The Republican journal., 1897-02-18
A Golden Wedding Celebration.

To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: On
Thursday evening, January 18th, Mr.. and
Mrs. Daniel Frost of this city celebrated
the tifteth anniversary of their marriage.
Golden weddings are not so uncommon as
they used to be; for despite the gloomy
croakings of the pessimists. they a.e oc-
curing every day all over the length and
breadth of our land. People of to-day
who have lived together fifty years have
an eventful era tc look back upon. His
tory was never made SO rapidly as in the
the last fifty years, taking II the period of
abolition agitation, the know Nothing
era, the bitter Kansas strife, the repeal of
the Missouri compromise, the formation
of the Republican party, the great civil
war which broke the chains of four mil
lions of people, to say nothing of the Won
ton. Mr.. Frost was one of the many men
who left a wife and young children behind
them when they went to the front, having
enlisted in 1861 in the LIST Massachusetts
SdNdlli, ne StINtu VIC ptllOI VI tullSl-
ment and then returned to the wife who
had bravely borne her share of toll and
anxiety fol three long years. The couple
have lived ever since in Springfield and
have three sons who are settled here.
Ten years ago they celebrated their 10th
anniversary, and the writer, who was then
present, remarked: Ii we are all alive in
ten wears Wen celebrate again, and L
write some more verses for the occasion"
Not all of the company who assembled ten
yeaIs ago were present: for some, alas,
have passed to the great majority, but the
decade JUST past found the worthy couple
hale hearty, and Sprightly, and ''just as
young as they used to be" Grand Army
Hall was prettily decorated for the occa-
sinn with flags, bunting, evergreen and
laurel and the couple received in cosy
boudoir in the centre OF the hall. The
SOILS and grandSous acted as ushers and
dice hundred people were received and
Introduced. After the reception was over
short program was rendered. consisting
Of singing by male quartette and lady
soloist. Two little children dressed as
Uncle sam, and Miss Columbia, danced
stately minuet and fancy dance. Rev.
Mr.. touklin. pastor of the Universalist
Church, then made an extremely felicitous
address, avoiding the sad note which is
almost inevitable in addressing a couple
WLo have So long ego passed the bridge
o er the middle Of life. He spoke ear
nestIy and Loyalty Of the soldier life OF Mr..
Frost, and also spoke feelingly of the sacri-
tices made and the anxiety endured by the
wives Of I'll. Hethen read the verses writ
ten by one whose b. ain is supposed to hold
an ineXlaustable supply of such material.
He pTefaced his reading by remarking
that he would read poem, which the
author modestly called 'some verses, land
which he was proud to read, not only for
the subject which it embraced but for the
beauty of the poem itself.
After Mr.. Conklin had concluded James
l.. Bowen of this city, Asst. @. NJ. Gen. of
NN N'Ae'tiN al ny PlJCI lol W dlu anu Will
few well chosen remarks presented the
couple with fifty dollars in gold and
sizeable roll of greenbacks. In addition
ID this was given a silver tea service and
many other beautiful presents in silver
and gold. Also large quantity of flowers
aud an acrostic printed in gold letters on
White satin ribbon. After Mr.. Bowen had
finished his eloquent remarks, ''Auld
Lang Syne' was sung by the entire com
Pany. At the conclusion of the program
cake, coffee and ice cream were served.
and huge punch bowl of frappe was lib
orally patronized during the evening. MI.
and MIS- Frost are hale and hearty. and
barring accidents, give promise of cele-
bIating their diamond wedding; and that
they may De spared for many years to
come is the wish of their numerous friends.
HELEN y. PACKARD.
Springfield, Mass.