STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. I7I 



fill. We are to work so I believe in a good cause. We are 

 glad to know that you appreciate that fact and that you do us 

 honor by your presence at the meetings that we have had and 

 by this entertainment that you have so sumptuously provided 

 this evening and graced with your presence in so large numbers, 

 as you have. Let it go on record to the credit of the city of 

 Gardiner and its people and their hospitality. So it is fitting 

 for us to do honor to this city of the Kennebec. 



Mayor Will C. Atkins, Gardiner. 

 I supposed that when I spoke my piece last evening that ended 

 my connection with the speaking part of the program. I sat 

 here tonight in all serenity and security, and I felt a good deal 

 as Daniel is said to have felt when he was thrust into the den 

 of lions and looked around upon the hungry beasts, and finally- 

 said — "Well, if there is going to be any after dinner speaking 

 here tonight I will not be the one to do it." Now in the short 

 space of five minutes it will be impossible to tell you all the good 

 things about Gardiner so I am going to refrain and do as all 

 speakers are supposed to do at after dinner speeches, either tell 

 a story, sing a song or read a poem. Mine will be a story and 

 it will be short. When the visitors began to come in in such 

 numbers and it was doubtful if they could be entertained, I 

 thought it might be necessary to have recourse to the expedient 

 employed by the country hotel keeper. Late in the evening two 

 drummers struck a small country village and coming to the hotel 

 found that it was completely filled. It seemed that the land- 

 lord of the hotel was also the sexton of the church and the 

 church was situated next to the hotel. They asked the landlord 

 if they could have entertainment for the night and he told them 

 that he was completely filled up, but as they were leaving much 

 disappointed he called them back and said, "I am the sexton of 

 the church here and perhaps if you would like you can go in 

 there and spend the night." In the absence of a better place of 

 entertainment they chose the church. Along about midnight 

 the bell of the church began to ring and the landlord was awak- 

 ened from his slumbers and he ran over to the church. He 

 rapped on the door. It was locked, and after a considerable 



