HON. MARSHALL P. WILDER. 85 



The Hon. Charles L. Flint, of the Massachusetts Agri- 

 cultural Club, responded as follows : — 



Mr. President, and Gentlemen, — It hardly be- 

 comes me, being about the youngest of the jolly set 

 of boys known as the Massachusetts Agricultural 

 Club, to presume to speak as their representative. 



It is now nearly forty-four years since a " picked 

 company," the leaders of men in horticultural and 

 agricultural pursuits, appreciating the charms as well 

 as the solid advantages of social intercourse, met 

 to lay the foundations of this distinguished Club. 

 Colonel Wilder and the genial and popular pro- 

 prietor of the celebrated Weld Farm are the only 

 survivors of the choice spirits who met around that 

 social and festive board. Now, the members of that 

 Club are more familiar, perhaps, with the inner life, 

 the buoyant and indomitable spirits of their Presi- 

 dent, and the graceful and jaunty way in which he 

 wears the mantle of old age, than some others who 

 see him from a greater distance. We sit by his 

 side, listen to his perennial wit and his sparkling 

 and ready repartees, till it becomes rather difficult 

 to realize that he is anything but a boy like our- 

 selves. 



To be sure, we appreciate his record, and take the 

 greatest delight in recounting his brilliant and honor- 



