Here  she  sits,  in  matronly  dignity,  after  a  century
and  a  half,  laving  her  unwearied  feet  in  the  commin-
gling waters  of  the  Merrimack  and  Contoocook,  rest-
ing her  head  reposefully  upon  the  manly  breast  of  old
Kearsarge.  her  hair  tastefully  adorned  with  the  mod-
est ribbon  of  the  Blackwater,  Long  Pond  and  Great
Pond  sparkling  like  diamonds  on  her  bosom,  her  face
radiant  with  ripening  corn,  reddening  apples,  and
purpling  grapes,  while  from  hill-top  and  valley  the
redolent  hemlock,  murmuring  pine,  stahvart  beech,
beautiful  maple,  and  graceful  elm  wave  their  cordial
welcome — not  more  hearty  in  the  invitation,  than  the
response.
Gladly  do  we  come  from  north  and  south,  east
and  west,  to  share  in  the  festivities  of  the  hour,  to
bring  some  tribute  of  affection  to  the  mother  on  this
day  of  her  rejoicing.  We  make  no  attempt  to  dis-
claim a  feeling  of  honest  pride  in  the  place  of  our
nativity.
UZZo


49

It  is  good  to  call  a  momentary  halt  In  the  hurried
march  of  life,  and  look  back.  This  we  are  sum-
moned to  do  this  hour.  We  are  on  historic  ground,
in  the  midst  of  great  memories.  And  there  is  won-
drous power  in  great  memories  to  stir  the  heart.  It
is  fitting,  sometimes,  to  surrender  to  these  potent  in-
fluences that  come  from  the  past,  to  listen  to  the
voices  of  those  who,  though  dead,  are  yet  speaking
to  us.
