DAIRY MEETING. 55 



of the State, some in the largest cities, I never remember of so 

 large an audience being present the first evening as we have here 

 tonight, and that speaks more than words. Brother Additon, 

 representing the grange, has spoken of the pleasure it gave him 

 to have Brother Gilbert with us. I am very glad, for the 

 Dairymen's Association, that we have with us one of our old 

 members, one of the pioneers in this work. I can remember of 

 being in this section with Brother Gilbert twenty-five years ago. 

 He had been preaching the doctrine of dairying, and we started 

 to drive into Dexter one cold night, and got lost somewhere 

 about II or 12 o'clock at night. I stopped to inquire the way. 

 And I remember how good the lights of Dexter looked to me 

 that night, as we were nearly frozen. We appreciate the hospi- 

 tality which the good people of this town are oftering to us, 

 and feel confident that we shall have a very successful meeting. 

 I am glad to introduce to you Brother Z. A. Gilbert, who will 

 respond more at length to the addresses of welcome to which 

 we have listened. 



RESPONSE. 

 By Z. A. Gilbert, North Greene. 



Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: 



It is a pleasure to grow old so long as you have some friends 

 left behind who can speak a good word for you, such as I have 

 heard this evening. It is a pleasure to me to be called upon, 

 in behalf of the members of this Dairymen's Association and 

 what it represents, to ext'end thanks to you for the cordial recep- 

 tion you have given us here tonight; not only in the words 

 spoken but very largely in the interest you manifest by your 

 presence here on this occasion. You may not realize the impor- 

 tance of a cordial reception of an organization devoted to such 

 work as we have in hand, an association organized expressly 

 for the promotion of the interest that it represents and having 

 no other motive in view than to promote this interest. I say 

 you may not be aware of the force, the influence, the importance 

 and the results that may come from a reception such as you are 

 showing us here tonight by your words of welcome that have 

 been pronounced, and further also, and more emphatically by 



