Morning journal and courier., 1891-09-15
THE enAxs, sEvENrx-FIFrH.

F0mOu8 Ne" Haven company - A Handsome Display of Military on the Streets - "Reminiscences of the old Days at the Atheneum-How the Veterans Banqueted at the Hyperion-The Program of To-Day.
 The third day of the Grays' big celebra- ton was full of varied activities and en joyments. The actives and veterans dressed to look their best, paraded the streets before immense crowds of people, and were honored by the especial decora tions of many distinguished residences. The literary exercises were not at all dull or commonplace, and the grand final of the evening, when the pleasures of a fine banquet were added to those of social converse, formed a fit ending for the exer- cises of their seventy-fifth anniversary. If ever there exists an organization pos sessing spirit of comraderie and good fel- lowship it is the New Haven Grays. After the company had done parading and all the members were met in Atheneum hall, ''good old family time," as General Bradley called it, followed, in which both young and old participated with unaffected zest and enjoyment. The act
  cheered the actives. "Reminiscences of forty and fifty years ago by gray-haired and feeble-voiced men were listened to with unabated interest and frequently moistening eyes. At mention of every distinguished name connected with the history of the company there was long outburst of applause. There was nothing awkward or fatiguing about the whole af- fair. It was as if large party of gentle | men knowing each other in childhood, had | met to renew old associations and hand the memory past times to their descend ants. The same scene, if anything with greater gaiety and heartiness of enjoyment was enacted during the evening. The | esprit du corps of the regiment resembled | nothing so much as the reunion of fam ous college class save that these men were of every age and condition in life. The afternoon parade left the Meadow | street armory about o'clock and took the following line of march: Meadow to Church, to Chapel, to Olive, to State, to Bradley, to Orange, to Elm, to Church, | to Atheneum.
 The order of procession was that given in our columns yesterday, Sergeant Cowles l with a platoon of ten policemen heading the ranks The attendance was rather larger than the day before, 100 company veterans and 56 war Grays. In place of white duck trousers the actives wore the regulation gray pantaloons with stripes of gilt, and carried their regimental muskets. The citizens along the route of march had not spared decorations. The residences of Hon. N. D. Sperry, Major Barnes, Colonel Morgan, General Merwin and Berry Petes were particularly notice. able for the beauty of their adornments. | When the procession reached the house of the historian of the occasion, MT. James D. Whitmore, on Bradley street, the chief marshal called halt and the American band struck up popular air in honor of the speaker of the day, while the company gave him three rousing cheers. The crowds of spectators on Church and Chapel streets had nothing but praise to say of the parade as it went by in the di rection of the Atheneum. The veterans were as precise and military in their steps as the younger soldiers and looked 8 truly venerable and impressive body of men.
 The floor space of the Atheneum wal comfortably filled with Grays and theil opened the literary exercises. The wal Grays sat immediately in front of the stage, the veterans in the rows behind with the active company seated in tht center of the platform. On either side were hung two flags respectively of tht state militia and the civil war, both very much faded by age, but both dear to tht hearts of the veteran Grays. Genera Bradley occupied the seat of honor, Cap tain B. D. Brown sat at his right. and ex Principal James D. Whitmore to the left In introducing MT. Whitmore Genera Bradley spoke as follows:
 Comrades, it gives me especial pleasure to congratulate you on all the success O. the celebration of our seventy fifth ami versary. We have had very pleasant re union, an excellent gathering of noted men, fine parade, and now WI shall be very happy, I am sure, tt have 8 little historical sketch of ou company from Comrade James D. Whit more. l take especial pleasure in intro ducing MT. Whitmore because he was a, active member of the company with my self, has always taken 8 great interest il it's welfare, and is, generally speaking, al , enthusiastic Gray. Although in unfavor ous labor of the task, he very prompt, and kindly consented to speak to us thi afternoon. I bespeak for him your care ful attention.
 Mir. Whitmore was greeted with ap plause. His address in full is given o1 our fourth page.
 During MT. Whitmore's address the men ton of Captain Browns name evoked great applause. The sixty-five member of the company at call of Sergeant Nicol rose to their feet like one man, gave thre times three for the popular captain, ant then somebody inquired
 "Who is Captain Brown?"
 "Frst in war,
 | "FirSt in peace,
 "First in the hearts of the N. H. G.''-
 was the stentorian response from sixty fv vigorous throats, followed by the regula : tion wind up, the rythmic humping O the musket butts upon the floor, a con cluding ceremony that set the old Gray to thinking of the days when they to- were full of life and joy.
 ) When MT. Whitmore's address wa . done, Captain Brown moved and Genera
 Merwin seconded a vote of thanks to tn
 historian for the able and interesting man ner in which he had performed his duties , The motion was carried by unanimo ou rising vote.
 Then, after more cheering and applause
 General Bradley read letter from tn poet of the day, Dewitt o. Sprague o Washington, D. O., captain in the ol, ability to be present:
 Until within few days" wrote MT. Sprague
 .'I had hoped that my wife, who is i'll wit typhoid fever, would sufficiently recover fror
 
 l tendance on your seventy fifth anniversary Her condition, however, is still very precariou and exhausted, as am by watching and care , | it is utterly impossible for me to make tn journey. It is needless to say that I am deepl
 and most painfully disappointed and that m
 heart, at any rate, is in your celebration. Very Sincerely Your Comrade, DEWITT c. SPRAGUE." Washington, D. c.
 Another very interesting letter of re grets was read fIom Captain James M
 Townsend, the oldest living ex-captain c the Grays. Captain Townsend is travelin abroad and his letter is written from tn city of Paris to his friend, Colonel s. J 5 Fox. of the Grays' executive committed: ''It is one of the great dsappointments of m life" wrote Mr. Townsend 'that I shall probt ply be unable to participate in this grand celt
 bration of the dear old Grays. had no ide | that anything but severe sickness or death woul prevent me from being present. The interests | however, of other persons than myself rende , | necessary my absence in Europe. have, ther,
 fore, been reluctantly compelled to abandon tn ,, wish of many years to attend your seventyfft | that cannot be with them Enclosed you wi | find a check signed in my name with the amour | left blank Fill it in at your discretion for an
 sum which may be necessary to cover the shor 7 age of the celebration am with you in yor exercises in spirit, if I cannot be bodily presen I Your loving comrade, v JAMES M. TowNsEND.' After the reading of this letter, whic
 brought down the house, General Bradley 0 after the manner of a Methodist clas leader, threw the meeting open to the vel