The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-04-21
ABOUT EvENrFUL APRIL.
Interesting Talk by Mrs. Sara T. Kinney
 to Mary Clapp Wooster Chapter.

to Mary Ciapp Wooster Chapter The following very interesting talk on the events in the history of our country, which have occurred during the month of April, was given by Mrs. Sara T. Kinney at the meeting of Mary Clapp Wooster chapter, Daugh- ters of the American Revolution, Tues day afternoon:
 Mrs. Kinney's informal talk opened with the statement that nation which has been so prolific of men and deeds not to mention women-must always have correspondingly large number of anniversaries chiefly historic, which demand recognition. It is to be doubt ed If there is any one month in the year which does not chronicle some great event, or events which have more or less direct bearing upon the his tory of our country, and no month i is so crowded with historic events as | Is the month of April. Among the 1n- teresting April happenings in Colonial i days, she reminded her audience that on the 18th of April, 1888, John Daven- port, ,Theophilus Eaton and other goodly men whose names are well known and whose blood flows in our veins to- day, held their first public meeting in this locality, and founded our city of New Haven. And that "A years later, again in April, King Charles ] issued a charter which covered the col onies of New Haven and Hartford. The first general assembly of Connecticut | aI ;,, n,,a hnndrnT and sixteen years ago, on the 18th of April, Holland recognized the independence of the United States The 18th of April, 177 years ago. marked the birth of | Roger Sherman, man of whom not only New Haven and the state of Con- necticut, but the entire nation is justly proud Mrs Kinney alluded to Roger I Shermans prominence as citizen of New Haven, of his filling the office of treasurer of Yale college, and of serv- ing as mayor of the city. She repeated an interesting story which she had re- gently heard of sherman from the lips of his grandson, Senator George F. | Hoar of Massachusetts.
 During his term of office as mayor, Mir. Sherman was asked to take part in the exercises incident to the dedica- ton of the Fair Haven bridge. A great concourse had gathered, and much in terest was felt in the mayors expected speech. But, MT. Sherman disliked of- ficial fuss and feathers, so he rode to the place on horseback, dismounted stood upon the corner stone, tipped his feet first on his toes, then on his heels, then again on his toes and heels, and then merely remarking 'I don't see but it stands steady" mounted his horse and rode home
 On the 14th of April, 17S9, Washing ton was officially notified of his first election to the presidency of the United States, and delivered his inaugural ad- dress on the 30th of the same month. And on the 4th of April, 1878, congress passed an act fixing the number of stars and stripes In the national flag thirteen stripes to represent the thir- teen original states, and as many stars as there might be states in the Union. | The Revolutionary war, the Mexican war the civil war-a1l began in the month of April, and the civil war ended in April. The action of our congress within the last twenty-four hours makes probable the declaration of an- other war in April
 Ulysses S. Grant was born, and Abra- ham Lincoln died in April. In fact, April is so crowded with tragic events that 1t seems almost strange it has not been set apart as the nations month of mourning--a month to be ushered in with niserecordia. The miserecordia throbs and sobs with the storm and stress, the pain and passion of life but it is always followed by a triumphant hymn of thanksgiving for release and peace. And so, too, does tragic April merge into May to the music of the Te Deum Laudamus, 4 which carries with it the blessed as- surance of hopes of life, and of love. Any commemoration of the battle of Lexington, or any rehearsal of the events of that memorable day 123 years ago is incomplete without some refer ence to that famous ride of Paul Re- were, which directly preceded the tragedy of Lexington. After 12 o'clock of last night. if we had listened with that inner sense which easily reaches back into the distant years, we might have heard the rapid hoof beats of the gallant steed which bore Paul Revere on through the night; we might have heard his cry of alarm--"a cry of defi- ance, not of fear--a voice in the dark ness, a knock at the door, and word which shall echo for ever more"
 It is impossible even to-day, not to feel the weight of the tragedy which overshadowed that little Massachusetts hamlet one hundred and twenty three years ago to-day. In history that tragedy is called a 'skirmish'' but courage fails, hope dies, love starts back affrighted, and life goes out in a skirmish as in a battle royal. Whether it be great or small, 8 tragedy is all ways tragedy. Our unsung miserere to-day is for the brave fellows who fell on the 18th of April, 1775--for Brown Hadley, Monroe, Parker, Porter and the two Harringtons.
 Harrington lies on his doorstep dead
 But, oh ye six that round him lay
 And bloodied up that April day
 . As Harrington fell. ye likewise fell,
 At the door of the house wherein ye dwell. v As Harrington came, ye likewise came. D And died at the door of your house of fame. It cannot be with pain, but rather t with a sense of solemn joy that we 7 leave our heroes there-safe at the door of their house of fame. The tri. umphant Te Deum follows them as | they pass within, and the door closes