34 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Obituary notices in the press of the State were general. The 

 Gardiner Home Journal said: ''The eyes of many will grow dim 

 as they read that he has gone to join his wife in the home above, of 

 which they loved to teach, and to which they sought to lead the way 

 by the pure example of a godly life." The Kennebec Reporter said : 

 "Public spirited as a citizen, scrupulously honorable as a man of 

 business, affectionately liberal as a friend, his death will be remem- 

 bered by the entire community." The Boston Daily Advertiser said : 

 "The death of Robert Hallo well Gardiner in the Maine city named 

 for his family, is an unwelcome reminder that a fine illustration is 

 lost to us of simple and noble courtesy. The coarse aggressiveness 

 of some newly rich people was offset, in a measure, b}' his winning 

 example of gentle blood working out in an unpretentious life. New 

 England is seeing many repulsive instances of monej'-made manners, 

 and Mr. Gardiner's life ought not to be forgotten." These, among 

 many other notices and expressions of a similar nature, show the worth 

 of character of our deceased associate, and the esteem in which he was 

 held by those who knew him best, and their mention in this sketch 

 renders a more formal tribute of our own unnecessary. 



His funeral occurred on Wednesday, September 15th, the Right 

 Rev. Henry A. Neely, Bishop of Maine, officiating ; being largely at- 

 tended by church, parish and people — many distinguished gentlemen 

 from different parts of the State being present. The church was 

 simply decorated with golden rod and the wild asters, a chain of oak 

 leaves from Oaklands being twined about the chancel rail. While 

 our last annual fair was in progress, and thousands of careless visitors 

 were crowding past his fine exhibit, devout men were carrying his 

 remains to their last resting place in the little yard of Christ Church. 

 In the blessed faith of our holy Christianity we believe that his ran- 

 somed soul had already been granted an abundant entrance into that 

 glorious land where the fruits and flowers exist in a beauty and 

 fragrance which is immortal. 



At the conclusion of the reading of this Memorial, it was given 

 a passage by a rising vote. 



Mr. P. Whittier of Chesterville then read the following paper. 



