Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-04-03
TOASTS AND RESPONSES

III opening that part of the exercises to which
we have now come, said Mr.. Dale, l have the
honor to propose the health Of our President,
All stood at this, while the orchestra played and
the guests sang the national anthem.
Mr. Dale then said 1t gives me great pleasure
to call ON our former long time townsman, Col.
L. NJ. Mansur to respond TO the toast "Our Hon
ored Guest We are all the admirers, friends
and lovers Of John Reeve"
L. NJ. MANsUR. Mr.. ToaStnaster and
our honored guest, Mr., Reeve, and
friends consider it a great honor to
be- called on in response to this toast,
hut | feel as though shall fail 10 do II
Justice. Nv MUD runs back to Thirty
nine years ago. came to this town IN
1866 aud our honored guest came here
III 1860. | was postmaster at that time
and the postotiice was i'll the covered
station. The office Of the station agent
was inst across the hall. ! remember
when he came here as station agent, and
when he walked Into that office he look
ed lust as he does now. am thinking
of the great many changes that have
taken place since that time, and as look
around here tonight few indeed are
there here who lived at that time. My
mind runs back to the time of conductor
Gould aud Other veteran railroad men,
who have long since passed to the life
beyond OF the great number of men
that our hoHured guest has had under
him, men of all classes pretty much, and
all conditions, and all kinds of DISPOSE
tions. and still | do not believe that
there is one that is living who has any
hard feelings against him or feels that
he was mstreated | know something,
of course, of his trials and the harlships
he has gone through. | had the honor
to be deputy collector here. In my bust
hess as Collector was connected iuti-
mately with our honored guest, and dur
lll1 dl| WIS tiiUt / Cfll Ntj1 lIlhb lpUllu
him to be man of strict integrity and
he always kept his word We never hest
tated to take his word and he always
fulfilled it. The position of station
agent was very responsible one, be.
cause he had under him all the conduc.
tors and brakemen aud the oversight of
the customs business. And | do not
have in my mind one single man who
has borne himself so uprightIy as our
honored guest during all that time
My mind runs back to the men who
We're here when he came, but do not
care to take up your time to speak OF
them. MIR. Cooper was here and since
that all the conductors on the upper end
of this road at that time and all the
conductors on the lower end are gone
Great changes But there is one virtue
which want to speak of which our hon.
ored guest possessed in the highest de-
. gree. You are all familiar with the old
saying: "Though bestow all my goods
to feed the poor, and have no charity il
profiteth me nothing And it is true
that our honored guest possesses that
virtue above any whom have in mind
because with all his trials--aud | have
known men to do great many things
that they ought not 10 have done. and
would have discharged them if | were
in his place he would say there il
some good i'll him poor fellow.
And now honored guest, my words
are feeble to pay to you such compIi.
ment as is the assembling of this large
number of friends who are here tonight
to do you honor.
MR.. DALE 1t is a pleasure to me to give the
signals by which you are 10 utter your kindly
thoughts of him, who is our guest. Speak U
him without restraint and cheerfully as he al
ways greets you. No semaphore is up to hole
back your trains of happy, tender, generous
words. Mr. Trainmaster, you having gained
by your consideration the goodwill of all, ii