The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1916-11-23
Col. Eersey's SOth Birthday.
1t is Celebrated at the Unitarian Church,
San Jose. Calf, and at Banquet the
Following Evening, When Col Hersey
Entertained 70 Guests.
[San Jose Mercury Herald Nov. 7th]

Entertained 70 Guests.
[San Jose Mercury Herald Nov. 7th]
Keen wit, good wishes, $50 people an
big birthday cake with candles, helped
Col. Phio Hersey celebrate his S0th
birthday at the Unitarian church last
night.
The speakers for the occasion were at
their best, the banquet was of the vari-
ETY. that is long remembered by hungry
mortals and the guests one and all ex-
pressed to Col. Hersey their heartiest
goodwill and wishes for many "happy
returns of the day.
When Mr.. Paul Clark, the toastmas-
ter, said, at the conclusion of banquet
of large proportions, Everybody in the
church loves Col. Hersey,' the audience
applauded with one accord IN resound-
ing clap that made the room ring. After
several remarks of humorous nature,
Mr.. Clark introduced the Rev. Oliver P
Shrout, saying: ut is the duty of the
pastor of the flock to make a speech
You don't have tc enjoy it, but
During DR.. Shrout's address laughter
was so CONF nuous that the speaker S
remarks could scarcely BE- heard. Col
Hersey," said the speaker, $50 years is
long time to live in one world. l have
always thought of going to heaven at
about rs until MIR. Biederwolf informed
me | was going in the other direction.
l met Col. Hersey eight years ago next
month. From that day the colonel has
been my friend, and | have been the
colone's friend" DR.. Snrout's eyes
tWlnkled and the audience chuckled when
he said: ''You can see now tie colonel
has lmproved-looks younger than he
did eight years ago. That shows what
KIND OF preaching mes heard.
Service to unday School.
Miss Rebecca English gave a gracious
little afterdlnner speech, In v hich she
told of what the colonel had done for the
Unitarian Sunday school. 81 congatu-
late Col. Hersey on his S0th birthday, "
said Miss English, in conclusion, "but l
congratulate the Sunday school more on
having Col. Hersey."
At this juncture in the affair the chair
man "divuiged some of the financial
secrets of the church." In his most
humorous vein, Mr.. Clark explained Col
Hersey's generosity in supplying funds
for any of the needs of the church. In
speaking of the colonel's supplying the
deficiency, the speaker said: 1--WE know
every time that the colonel is going to
step into the breach and the colonel
knows that we are going to let him do
it,"
Mrs. Katherine Bingham read poem
which she had composed In honor of the
colonel and at the conclusion of a lime
rick which she gave as an "encore" Mr.
John G. Jury gave speech in presenta-
ton of beautiful lamp for the colonel
as little token of esteem" The lamp
was lighted and placed on the table,
which the big birthday cake and candles
had occupied earlier in the evening. In
conclusion, Mr.. Jury SAID, with degree
of earnestness and sincerely that touch
ed the hearts of everybody present: "All
who know Col. Hersey know him to love
him, and this little gift is only slight
token of our esteem. May his years be
as full of happiness from this time on as
they have been of good deeds in the
past.
Intimate Response.
Col. Herseys response was of the in
innate and touching sort that made an
appeal to the hearts of his hearers.
When he read to them parts of book
OF "reminiscences from his boyhood and
childhood, when he took them back to
the days of the little red schoolhouse