The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-02-24
vERMONT,S SURVIVING WAR GOV
ERNnR

Ex-Governor Holbrook passed his S0th
birthday last week Wednesday, and the
occasion was observed by his neighbors
and friends with an offering of sincere
congratulatiOn and kind remembrances.
The Dickens Club, which for three years
has met regularly in his house in Brat
| tleborO, took the lead in what was really
neighborhoOd testimonial of warm
personal regard in the present as well as
| Obeisance to greal and useful service to
his geHeratiOn in the past. The Rev.
and Mrs. f. i. Phalen of Concord,N N. H.,
sent lovely floral Offering, as did also
the Dickens Club; the Governor has
always borne prominent part in the
clubs readings, which have been held at
his residence foa the past three years.
The afternoon was spent in readings by
the club, games, singing, etc. REFRESH
ments of cake and coffee were served.
"His four score years
Sat lightly on him for his heart was glad
Even to his latest pulse. with hat best love,
Home nurtured and reciprocal which gives
And gamers up in sorrow and la joy "
To few men in this world comes
serener sunset of life than that of Gov.
HOlbrOOk, because of the fact that OPP
portunities have been well met duty
faithfully done, and from bis activity
something added to tho sum of human
progress. This in the last analysis is
G9aG Bays e66sSS 1t s%a the
the best satisfaction, be the station high
or low. Last week Monday the Gov
ernor wrote letter to Gen. T. S. Peck
which was entirely personal but so strong
in good sense and healthy sentiment that
the General gave it to the Burlington
Free Press 1t says:
MY DEAR GENERAL.-Your kind note
of the 4th inst, and by the same mail the
Detroit paper containing the sketch of
myself, were duly received. l thank you
for your kind and thoughtful courtesy
| may perhaps be allowed to say that
there is lasting satisfaction in the con
seriousness of having been able to render
important public service. So, too, in
deed, we realize happiness in the humber
walks of private life in doing good to
others.
When we retire within ourselves, living
for selfish 2 2;s. -. greatly abridge our
Sodree Of happiness, growing more aud
more selfish and narrow, and dissatisfied
with life generally. But let our sym
pathies become enlisted for others, and
our efforts aroused to cheer, encourage
and help them, and brighter world
opens up to ourselves, and our lives
thereby become enlarged, beautified and
rendered in measure divine. The poet
says:
mo radiant pearl which crested fortune wears;
No gem, that, twfnkling, hangs from beauty's
ears;
Nor the bright stars which nights blue arch
adorns
Nor rising suns that gild the vernal morn,
Shine with such lusire as the tear that flows
Down virtues manly cheek for others woes"
The late war was very severe strain
upon everybody and especially upon
those occupying responsible stations,
taxing them to the utmost, both physi-
cally and mentally. 1t was often neces-
sary to act instantly on ones judgment
with no time for much thought, and,
without law, rule or precedent to guide
one. 1t all seemed like more a dream
than reality, at this distance of time
from its perils, excitements, labors and
anxieties.
The part which our glorious Green
Mountain State acted, in that supreme
crisis in our cOuntry's history, must ever
swell the pride of every FermOnter, in
the satisfactory proof it afforded that the
sturdy, determined, courageous and pa
triOtic spirit of the early fathers still ex-
lists, unimpaired in their descendants,
and that the race now, as of old, may be
relied upon in every emergency. 1 tell
You, my dear General, it is proud title
to be born Vermonter, or to have been
closely identified with the State by long
residence in it, and if in the changes OF
life the citizen removes to some other
country, how exutantly he is ready to
exclaim on revisiting his dear old Green
Mountains:
81 stand upon my native hills again, |
broad, round and green" where "above |
the hills in the blue distance, rise the
columns with which earth |
props heaven"
Do you sometimes think of the fact |
that Vermont furnished over ten per |
cent. of its population, reckoning both |
sexes and all ages, to fill the army for |