News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1891-01-15
THEIR SINTIETH ANNIVERSARY.

About thirty-fve friends and relatives as
sembled at the residence of Madison Stafford
last Tuesday in honor of their siXtieth ami
versaTy. A very happy afternoon was spent
by every one. A bountiful supper was served
and cOngratulatory letters read from those
not able to be present. The following writ
ten by the hostess for the occasion was also
read.
'This day the sixtieth anniversary of our
welded life seems an eventful one worthy to
be noted in our calendar of years We have
never known but one like celebration in our
town. That was Mr. and Mrs. Enoch Carrie
ton of the other village. Our uncle Solomon
and Aunt Clara Montague lived together in
happy fidelity and affection siXty-one years.
also Mr.. and Mrs. Aaron Payne our near
neghbors. We are very happy to see so
many of our friends to-day and we give you
all hearty and glad welcome. We feel that
your congratulations mean much and will
add much to the enjoyment of the days
that remain be they few or many. We know
they cannot be very many for we fully realize
that all our physical and mental forces are
w.sning, the memory, vision and hearing are
seriously impaired and little paralyzed but
we hope the moral and spiritual faculties are
not weakened but trust they are more acute
and abiding which helps SO much to bear the
loss of the others. So if the going downward
will lift us upward is it not a victory over the
many ills of our pilgrimage? My elderly
friends would we be young again if we could?
| answer no unless we could have our past
years of experience for our instruction. The
thought that comes so wildly to our minds
is the absence of those who were with us ten
years ago to-day. Our brother John Stafford
enfeebed by age was here, seem to see his
beaming face as he rode into the yard and
the joyous smile as he came to the old home
and the soulful greeting. His childhood and
early manhood was fresh in his memory and
for months he had often asked if 1t were not
time to 90 home. Dear old man we believe
he is in Heaven. His widow now on bed of
suffering patiently waiting if not longing to
| be with him. Our sister Mary then blind
cropping in darkness we are sure she is now
in that world of light, love and happiness,
and then we had our darling Annie so full of
| life and vigor happy herself and making 9th
ers happy but we cannot, we VIII not wish
her to come back to us, leaving all the beau
ties the glories, the harmopies of the Home
over there There are ten more from the
Stafford family who have passed away within
| the ten years Mrs. Darius Stafford of Norris
! vile, Vt, the widow of brother Jonas SAT-
ford, her two daughters and a granddaughter
| of Pleasant Valley, Vt, the widow of brother
Dorman and her son Myron of Minneapolis,
| Mimi. Mrs. Lucretia Stafford widow of brother
| Myron who died in Tenn. twenty-eight years
! ago, Mrs, Lydia Stafford Wilson and her
nephew L, o. Stafford of Burlington, There
| are also some of the Montague family two
sisters of cousin Harry Montague and two
sisters of cousin Guy Kinsley, Mrs. Parker
| who lived to be ninety-three and Perry kinS-
| ley lately deceased. These two families have
been numerous. now they are comparatively
| few" We are here to-day. tomorrow we
may be gone. Six more of those who were
! here at our fiftieth anniversary have passed
over the river: Mrs. Wheelock wife of our be-
| loved pastor, Mrs l. Corse, Mrs. Azuba VIII
cox, Monroe Blais lell, cousin Guy Kinsley
and Homer Putnam. We feel to ask our low
ing Heavenly Father that his choicest bless
ings may rest and abide on each one of you
who have contributed so much to this day s
! enjoyment and again we thank you and in
| our hearts give you each and all our benedic-
! ton.