The Press., 1916-05-03

. A beautiful antlered deer has
 courage to occasionally visit the. Hill
 and his old stamping places of several
 years. .s.
 All through the unpropitious weath- CT the matter of the reception for Rev.
 and Mrs. Parker has been held in
 abeyanoe, but on taking "the matter
 of preparedness" up again, it has been
 deemed better to postpone the visit of
 the state ecclesiastical officials until
 the annual roll-call of the church the
 second Tuesday in June, falling this
 year on June 18th, giving signifi.
 canoe to the, occasion. that always.
 church and community wise, is the
 red letter day of the year.
 We wonder if anyone who reads
 this column knows anything of the
 bass viol that for many years held an
 important part in the famous orchestra a
 of the Baptist church. For a long
 time it was played by Joshua Preston,
 and his son, Mai E V. Preston of
 Hartford writes that his brother. Al
 bert, remembered when 1t was brought
 to his father. in Wilmington Hollow, at
 the home there. and that it was said
 to have come from sColaznbia, in some-
 where about 1850 pzobably. It uHed
 te be kept int q chimney ,closet in the
 old gallery. It is probably resting
 in somebody's attic, and it womb be
 interesting if it oould be hvought to light and resume its place in the choir.
 Many of the old people recall ztbat 1t
 was not a particularly elegant instru. ment, but that 1t was remarkably ane
 in tone.
 John Merrick of Minneapolis, the old est living native of Willington passed his ninetieth birthday April 18th. His many friends in Minneapolis and in other places made it high day to him. MT. Merrick writes: 'It took, several days to perfect and carry out the whole program that friends had pre-. pared an'l letters of oongratulation be- gan to arrive late in March and early in April, but really in earnest last Saturday, when a box of beautiful flowers came from Miss Mande Davis, native of Holyoke, but of St. Paul, Minn Sunday morning Miss Davis came in spite of a downpour of rain and two other friends who had been invited to join us came and the oele- bration of the event began. Mrs. Lathrop went to church and asi had been arranged it was given out that Dea. John Merrick would be at home to his friends Monday. The day was perfect, and at 1 1 a. m. a large dele. gation from the woman's society of the Trinity Baptist church came with warm greetings and with smiling faces and beautiful flowers and 6 fine climbing rose with more than ninety blossoms. some in full bloom and others only in bud, I suppose thus in. dicating that the ninety years had not all been in full bloom. The after noon of Monday was busy one when some thirty friends called with flowers and congratulations and wishes for many happy returns not thinking that there can be but one ninetieth birth day in any persons life. Tuesday several came, having mistaken thel notice in the calendar. but yesterday was the day of days and our mail carrier came loaded down not only with mail as usual, but with packages of all kinds and postal cards, but the evening was the climax when some sixteen friends came to fill out the full measure of pleasure to the full, pressed down, shak en together and running over. A friend from Wau. kegan, H., had asked the privilege of furnishing the birthday loaf and came Tuesday morning to attend to the arranging of the tables. That loaf with its ninety burning candles and the'-fine display of beautiful roses and other potted plants was a sight to be remembered. I am very sure that shall carry the memory of 1t as long as may live, and could say with the psalmist ip the twenty y.third Psalm, Thou annointest mine head with oil, my. oup, ,runneth over.' and in fact the whole of that Psalm was very appropriate to the occasion. Mx Merrick most heartily thanks all of the many friends, both far and neal. who, so kindly contributed to make the occasion SO pleasant. and hopes andI prays that every one of them at the last great gathering shall hear it said that Inasmuch as ye have done it to | one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done 1t unto me-" by the dear Master. For any nain burn. ecald or brllls0 ap.