The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1898-09-23
Town TOPICS.
A Golden Wedding Anniversary.
DEA AND MRS WILLIAM FAIRCHILD THE
HAPPY COUPLE.

DEA AND MRS WILLIAM FAIRCHILD THE
HAPPY COUPLE.
| Golden wedding anniversaries are not
of common occurrence, yet how delight
full it Is to gather on such an occasion to
do honor to two lives which have been
passed for half century in living devot-
ion to each other and the community in
which they reside. Such was the feel
| ing of the pleasant company of Is or
more intimate friends who gathered at
the home of Dea and Mrs William Fair
child in Taunton district on Saturday
afternoon of lest week, to HELM them
celebrate the so h anniversary Of their
marriage.
The home was very pretttIy decorated
for the occasion, the golden bloom Of
| natures sweetest flo Herp showing their
bright faces and shedding their delicate
perfumes through out the place. Mr. and
| Mrs Fairchild took places in the front
parlor Of the house to receive their
guests. Before them on the piano, bank
ed in flowers and entwined with running
vines, were life-size portraits of their
children, which the Lord gave but in
His All Wise Providence had taken BIS OK
to himself. 1t was about o'clock when
the friends had al arrived, extended
their congratulations, and seated them
selves for little flow of soul. Rev Mr.
Barker, pastor of the Congregational
church in which Mr. Fairchild is the SEN
ior deacon and an bOnOred member, took
charge and introduced the speakers in a
happy manner. E. l.. Johnsop, a
brother of Mrs Fairchild and known De-
fore time for poetic illusions on such oc-
casions, read the following excellent
lines appropriate 20 the occasion:
Fifty years of married life
Not free from sorrow, though II ee from strife.
And now to-day from far and near
Kind friends and neighbors gather here.
Gather tor what, and gather for why?
The question once asked, deserves a reply.
Way ba k in the "forties," in the month OF
September,
So our friends say to US (they're the ones to
remember,)
In the bloom of their youth and with bright
hopes ahead,
Decided no longer divergent paths they would
tread.
The courtship, not long, tor the natural tire d
OF such things, you know, is to come to an
end.
The wedding came OFF; with JOY and with
pride
DER the hills to this home, came this man
with his bride.
Fifty years in one spot is a long time to stay,
But that is the number they round out to-day.
In cloud and in sunshine, through all sorts OF
weather
This man and his wife have lived here to-
gether.
The same green hills around them, the same
y overhead,
But their old friends and neighbOrs no longer
here tread.
The old ones are gone, and new faces appear.
How great are the changes of the past fifty
year,
The children who came to gladden. their home,
Are not here to-day, nor cen do they roam.
In Lte's early morn Natures debt they did
pay,
And their bodies are resting in Gods Acre
to-day.
Their deaths took three links from the family
chain,
"In love let us trust they were summoned so
soon,
From the morning OF life, while we toll
through its noon.
They were trail like ourselves. they had needs
like our own.
And they rest we rest, in Gods mercy
alone.
Unchanged by our changes OF spirit and
frame,
Past, now, and henceforwald, the Lord is the
same.
Though we sink in the darkness, His arms
break our tall,
And in death as in lite, He is Father OF all.
We are older, our footsteps so light in the
play
OF the far away school time move slower to-
day.
Here beard touched with frost, there shin
ing bald crown
And beneath the caps border, gray mingles
with brown"
In this home now SO full OF memories dear,
We to-day bid our friends still to be OF good
cheer.
And trust they will have much more of life
yet
In this home where. to-day the Golden mile
stone" is set.
Our good wishes go with them, and free from
all strife,
May they journey together till the sunset OF
lite.
Rev Mr. Barker next introduced Dea
N. w. Mitchell of South Britain, who
was exceedingly happy in his remarks.
lie spoke teeliugly of the lifelong friend
ships that had existed between himself
and his friends who were celebrating
their 5Oth anniversary, and Of the pleas
ant visits they had enjoyed each with
the other. He also spoke of the changes
so years had wrought and the
marvellous improvements OF that time
In closing he very neatly spoke Of Nj
Fairchild as 80 years ago representine
the sunfiower who turns its face towards
the east and journeyed toward the rising
sur till it found in Tinkerfield a pure
white lily. The sunfower thought il
could not do without the lily and so II
was grated on to the sunfiower and thu
blending and harmony had been mos
beautiful. He then performed the dea
cons wedding ceremony, pronouncine
them man and wife for so happy years o
J welded felicity. taking the usual dea
cons fee. ...
Zalmon Peck, the oldest person pres
sent, who was present at the wedding
ns