THE FESTIVAL.
Fortunately for the tree-planters, the day of the celebration at
Solaris, proved exceptionally fine! No one could resist the exhilarating
tonic of such a perfect day! A day made more glorious by a cloudless
expanse of blue sky, a flood of golden sunlight, and breezes, soft as
the balmy breath of gentle spring could make them!
The tools and the potted trees, each labeled with the name of the
planter, were hauled in wagons from the nursery to the site of the
future forest, where the ground had already been prepared to receive
them.
At nine o'clock in the morning the band in the public square began to
play, as the signal for the people to assemble. At ten the procession
was formed, ready to march to the planting grounds. First: the band
under the leadership of Gilbert Gerrish. Second: the children in
alternating fours of boys and girls. Third: the adults in the same
order; followed by the carriages with the President, the Patroness, Mrs.
Bainbridge, Fillmore Flagg and Gertrude Gerrish.
Having reached the grounds, the procession was massed into a square of
close columns. The ranks were divided into planting classes of twenty,
with an instructor for each class. After the classification, the double
quartet of mixed voices, sang a hymn to the forest; the assembly joining
in the chorus. As the square broke up, the members of each class,
carrying tools and plants, followed the teacher to the particular
planting grounds prepared for them. At a given signal, three blasts from
the bugle, the work began, and went merrily forward, with much vigor and
a vast deal of lively chatter. In just twenty minutes, the planting was
finished and the square reformed. The children altogether as a chorus,
then gave "An Ode to Growing Trees," which they rendered so sweetly and
so effectively, that they earned a great deal of well deserved praise.
The order for the return march was sounded--the procession quickly
re-formed and returned to the village in the same order in which it
came.
A twenty-minute band-concert, given in the large dancing pavillion in
the center of the public square, came next, and closed the order of
exercises for the forenoon.
An intermission until one o'clock was declared.
Promptly at one o'clock the people were again assembled in the great
hall of education and amusement, to hear the oration. The hall itself
was handsomely decorated for the occasion, with a profusion of flags and
ribbons. The roomy platform was transformed into a garden of verdure, by
a brilliant array of ferns, flowers, palms, potted plants and young
trees. Seated near the center of the platform were Fern Fenwick, Mrs.
Bainbridge, Gertrude Gerrish, Fillmore Flagg and George Gerrish. The
latter, as the president of the farm company, in a few well chosen
words, introduced General Manager Flagg, as the orator of the day.
Inspired by the cheers which greeted him, happy in the presence of his
beloved Fern; yet with all alert, and confident of his complete mastery
of the subject; our hero never before seemed quite so handsome as when
he began to speak.