Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-11-12
Centenarian Celebration at Gaysville.
Report for the Woodstock Standard.

occur in life time and never more than
two or three times took place in Gays
vile on Monday October 26th, it being
the Tooth birthday OF Miss Lettice Lee
Bowen.
Some time ago the people of that goodly
section assembled themselves together
and resolved that when the day came
they would give it a proper recognition,
and that it might be properly carried on
appointed committees to carry their wish
es into execution, and truly aid they per-
form their laborious task, most nobly
making their plans and working them out
until they resulted in one of the most
pleasant gatherings that ii has ever been
our good fortune 20 attend. We congrat-
ulate their well merited success, and Tor
the three hundred guests assembled we
thank them Tor the pleasant entertain
ment given us.
At first il was thought that perhaps
there might be a hundred to attend, this
number was swollen to am estimate OF ful-
~ three hundred. II was also Thought
that the citizens of this section might be
4 willing to contribute something as pres
ent TO the aged lady, and fund was
started which it was hoped might reach
the sum OF one hundred dollars. These
l expectations were most happily and salts
/ factorily disappointed, for when the con-
tributions were summed up they were
I found TO amount to 200 silver dollars after
which other contributions were added SO
that the whole receipts must have been
nearly If not quite so.
Miss Lettice Bowen, the lady whom we
/ had met to honor upon this her arrival al
the age of 100 years, vas born IN hoyaiton
on the farm now owned by Chas. waldo,
upon the 10Th day of October, 1871, OF par
ents who were for those days quite wei 70
do, for as one OF the speakers remarked
''they were able TO take newspaper"
which in those days was a luxury lndulg-
ed in by but few families. In her early
days she was employed as other farmers.
daughters were IN household cares ana
duties such as cooking, washing, sewing |
and mending, TO which were added the
then popular but now forgotten arts OF
caruing, spinning and weaving. we were |
shown in her dwelling some fne linen /
curtains, which she spun the material Tor 4
eighty years ago and cleaner and brighter /
goods can not be found anyV here than
they are now. Later on she learned the /
trade of a tailoress, ana practiceu what in
those days was called ''whipping the cat"
which was going from house 10 house, her
trade being TO make mems clothing. We
were shown sitting by her side IN her
room on Monday the tailor's goose ana
press board which she used to carry with
ner in those days before many OF our old
est men and women were born. For her
years she is remarkably bright, retaining
her memory and other powers 10 won
derful degree. As an instance OF her menu
DRY, one lady was introduced TO her as
Mrs. M. The old lady at once inquired
"are you relative of the Rev. Mr.. M. who
married Rev. Eli Ballou's daughter OF
Montpelier the lady replied that her
husband was, who would call TO see her in
few moments. When the husband came
to her she says "you are relative OF the
Rev. Mr.. M.-who married the Rev. Eli
Ballou's daughter Although we had
met TO honor this aged lady, there was an
other back OF her, hidden away in modest
retirement to whom We gave an honest
sincere honor. One whose noble deeds
should be engraved in letters of gold up
on tablets OF pearl in every heart. For
thirty years, in summer heat and winter
cold, without the least hope OF reward
other than what her own pure conscience
would give her for having done her duty,
has Mrs. Sue Brown, a lady whose stock ,
of earthly goods is but limited, cared for
her, watching over her with more than
daughters love feeding her every want
from little store. All. here is a sermon
OF true practical Christianity that many
loud talking Sunday Christian might a.
dopt and practice without soiling their
own Christian garments. The sincere
prayer that went up from every heart
gathered there was that her life might be
and blessedon earth before God
gives her the golden crown that He gives :
His loved ones when He takes them to
the better home.
In giving the programme your reporter
wishes to say, that he did not intend Civ
ing an extended report OF this more than
pleasant gathering until near its close and v
Kept no notes Of II, and this account he II
mas to supply to great extent from men, v
,ry, so that il he overlooks the mention
IF any he trusts that they will pardon the :
oversight.
The public exercises were held at the
Village hall and were well conducted and =
'arried out. The first thing upon the
programme was the partaking of most
EXCELLENT banquet supplied by the ladies
# the vicinity. The great wonder of the
alters was where they found such vast
Quantities of excellent dainties so as to =
'e able to fill so many hungry people, and
Vhen the eating was done there must
ave been more than seven baskets fun of
he fragments gathered up. After the in
er man had been filled TO the limits the r
ouse was called to order by the Hon. c.
: Smith who served as president of the
ay. Not having kept any minutes of the
leeting we are unable to give the pro-
ramme in its order but give the different
umbers that were given as we happen to
amember them. After the people came
D order they listened TO prayer by Rev. S. III
5. Parker OF Bethel. After this came the Z
nging of Coronation by the choir which
as a most excellent one under the lead
-ship Of j. A. Chedel, Esq, and which
uring the afternoon sang many OF those 7
God old hymns sung in the days OF long y
90 in Miss Bowen's earlier years After u
ne tlrst singing came the Centenary ,ad-
ress by lev. 5. II. Tucker, pastor of the T
Iethodist church OF Gaysville. Follow
~ this came a most charming poem
ritten by Mrs. Emma Knowlton Of GAYS
lie and read by Miss Rebecca Gilbert OF
and teacher in the Gavsville
rirnary school. Both the poem and its n
aiding We're worthy of a place in any NJ
ithering in the land. After this came II
he reading OF letters and other poems =
I'd impromtu speaking alternating with
ch other. The first letter was read by
le president and was from His Exeellen- tn
! Carroll 5. Page, Governor of Vermont.
II he mentioned the fact that but very
W ever see person one hundred years lAl
q he himself never having seen one. His w
tier covered five dollar GOLD piece
be president afterwards read a long let =
r from the Hon. Edwin Greene of Ak