Year: 1871

birds, mice and heather. His Bonny Doom
John Anderson, my 10 John, Aud Lans
Syne, and Highland Mary, roll round th'
world in ever ringing symphony with wha
is purest and best in human nature. Iii
songs WOO and melt the hearts of youth ahC
maidens, bring solace to the sorrowing anC
courage to the overburdened by their lot
His inspiration has set the affections to mu
sic in strains that are immortal.


No other one man ever made language
classic, but he has rendered that lowland
Scotch a Doric dialect of fame. TIE name
of his home and mis- beloved river Ayr was
lifted on the wings of his pathOs, and now
the approaching traveller yearns to reach
the spot his genius has sanctiied.


Along the borders of the sea in a parallel
ogram and surrounding the town is a county
of the same name-Ayrshire.


1t would weary your patience TO hear the
history Of my ancestors from one ancient
John of Ayr, then John AYR, down through
the centuries to this Aver now before you
through their vicissitudeS of poverty and
plenty--of fortune and misfortune how
they have intermarried with England, Ire
land and Scotland, and later with the Amer
leans, who are an excellent mixture OF them
all


Ny FTiends,-you have chosen the name
| inherited for your town with an extraOr-
binary uuanimity, and have thereby conferred
an honor upon me, the proper acknowledge
ment of which | do not feel fully able to ex-
press. But beg you to be assured that it
Is appreciated and that it will be gratefully
remembered with a living interest in your
prosperity while life remains to me, and,
| trust, beyond that by my children after
me.


1t this name has become noted among the
many that are worthier around you, that is
greatly due to its publicity. May be per
mitted to state whence that came Until
within few centuries all the civilized ma
tions of the globe were pent up on the Fast
ern continent. Two or three hundred years
ago they leaked over into this few and
feariully at first, then more an d more, but
always in their settlements timidly hugging
the Atlantic coast. Within the last two
or three generations, they have burst out, as
it were, and over-run these vast continents
of the west. Now they are scattered here
and possess these measurcless streaches of
mountains and valleys, hills, plains forests
and praries with the bouudless pampas
and mountain ranges of South America.
Former generations lived in villages and
towns, thickly settled together where ply
sicians were plenty and near at hand. Now,
the people are widely scattered, in many
sections of these many countries. For great
numbers the timely treatment Of physicIa rs
cannot be had at all. They can not visit
patients enough many miles apart to live by
their profession. nor can they carry medI-
cines enough with them on horseback for
their requirements. Hence has arisen in
these modern times, a necessity for remedies
ready at hand, with directions for their use
"a present recourse for relief in the eXigen-
cies Of sickness when no other aid is near
1t Is a new necessity consequent upon the
changed conditions of human lifc-a want
have spent my years in supplying, and will
tell you something Of its extent. Our lab
oratory makes every day some 100000 po-
tiOns or doses Of our preparations. These
are all taken by somebody. Here Is a num-
Der equal to the population of fifteen cities as
large as Lowell, taking them every day (for
sickness keeps no Sabbaths) nor for nee
only, but again and again year after year,
through nearly one third Of a century. We
all Join in the Jokes about medicines as we do
about the Doctors mission to kill, the clergy
man insincerity and the lawer' cheating.


Yet each of these labors are among the
most serious realities of life. Sickness and
its attendant suffering are no Joke, neither
Is the treatment of them. This system Of
transportable relief, to be made available to
the people, must keep the remedies fresh in
their memories. This Is done by adv dvertisn5
r
the run of the newspapers with which we
contract (some 1900 annually Is struck off
in such numbers, shat when piled upon each
other ilatwise, like the leaves of a book, the
distance through them is sixteen miles. In
addition, il takes seven millions of pam
phlets and twelve millions Of circulars to
meet the public demand for this kind of in
formation Our annual issue of pamphlets
alone, laid solid upon each other, make
pile eight and one quarter miles high. The
circulars measured endwise reach 1894 miles,
and these assertions are matters of mathe-
matical certainty Whatever the estimation
in which these publications may be held here,
they reach the firesides of millions upon mil
lions of meu who do treasure and regard
them, and who in their trials do heed the
counsel they bring.


Not only over these great Western CONT
neuts but throughout that other land 50 lit
tie known TO you, under our feet, the Aus
tralian continent. there are few villages as
large as this which are not familiar with the
name you have chosen, and employing the
remedies that bear it.


Thus, gentlemen, have 1 striven in my
humble sphere TO render some service 20 my
fellow mea, and to deserve among the afflicted
and unfortunate somo regard for the name
which your kind partialIty hangs on these
walls around me We may look forward
with confident hope to the rcnOwn you will
gather under it, and the prosperity, which
there is reason to trust the future has in
store for you. Situated as you are here on
one Of the main arteries between the west
and east, between the great industries of the
plough and the spindle you must aid in their
exchanges and thrive with them. Soon these
channels will be opened wide and pouring
through your preciencts streams of men and
rY,arabouhisa that I'm
and must contribute to your growth.


Located here in the centere OF New Eng
land to what dearer spot can you turn that
men inhabit2 Beginning life rich with the
hOnors of your mother town whose influence
throug her schools and her scholars is of
itself an Inheritance, with such examples as
Lawrence, Boutwell,, Hoar, what may you
not hope for of usefulness in the councils of
the state and nation?


Contrast our condition with that of the
European nations, alternately torn and i'm
prOvished fwith wars, credit it as you
may to the better education of the people,
and you will realize the value of the exam
pie old mother Groton has sent you, so
worthy of your ambition to follow. Build
schools for your children and find talent to
them, then intelligence and integrity in pros
porous and happy homes will be your sure
reward.


Associated as you have made me with your
veal and wo, wish l might be allowed to
contribute from my means such as they are,
something towards this first foundation of
the public good.


Gentleman, l have detained you too long.
Oppressed with fear, that L do not deserve
the distinction you bestow, pray God to
make me worthIer, and smile upon you his
perpetual blessings.


A Race for Life.


EENINIsCENCE OF FORT SMELLING.


l close my eyes and recall an evening