Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-09-27
STATE W. c. T. Z.
One Days Impressions from Visit
to the Convention.

One Days Impressions from Visit
TO the Convention.
| Upon enteriag the portals Of the hand
some Congregational church at Bar Hair
Dor, for the time being the council hall OF
the white ribboners Of the Pine Tree state,
the attention was arrested by the numer-
Gus banners hung upon the walls and the
white guidon flags iettered in black, mark
ing the place Of each county brigade, to
me significant OF these words from the BIZ
| Bile: ave will rejoice in thy salvation Al d
in the name of our God we win set up our
hannersi" Thou hast given banner to
them that fear Thee, that il may be dis
played because Of the truth"
Pictured faces OF prominent leaders Of
temperance, palms, terms and hlossoming
| plants and cut flowers gave added sttrsc-
tion to the convention room, allied with
| bright and cultured women, some 80 dele
gates, from the Canada line on the north to
Kittery ON the south, and many other true
comrades willing TO let the elect do the
voting.
The first days doings, the opening praise
service, the official reports, presidents ad-
dress, department reports of the day, and
the many good things of the evening ses-
sion were missed by me, being unable to
reach Bar HArbor until Wednesday morn
ing, hut enough was crowded into this
days calendar to satisfy any reasonable
person.
When I arrived, Mrs. Towie, OF Augusta,
| was giving a sketch of the union she has
| mothered at Togus for several years. with
such marked success. She was followed
| by the stirring testimonies of two Togus
veterans, both giving splendid tributes to
the leadership of Mrs. TowIe, and to the
| good results OF this strong, active union 10
which they were proud 20 belong.
The convention was characterized
throughout with delightful spirit OF for
bearanoe and harmony, even when in live
| ~ discussion and there was a marked Diff
terence OF opinion, and the love and loyal
obedience given by every member TO their
| queeniy leader, Mrs. L. NJ. y. Stevens, was
| proof positive Of her rare power OF win
| ming hearts and OF her wonderful execu-
tive ability as a commanding general.
The department reports were all Of deep
interest, concise and Astounding in good
| work. These were eniivcned by short
| speeches from elergymen and other inter
ested spectators introduced by the cour-
tesy committee. Much interest was man
ifested in the sescoast mission, as out
lined by Rev. A. p. Mcdonald, and the
| captain of the mission sloop, Mr.. White,
who has already done valuable work in
esta blishing Sunday schools on several
islands along the coast. As a token OF
interest the SUM of s. was appropriated to
procure temperance literature to be sent
| to Capt. White for distribution.
One OF the pleasant features OF We'd
nesdsy afternoon was the introduction OF
| Mr.. bennett and his charming wife, for
merly Mabel Freeze, OF Bangor, one whose
| good work as q white ribboner Is well
known, and who Is now ably seconded by
her husband, who made witty speech in
generous praise and appreciation of his
beautiful helpmate.
The representatives of Loyal Temperance
| Legions, Mr.. Quimby, OF North Turner,
and Helen Bryant, were welcomed and re-
| sponded with Rotations. Ralph Ames
Leavitt, convention page, the nimble little
| son Of Mrs. Gertrude Stevens Lesvitt, gave
with fine effect ''The Temperance Horn.
The county song contest was a surprise
to many, especially TO Hancock county
| delegates. who bowed their heads in
shame for having a grand good song
written by their beloved promoted sister,
Mrs. Rebecca Warren, not q single copy OF
which had been brought to the council.
Had they been apprised OF the contest, the
Hancock county delegates would surely
have been prepared with the song. and
perhaps might have won. Nearly every
county responded to roll call, and sang
| ioyfully, tunefully their stirring rhymes
of melody. The committee OF Judges
announced equal honors for Cumberland
and Piscataquis, so both were to be re-
warded with the privilege OF singing their
rally songs at the evening session.
Another contest had been made through
the year for increase OF membership, and
Aroostook won the very pretty banner,
with the presidents picture and a bunch
of cherries as establishment, gracefully
| presented by Anna Gordon, who told the
tale of the cherry tree-not George Wash
ington's tree and little Ratchet, but the
leaders home tree and the robins which
ate her share of cherries. The thanks OF
Aroostook was voiced by the State treas
urer, Mrs. Johnston.
half hour or more was devoted to an
expose of patent medicines by Miss Anna
Gordon, who handled the subject in a
mastery manner, having the chemical
analysis of the percentage of alcohol in a
long list OF the various medicines hung in
plain view, and demonstrating the truth
with testing device, burning not only
the fumes OF one deeoction, but the entire
sample OF another. The recent decision OF
the revenue department viii tax as liquor
all the medicines listed, and probably
more.
| Miss Gordon was given a rising vote of