Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-10-02
Som. birthday Condolences.

To the Editor of The Dispatch:
1t is curious how facts that are closely
related get into the mind and remain
there for some time entirely separate, until
some incident ut may be O slight one)
causes the relation to spring up with more
or less interest. Then the wonder arises
that we had not thought of that before.
! An instance of the above sufficiently in
| terested me for me to offer you the follow
! ing note OF 1t:
| My own birthday has now been known
/ for years not a few. The date OF the con-
summation of Columbu great adventure
westward has also been long known, and
| special attention has been called to 1t for
| several years past in connection with ITS
| quadri-centennial celebration. | think,
| too. that Congress changed the date first
! proposed, so as 10 make IL correspond
| with the more correct chronology. Not
| great while ago you. in answer to cor
RESPONDENT, showed that in reducing the
old style of computing time to the new
/ the 2lst of October was the true
| Columbian date. Well, whilst / was pc
rusing your article 1t for the first time oc-
CURED to me that all the civilized world
would pay honor TO my natal-day. Such
a thought will not weaken the hope which
has been cherished from its very incep-
| tlon-that the approaching protracted
| commemoration on the Atlantic waters
and at Chicago would be worthy of the
| event and of all the participants, and espe-
| cially OF our own magnificent heritage.
| Nor was the above all. About the same
time with the appearance of your article
neat little book on our centre-table at
tracted attention. 1t was the "Tennyson
Birthday Book in which the author has
collected and collated from that poets
writings passages which he deemed appro-
pirate TO the different days of the year.
al ~ xay4c a4a Gn1 IN xuh az
lines of England's venerable poet-lau-
reate were regarded as applicable 10 the
2lst OF October. They are as follows:
"Rsy-fringod eyelids OF the morn,
Roof not a glance so keen as thine;
II aught Of prophecy be mine,
Thou will not live In vain.
To -"
"Sweet is II to have done the thing one ought
When faIn In darker ways.
In view of the vicissitudes of life, the
changes of position and present environ
ments there was some comfort and i'm
puted apposlteness in these lines.
Still further One of my sons was born
on the 10th of October. and my father-ln-
law. a gentleman and q scholar" in one
Of his pleasant letters suggested that he
should be named Saratoga, in memory of
the important victory OF Gates over Bur-
goyne about that date. This enabled me to
"crack a joke" at his expense. for he was
a patriotic Virginial, though q resident of
another State, and good historian. Hence
huge surprise was affected that such q
man as be should have overlooked the fact
that the greater surrender of CORVALLIS
at Yorktown was on the 18th of October,
whilst that of Burgoyne was not. Hence,
from his own point of view, the new arrival
should be dubbed York or Yorktown, ill.,
stead of Saratoga Well, the grandfather
immediately surrendered and the boy was
named for his father, who, though he was
not consulted, was not very much-in-
al <ed
Still further A brother-in-law, much
beloved, was born on the goth of October.
and in former years there were family
gatherings for the purpose of celebrating
the three dates continuously-note exactly
by protracted spree, but with liberal
permissible festieity.
Time and 1.-THE Great Conqueror.n to
whom even Columbus, Gates. and Wash
ington have had TO surrender, have made
such Joyous reunions impossible, though |
the two of the same name are still spared,
and less personal interest is now /
felt IN the recurrence of the 2ist of |
October. But on these very accounts |
greater thanks are due and more pride and |
gratitude are INDUCED, because our own |
grand country and "the rest OF man 1
kind are about to celebrate il on such en- /
unprecedented scale.
Sweet Is II 70 have done the thing one ought
When fah'n on darker days.
b. BIN.
RIcHMoSD, September 10, 1892.