The Press., 1897-04-15


 both useful and ornamental, besides sev- eral sums of'money. A number of guests were present from out-of-town, and all extended best wishes to the bride and groom of fifty years ago.
 MT. Joslyn has been identified with most of the interests of the town for the last half century having held most of the prominent offices, and is widely known throughout the county and state. ADDRESS OF HON. EDWARD E. FULLER. | We have gathered here this afternoon to do honor to worthy couple, in the celebration of an event which very few of the inhabitants of this world of ours are permitted to celebrates and incidentally, to do honor to our town, in its having been for half a century and more, their home and abiding place.
 Fifty years ago last Sunday, in the neighboring town of Ellington, two young people of this town, endowed with those rich gifts, health, hope, and ambition, were united in marriage. For fifty years they have lived among us, loved and hon. ored by all. Children have been born to them, who, have in their turn gone forth to take their places in the labors and hon. ors of the world, while grandchildren have for many years gladdened and kept in perennial summer their hearts and lives.
 The origin of the golden wedding anni- versary celebration is, as far as I have been able to discover, shrouded in ob- scurity. It seems to have had no formal origin or cultivation, but like Topsy "it just growed"
 The word "home'' has, because of it's associations, become one of the sweetest and tenderest words in the English lan- guage. Many years ago an opera was written It has been very rarely, If ever, sung. Its name even, is known to but few, yet one simple melody and the accompany ing words, which it contained, "Home, Sweet Home," are known all over the civ ilized world; and because of writing them, the name of John Howard Payne is household word, held in perpetual remem- | OIduC0j 0 IOW yCCsG5 SAAC0S uA5 NuSb was borne across the ocean, from it's grave in far-off northern Africa, to lie in state in the Pantheon at our Nations capi- tol, that it might rest at last, in the land which he SO we'll loved and served, his own "Home, Sweet Home." Had Robert Burns written nothing but "Auld Lang Syne,'' his name would still have been immortal while songs like "The Old Oaken Bucket" and "Annie Laurie" have touched responsive chord in every heart. Longfellow says:
 ''Each mans chimney Is his golden mile-
 stone;
 Is the central point, from which he meas
 ures every distance
 Through the gateways of the world around
 him."
 Different nations, Ike different individ- uals, put varying degrees of value upon home and family. France, perhaps, of all civilized nations, puts the least value upon them, there being no word in the French language corresponding to our old Saxon word ''home." Germany, per-
 
 nation, while the Germans are, possibly, more given to celebrating events and oc- casions of importance than other nations, especially those events relating to home and the fatherland, and to this fact we 1 are indebted, l imagine, for the origin of the golden celebration of the wedding day. This event is celebrated by the German peasants with simple festivities, the bride wearing golden crown, and the groom a golden buckle.
 It is one of the ambitions of the average individual, to accomplish that which to the majority of his fellows is impossible. Think, then, how few of those here pres ent, will, even under the most favorable conditions, ever be able to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.
 "Let him not boast who puts his armor on, As he who takes 1t off, the battle done."
 What different aspect does life pre- sent to us when looking backward through the memories of time, to that which 1t presents when looking forward through the buoyant and imaginative vision of ex- pectant youth. ''Is memory as strong as expectancy? fruition as hunger grati- tude as desire?'
 sTime has laid his hand
 Upon thy heart, gently, not smiting 1t, But as harper lays his open palm Upon his harp, to deaden it's vibrations. J
 There Is, If I may so phrase it, retro