The Free Library. 283 



blood is up, I do not know where you will find a better 

 evidence of it than in what followed. See how a small 

 spark kindled so great a flame. The Queen Dowager 

 and I are still somewhat shamefaced about it, but some- 

 how or other we managed to go through with our parts 

 without breaking down. 



The Queen Dowager had been chosen to lay the 

 Memorial Stone of the Free Library, and the enthusi- 

 asm of the people was aroused by her approach. There 

 was something of the fairy tale in the fact that she had 

 left her native town, poor, thirty odd years before, with 

 her loved ones, to found a new home in the great Re- 

 public, and was to-day returning in her coach, to be al- 

 lowed the privilege of linking her name with the annals 

 of her beloved native town in one of the most enduring 

 forms possible ; for whatever agencies for good may 

 rise or fall in the future, it seems certain that the Free 

 Library is destined to stand and become a never-ceasing 

 foundation of good to all the inhabitants. Well, the 

 future historian of that ancient town will record that on 

 this day, under bright sunshine, and amidst the plau- 

 dits of assembled thousands, the Queen Dowager laid 

 the Memorial Stone of the building, an honor, com- 

 pared with which, I was charged to tell the citizens, 

 in the Queen Dowager's estimation. Queen Victoria 

 has nothing in her power to bestow. So say also the 

 sons of the Queen Dowager. The ceremonies passed 

 off triumphantly. The procession, workingmen and 



