The Yale expositor., 1896-06-26
A HAPPY EVENT.
Was the Golden Wedding of Mr.. and
Mrs. Thomas ,Rapley Celebra-
ted Friday Last.

Fifty years ago last Friday, on June
10th, 1916, II wedding ceremony was
performed in SMathroy, Ont, in which
Thomas Rapley and Emma Cooper
were the chief participants. Happily
welded during twenty-five years they
celebrated their silver anniversary with
their four sons, seven daughters and
many relatives and friends at Strath-
roy. A grand time was enjoyed, tables
were set in the beautiful orchard, the
band played lively strains Of music,
the two youngest children of Mr.. and
Mrs. Rapiey were christened and Il
picture was taken of the whole scene.
Although another twenty-five years
has passed since then, this occasion is
still very fresh and beautiful in the
minds and hearts of this long-married
couple, although hardly imagining
that all would be together when the
| tiftieth milestone came around.
About fifteen years ago the family
moved to Brockway Centre, now Yale,
and haye since kept the well-known
hostelry, the Rapley House. The
/ children decided that the occasion of
the tiftieth anniversary of their par
ents' marriage must not pass unnoticed
as both were in good health. All the
children were able to be present, in
cluding the twenty grandchildren,
only one death having occurred in the
| family, that of grandchild, infant of
Mr.. and Mrs. Will Rapley, of Port
Huron. Accordingly invitations print
ed in gilt upon white paper, were sent
out to relatives and numerous friends
to attend ~ quiet celebration on Fri
l.day, June 18th, 1896, at the Rapley
/ House. The day was lovely and ut
! five o'clock the rooms began to fill.
Mr.. and Mrs. Rapley were each found
Occupying u beautiful mahogany chair
and they were not long in telling of
their good fortune in receiving these
as gifts upon this day. In Il corner OF
the sitting-rOom stood table covered
with remembrances from relatives and
friends.
After pleasant greetings and conver.
sation the guests were called to the
dining-room where were two tables
the length of the long room, looking
beautiful with their array of good
things. Lovely bouquets of roses and
Qther flowers were placed here and
there and with the heaped up dishes OF
yellow bananas and golden oranges
and the bright lights pretty scene
was presented to the eyes to say moth.
ing about the delectibles presented
to the taste. The elegant supper was
thoroughly enjoyed by all Especially
by ye editor.) Afterward the guests
dispersed, some to the lawn, some tC
the upper and lower yeranda's, all en-
gagged i'll merry talk when they were
greeted with the strains of music by
the Yale band who happily remember
ed the occasion to serenade Mr.. and
Mrs. Rapley. They were invited in fol
ice cream and cake, which invitation
was accepted.
After the tables were cleared all re.
paired to the dining-room where shor
speeches we're made apropos of the
occasion, many of them causing bursts
of laughter. a quartette composed o1
Mrs. Wallace and Rada Rapley, James
Wallace and G. X. Holden furnished
several selections of choice music, anC
a recitation by Lillian Springer was ex
cellent. Thomas Rapley made shor
speech in behalf of himself and wife
thanking his many friends for the hap
piness of the day and the gifts bestow
ed upon them, after which good-bye
were said and the day long to be re
membered was ended.
The relatives present from abroad
were William Rapley and wife, DaviC
Rapley, George Buttery, Mrs. Dewner
Henry Rapley and family, j. A. New
ton, Alex Craik. all of Strathroy
Frank Rapley, of Toledo; WI. Rapley
and family, G. w. McCauley and wife
of Port Huron, and j. A. Rapley, o1
North Branch.