Old Home Week Celebration, August 19-22, 1904; Historical Notes (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 edition. Excerpt: ...the sea. As I remember them, the Cape Cod sailors were a very warm-hearted class of people, fond of children, extremely fond of little girls, and, Mr. Chairman, they liked the large ones just as well. Our sailor boys were always loyal to their flag; no traitor among them, you may be sure. In the tragedies of the deep Centerville has borne her part. It is in order, Mr. Chairman, that we lower the flag to half topmast just a moment in memory of the twenty-five of our sailors who have been drowned at sea, nine of them masters of the vessels in which they sailed. I had intended, ladies and gentlemen, to tell you something of my own experience during the twenty-seven years that I followed the sea, but, owing to the lateness of the hour, and the long time you have sat here, I think you must sympathize with a little girl I once read about. She was in church, tired, no doubt, and longing to get out, when the minister, hating to give it up, but not knowing just how to continue, said, "O brethren, what more can I say unto you?" This little five-yearold rose in her seat and piped out in a clear voice, "Please, sir, say Amen, and sit down." Toastmaster Worrell reserved one of the best toasts for the last. When we consider the fact that the Spanish, the Russo-Japan wars, and in fact all wars in history pale into insignificance when compared to our Civil War for magnitude, and loss of life, we begin to realize what that war meant. Its devastating power reached every hamlet, and as I read those names in gold on yonder monument, I realize that our village contributed its full share of life-blood for the perpetuity of the Union, the maintenance of one government of, by, and for the people, and the preservation of Old Glory, --the symbol of...