Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-09-30
Family Reunion.

On Wednesday, Sept. 18th, the tri-
ennial meeting of the Bump family was
held in the "old homestead" now the
residence of Capt. S. H. Kelly in Sails
bury. Every three years for almost
fifty years, the family have gathered in
reunion.
Although the day was somewhat
rainy, the large and commodious rooms
were ample for the occasion.
After the elegant dinner in the ball
room, at which eighty-four persons were
seated, the family assembled in the blue
room and listened to an interesting pro-
gramme consisting Of musical and vocal
selections by Mrs. j. E. Dyer, Mr.. and
Mrs. George Parkhill and David Bos-
worth and sister, Miss Helen Bosworth,
of Bristol, with few remarks by Capt.
Kelly and Dr. Bump.
One of the most interesting features
was the reading, by Miss Grace Bos-
worth, of poem written for the occa-
sion by Rev. B. B. Bosworth, graduate
of U. V. NJ, and pastor of Washington
Heights Baptist church of New York
city. At the roll call, twelve persons
responded who were present at the first
meeting in 1856.
| After prayer by DR.. Bump all repaired
to their homes, having enjoyed another
red-letter day in the family history.
AT FAMILY MEETING.
When was but little boy,
With naught but childish pranks
To busy me, my chlefest Joy
Was found at "Uncle Franks"
To try to tell our sports in rhymes
| Would truth be surely cheating,
Yet they were nothing to the times
| We had at family meeting.
We used to watch the woodchuck holes;
Go fishing at the Lake;
Creep in at night, with quaking souls
For fear the folks would wake;
And many a lark but, ten to one,
AS am Just repeating,
'TwOuldn't hold a candle to the fun
We had at family meeting.i
What fun it was to see the folks
Come driving IN the yard!
To hear them crack their honest Jokes!
Cracked cause they hit so hard)
We children on the end board sat
To solve the job OF seating.
They wouldn't leave the smallest brat
| At home from family meeting
To play wild Indians and run
The cattle in the pasture
| Was sport II Brindle liked the fun,
| II not, we never asked her.
| What fun it was to play croquet,
| No matter who was beating
Nobody cared who beat that day,
| For it was family meeting.
| What fun to see the horses fed,
Down in the old COW stable!
| They mazda black
| Wait Till the second table.
And last, to make our fun replete,
| There was the fun of eating.
| They always had good stuff to eat,
| You bet, at family meeting!
| l see, as l look back from now,
There was some labor to II;
| But, though our mothers knew, VOW
| We children never knew it.
We matched their rivalries of skill
| With appetites competing,
| And all with pleasure had their fill
| At every family meeting.
Those happy days are gone. trow,
| And with them childhood's Joys,
And we ourselves are parents now
| Who once were girls and boys.
And much is as II had been, not
OF memories retreating,
But one thing never is forgot
| And that is family meeting.
Our days are passing swiftly by.
| So swift they are and ieeting
And soon in better worlds on high
There'll be another meeting.
We hope the family'll all be there
To join in blessed greeting,
And, please the Lord, we too will share
That last great family meeting.