riences and some light
refreshments the veterans said "good-bye" and departed, leaving very
grateful, pleasant thoughts in the hearts of those whom their presence
had honored and made glad. Another surprise awaited us. Our little
grandchild Pauline Van Cleve, a year and a half old, side by side with
her cousin Rebecca, a few months older, toddled up to "grandma" and
presented her with a cluster of fourteen golden rosebuds, one for each
grandchild, and our granddaughter Charlotte Van Cleve recited very
sweetly "The Old Man and His Bride," by Dr. Holland. Many sweet poems
and loving letters from friends far and near, and many valuable,
beautiful presents from dear ones, testified their love and kind
regard for us, and are treasured by us among our most precious things,
to be highly valued by our children when we shall have passed away.
Cake and coffee were served through the evening, the fruit cake being
baked in the same pan which was used fifty years before, when I, a
girl of sixteen, made my "wedding cake." It has been in constant use
ever since, and is a plain affair which shows the marks of time, but
which, with ordinary care, will last through at least another
generation.

Our friend, Rev. Dr. Neill, spoke to us in his usual felicitous
manner, and his address was full of pleasant reminiscences. Our
pastor, Rev. Dr. Stryker, recited a poem composed by himself for the
occasion, and the evening passed most enjoyably, and, with many
wishes that we might keep our diamond wedding, our friends bade us
"good night" and went their several ways.

Then came to us a full realization that we had walked beside each
other half a century, and our thoughts went back to the old quarters
at Fort Winnebago, where side by side we stood in the freshness of
youth, with life all before us, and promised "to have and to hold from
this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in
sickness and in health, to love and cherish each other till death us
do part," and as we looked into each other's eyes, heart answered to
heart, "We have kept our vows."

"And looking backward through the years
Along the way our feet have pressed,
We see sweet places everywhere--
Sweet places, where our souls had rest.

For though some human hopes of ours
Are dead and buried from our sight,
Yet from their graves immortal flowers
Have sprung, and blossomed into light.

Our sorrows have not been so li