The Republican journal., 1910-06-09
The Belfast Club.

The Belfast Club.
Some "reminiscences by George P. Field.
To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL: A
good many years ago, probably ten at
least, l perpetrated the enclosed Tor the
Belfast Club. wasn't called on until it
was very late and l got little cross and
| didn't use it, but shot off few i'm
promptues. In overhauling 10. of pa
pers the othe, day l came across it and
was about 10 junk it when it came to me
that it might possibly be of interest to
some of the good citizens of Belfast, and
with that in mind thought l would sub
nit it to you. Read it and if you think it
worth it, run it in The Journal, if not.
send it back to me. Of course it is a
back number now, and my friend George
Quimby told me when he read it, while
he knows most of the facts are true,
that it was nothing but pack of lies
Now the fact is, they are not lies but
square bona fide facts, and l shouldn't
wonder if some in Belfast wouldn't re-
member them.
Truly yours,
GEORGE P. FIELD.
The Farm. Norwell, Mass
When some two months ago was told
of this proposed Belfast Club was in
vited, in case the thing materialized, to
make, as Doctor Palfrey used to say, ga
few brief and comprehensive remarks. I"
| was also told that in case my services
were wanted | should be further notified.
| heard nothing more till | received the
printed call for this meeting, and as that
announced that Every attractive liter
airy program has been arranged" | felt
reasonably sure that | was out of it, be-
cause for obvious reasons no one has ever
yet characterized any performance Of
mine as attractive literary work" But
| have dealt with dinner committees be-
fore. know something of the nature
of the beast; hence my few brilliant ex-
tempore remarks are all ready, on tap as
it were, in case the button should be
pressed. At this interview was further
told that no formal speeches were wanted
THAT part of the program seems to have
gotten away from your toastmaster), but
that "reminiscences would be in order. |
shall therefore proceed to reminiss.
1t is now more than 35 years since
have been a resident of Belfast and !
fear my recolections of the town will be
before the day of most of you. In look
ing back on Belfast as | knew her as a
boy it seems to me that she numbered
among her citizens an unusual number of
mute, inglorious Millions men who
under other surroundings would have
achieved perhaps a national reputation.
Rufus B. Allyn for instance, then liv-
ing in the house on Church street now
occupied by Hiram Chase. He was a
! lawyer and his terse, epigrammatic say
ings are the law boiled down, and have
heard them quoted where their author
ship, | am sure, was unknown For in
stance, when conversations are set up to
change contracts, can anything cover the
ground better than his historic remark,
what s written is written, d--n the
talk" At one time a number of wise
men Were gathered in Washburn's book
store discussing some great political
question which apparently involved the
fate of the party. Squire Allyn entered,
listened a while and then, turning his
back on the disputants and thrusting his
hands under his coat tails, Che always
wore swallow tail, a la Dan'l Webster
gazed at picture on the wall, represent
ing trotting sulky with breaking shafts
throwing the driver out backward go
ing to hell neck over heels, Mr.. Wash
burn, going to hell neck over heels.
Whether he referred to the party I'M
der discussion or the driver in the pic
ture was never explained. To either it
was pat and | remember we'll that it
broke up the conference ''to onc't", as
A. Ward would say.
Do any of you remember A. G. Jewett,
the War Mayor of Belfast? He would in
imagination wrap himself in the Ameri-
can flag. and while mounted on the stone
watering trough, which then stood on
the centre Of Custom House Square,
would with his tongue STAY more rebels
in one evening than fell in the whole war
One night he was in his impassioned way
urging enlistments or money for substi-
tutes, and was comparing those who fail
ed to respond and Belfast had her share
OF such-to Dogs. Who'd be dog?"
he cried, and Just then a name was Sc
Cuieu. ne lOokeu uOWn at IL, ana IN the
same tone said: ASA A. Howes, he's
good man; put his name down. And
speaking of Custom House Square, do
you remember. before the present U. S.
Building was built, when the tin knocker
presided at what is now the receipt of
Customs? One S. S. Hersey by name,
rather portly man, clad principally as my
recollection goes in a leather apron, large
spectacles and T. d. pipe He would
emerge from his shop with some mended
tin vessel in his hands, wash boiler,
generally, think, and filling it under the
spout of that old stone basin, would care
fully watch to see if his solder had 'made
good"
And then on the hill, just above the tin
shop, was the home and office of that
most courtly of the old school gentlemen,
Gov. Crosby - man physically re-
sembling Gov. Andrews of Massachu-
sets. as ! remember them both,-a
scholar, student, orator, he might easily
have been a second Edward Everett, had
his lot been cast elsewhere. Notwith-
standing the brilliancy of his remarks
and the apparent ease with which he
cpOko I ronoM <hok 1~o IS l.-x