I08 BANQUET TO THE 



Colonel Wilder. My regard for him, his constant 

 kindness to me, and my admiration of a life so pro- 

 longed, yet filled up with activity to the end, combine 

 to make me desirous of joining you and your friends 

 on that occasion ; but the state of my health obliges 

 me to be absent. 



Please, therefore, accept my thanks for your cour- 

 tesy, and believe me. 



Cordially yours, 



J. H. Means. 



The Hon. C. H. B. Breck. 



Letter of Mr. C. M. Atkinson, a professional gardener. 



Brookline, Sept. 22, 1883. 



Dear Sir, — I regret that I cannot be one of your 

 gathering, to offer congratulations to our noble cap- 

 tain. It is given but to few to attain to fourscore- 

 and-five years, and those not of labor and sorrow, 

 but of joyful usefulness. It is given but to few to 

 gather around such a noble chieftain and offer their 

 heart-felt congratulations ; and in doing so we do not 

 honor him as much as we do ourselves. 



His desire for the good of his fellow-men is as 

 broad as this broad continent. The natural good 

 and the moral good in him do but find an echo, 

 thrilling and animating each according to the meas- 

 ure of good vouchsafed to him. A life so well 



