conservative
judges at 2000. The grand stand was oc-
cupied by the Howe band, the glee club
and others who assisted in the singing,
the officers of the meeting and the speak
ers. The reporters provided seats on the
stand were w. A. White, Mr. James, An
II Wy
patrick, j. Reilly, Derby Transcript;
John A. j. Orr, Bridgeport Farmer; A.
f. Lavery, Bridgeport Standard; M. Ril-
ely, Bridgeport News; r. G. Mallette,
BEE. New York and New Haven papers
were literally represented. While wait
ing, the organizations from out of town
marched around the park, bands playing
and red fire blazing. Those in the pa
rade included the Howe band, the An
sonia drum corps, the Shelton fire de-
partment, the o. Z. A. M. of Shelton,
the New Haven contingent. Huntington
men, body of Ansonians. The bus of
the Shelton firemen attracted attention
by reason of the figure of Uncle Sam and
the unique decorations, the work of Eulie
Tolles. President F. n. Potter of the
glee club, shortly before 8, introduced
the chairman of the meeting, Rev An
drew j. Park of the Congregational
church and he spoke in brief of the pat
riotism which had ever been found in cit
liens of Connecticut, the true patriotism
by which people are elevated and en-
11nbla1 Gina ton nc anI in
their day the noblest of patriots, but de-
cay swept them away, as corruption will
eat out the heart of nations life.
By patriotism only can a nation live and
this patriotism, too often, is lost in the
hustle and hurry of American life of to-
day. Therefore, every man and woman
should welcome an occasion like this,
when all should recall citizenship in so
glorious a country as this. III rejoice to
greet you, to have you Join in the songs
and music, to listen to the words of our
patriotic fellow citizens and to cheer till
the hills and valleys ring with the shouts
of those who love patriotism. May each
heart be filled with the spirit of the boy
of '7G, who, with heart and soul aflame
with the light of liberty, shouted, on one
memorable occasion in Philadelphia,
Ring, grandpa, ring Oh ring for Liber-
typ" "The Star Spangled Banner" was
sung by the glee club, the costumes of
the ladies being composed of the nation
al colors. Miss Belle Park accompanied
them on the organ. Following this was
tho aI1rocu INV n
Mr. Chairman, Fellow Citizens, Ladies and
Gentlemen CONTRARY to any plan or expecta-
ton of mine, have been asked to speak to
you on this unique and interesting occasion
1t may be considered eminently proper that
should defend the action of the bell ringers,
as they are termed, tor the reason that more
than 20 years since, took with me from this
same st Pauls church belle. The time that
it occurred, some of you doubtless remember,
was after a wedding ceremony, or, perhaps,
1t has become patriotic duty for the reason
that, while in the State Senate during the
session of 1885, opposed the proposed very
severe law from which the present one per
tanning to the celebration of the Fourth of
July was the outcome. My sentiments, as
expressed then, were that the desire seemed
to be to deaden the general inclination to de-
monstrate on our Natal Day ourlove OF coun-
try as people In the hearts of all true
Americans who are alive to the undying
spirit of devotion for the Land of the Free,
once year they should be willing to sacri-
flee their personal desire for peace and quiet,
to allow Young America a full opportunity
to show their loyalty to Uncle Sam. do not
understand that this demonstration has been
brought about except by the open and very
general public expression here and, one
might say, from all over the country 80 large
ly has it been commented on, that the fire of
patriotism shall never be quenched. The
personal discomfort we are all called upon
to endure, each Fourth ofJuly, by those who
so consider it when the celebration is kept
within reasonable and harmless bounds
should serve to remind us what it really COM