Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-02-11
LlNcoLN cENTENARY.
y. S. Grant Post Observes 1oOth Al
niversary Of Emancfpafcr's Birth.

~ s. Grant Post Observes 1oOth An
niversary OF EmancipatcF's Birth.
Grange hall had its seating capacity
taxed Tuesday night by q throng Of over
200 people, who assembled for the Lin
coin Centenary observance Of U. 8. Grant
post, No. 96, @. A. r.. and the Woman's
Relief corps. Flags and bunting were
effectively draped about the stage, and
an exceedingly wen arranged program.
prepared BY Mrs. E. N. Rising. patriotic
instructor Of the corps, was carried out in
an admirable manner.
Prayer was offered by School Super
visor H. w. Lewis and followed BY q
chorus selection. anchored, ? from the
Bunch Of Roses girls-MaFguerite Hud-
son, Florence Onsy, Edith Blanchard,
Evelyn Denny, Florenee Howard and
Lena Kilburn. An exercise was. then
given BY seventeen boys and girls, repre-
aenting the attributes that made Lincoln
great and laying their claims to q share in
the development OF his character before
the Goddess Of Liberty [Jessie ChedeI)
and the Goddess Of Fame (Vesta Lyon),
attended.by the pages, Loren Eldredge
and Charles Bent. The attributes were:
Honesty, Fred Williams; sympathy,
Ruby Allen; courage, Raymond Briggs;
wit, Fred Goodwin; faith, Una Allen; per-
severance, Ralph Dunn; simplicity. Leda
Jones; patriotism. Maud Putnam; tenn
perance. Lawrence Stockwell; know
ledge, Ruth Roundy; purity, Marjorie
Chedel; seriousness, Susie Blodgett; !;
mercy, Mildred Goodwin.
A talk on Lincoln's youth and early
manhood was given by DIR. F. C. Angel,
who sketehed the hard life Of the back
woods boy, whose toll and priyaIions
developed the rugged virtues for which
be is revered and made the rail-aplifter q
king Of men. Lincoln was IN close touch
with nature and was a boy who had al
ways to work at arduous tasks. When
he was seven or eight years OF age his
family moved from his native Kentucky
to Indiana to better their worldly condi-
tions but il Is not improbable that the
father, Thomas Lincoln, Was not little
influenced by 3 desire to live on free soil
and there we find the germ Of young
Abe's ideas on slavery. The lads life in
Indiana was that Of the ordinary boy,
axe, shovel and hoe being the impie-
ments be welded in athletic growth to
strong manhood. Il is not known that
Lincoln as q boy was fond Of work but he
did it and he did IL well. Many anec-
dotes illustrating the quaint humor of
the president were told by DR.. Angel,
whose talk was both profitable and enter
tanning.
Master Fred Goodwin, that popular
young vocalist, sang III It's Good
Enough FOR Washington, It's Good
Enough for Me" and won round OF ap-
plause. Prin. +. q. Ham was then intro
duced and took up the presidential career
Of Lincoln. He first traced an analogy
I k..ak.. A. -
dent and the earthly ministry of the Saw
Tor, who gave His life : ransom for many
in ehs-bondage Of sins Feikewsnx the
Great Example, Lincoln lived . life ol
service; il was his part to minister, not to
be ministered unto, and with his blood
be sealed the emancipation OF the slave.
His election was the signal fer the upris-
ing of the South. In his farewell speech
to his friends at Springfield, be said -
60 to task greater than confronted Wash
ington." and to avoid assassination ht
entered the national capital secretly bs
night. His inaugural address was
great state paper, and ia his choice oi
cabinet be displayed a keen judgment ol
his fellows. We pay our tribute to Z
! wonderful man. who steered the ship ol
state through stormy waters to the hayer
! Of peace, and we thank God that in oui
! national crisis He raised up . savior fol
! the country so like to the Savior OF thl
world.
} William Hyzer read LincoIn's Gettys
burg address, after which this Bunch O
, Roses girls sang "The Battle Hymn o
the Repuhlic.''
G. w. Proper. the last speaker Of ths
I evening, was an eye witness of Lincoln'I
assassination and in his graphic descrip
- . A-4l -
attention Of the audience. In 1865, Mr.
Proper was cashier In q restaurant il
Washington at the Corner of Sixth stree
/ and Pennsylvania avenue, called the Hol
] restaurant after Captain Hopkins, whs
had earlier commanded q steam boat OF
! Lake Champlain, then owned and run by
! N. H. Stratton OF Montpelier. This res
| taurant was called the next best in thi
city OF Washington and was patronizes
largely by members OF congress and &c
: tors and actresses OF the different the
atres. Ip his position be acquired
j speaking acquaintance with quite q mum
I Der Of the theatre people. among then
Booth and sergt. Boston Corbett, whI
, shot Booth.
] ssOf the eyentful night Of April IA
1865, these are my recolIections,n salt
/ Mr.. Proper. ssBefore entered the the
ater / stood in the vestibuIe q few min
: utes and while stood there Booth passes
me in going into the theatre, bowing (,
me as he did so. My seat at the perform
ance was what was then called an orches
ira chair on the left OF the main aisle a
You face the stage and the sixth from tn
stall. From it ! could plainly see the oc
cupants Of the presidents box.
"Booth, having free access to the thea
. tire at all times, had been in and mad
ready for his awful deed BY fitting a pro-
to fasten the entrance door to the ante
room behind the presidents box and hai
{ also made hole in the door to the box
through which-in my opinion--he sho
Lincoln, but in this differ from any &c
count have ever seen published. A
4 Booth rushed through the box after fiji
1 ing, Major Rathbone attempted to sto
him but the assassin struck at him with
G big dagger, cutting the majors sleev