Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-28
A Year of Anniversaries.

The New Year which will begin next
Friday will be rich in notable anniver-
sarics, especially ir a literary way, and
| from beginning to end there will be
celebrations in which the whole world
will be much interested. The year 1909
saw the birth of many persons who
won high distinction in life. Perhaps
no single year ever gave to the world
more famous men and women, and the
| centennial of their respective births
| will be especially celebrated in this
country and Europe during the II
| months that are to come.
The first of the anniversaries will fall
upon February II, when the centennial
of the birth of Lincoln will be general
ly observed throughout this country. On
the same day there falls the centennial
of the birth of Charles Darwin, the
great English scientist whose theories
Of evolution have had such great in
fuence upon modern thought, and so
that day will be observed on both sides
of the water. In England, as we'll as in
America. the name of Lincoln is held
in highest reverence and many tributes
Will be paid to his memory on that day,
while in lesser degree the name and
work of Darwin will receive recognition
here while tributes are being paid to
the martyred war President.
The year 1909 will be especially rich
in literary anniversaries, for in this
country Oliver Wendell Holmes and
Edgar Allen Poe were born in 1909 and
in England Alfred Tennyson was born
in the same year. The centennial of
the birth CT all three Of these eminent
writer's whose names stand in the very
front rank of those who have achieved
great things in literature, will be ap-
propriately honored. The musical peo-
pie of both continents will join in pay
ing special honor to Felix Mendelssohn,
who was born in Germany in 1909.
William e. Gladstone, the greatest
British statesman of the 10Th century,
was also another of the great men
given to the world in 1909, and the Eng
lish speaking people will not fail to
pay Just tribute to his memory on the
Tooth anniversary of his birth of which
will fall at the very end of the year,
December 90. OF the literary people
mentioned above, the centennial Of
Poe's birth will fall Jan. 10, that of
Tennyson August and that of Holmes
August 90 Mendelssohn was born
February 3, 1905.
Historically. also the year 1903 is
worthy of special recognition in this
country. for in that year the United
States acquired the territory known as
the old Northwest, now comprising
several of the largest and most pros
porous of our middle western states.
Moreover, in that same year there was
| born the man whose inventive genius
has dcne so much to promote the pros
perity of that section, Cyrus McCor-
mick. a native Of Virginia, whose in
ventions of harvesting machinery have
| revclutionized the American wheat in
dustry and made possible the harvest
| ing of the immense crops of the great
West All these anniversaries and 9TH
ers will be celebrated during the year
| which is to come, and as result the
| masses of the people will gain re-
| newed appreciation of the great men
whose memory will thus be honored.
The Ellsworth American claims for
| Rodney l.. Allen of BroOkln, the
! honor of killing the largest hog this
year He killed his hog Dec. IA, He
was II months old, and his meat and
hams weighed $40 pounds Oliver J.
| Young, of Gouldsboro, killed little
! fellow 92 days old. 81 pounds. Can any
| ono heat these recOrQSo