HON. MARSHALL P. WILDER. 1 7 



The Chairman then called upon the Hon. Oliver Ames, 

 Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts, who spoke as fol- 

 lows : — 



Mr. President, — On a spring morning, about 

 thirty-five years ago, my grandfather said to me : " I 

 wish you to take the express-wagon and drive to 

 Dorchester to get a lot of pear-trees." He also said 

 that his trees did not grow such pears as he found in 

 Boston ; that he wanted the best, and the place to get 

 the best was at Marshall P. Wilder's. I started on 

 my journey with a letter of instructions, and when I 

 reached Dorchester I presented it to Colonel Wilder. 

 This was the first time I ever met our honored guest. 

 Although I was a mere boy, he showed me great 

 attention and kindness. He was then, as now and 

 always, the same courteous, affable, and considerate 

 gentleman. I got the pear-trees, and they have 

 .proved, all these years, the soundness of my grand- 

 fathers assertion, that Marshall P. Wilder's pear- 

 trees were the best. From that day to this, I have 

 always had the greatest respect for our honored 

 guest, and I know that both my father and my grand- 

 father held him in the highest esteem. In fact, it 

 was almost an article in our family creed, to honor, 

 respect, and revere Marshall P. Wilder. 



