1889.] PUBLIC DOCUMENT — No. 4. 263 



to serve many more years. But I must close. Let me say 

 once more that farmers' wives and farmers' daughters make 

 happy homes. There is no man that ever enjoyed a home 

 more than I have, and therefore I can speak from my own 

 experience. You may think I am telling a story ; but I am 

 eighty-one years old. [Applause.] 



The Chairman. The remarks of our friend certainly have 

 a good ring to them. He is a young man, as you can see 

 and understand by his talk. I do not see anything to hinder 

 his living eighty-one years longer. 



Mr. Humphrey. That is what I started for. I feel just 

 as well as I did when I was a boy. You know sometimes 

 we think these old fellows are old fools, and I do not know 

 but you think I am one. Still, I think my head is level 

 enough to run a horse-railroad and make money out of it. 



The Chairman. I hope he will make money out of it, 

 for he has told us he is going to give it to charitable institu- 

 tions when he gets through. 



The Chairman then called upon Mr. James Draper of 

 Worcester, late Acting Master of the National Grange, to 

 address the meeting. 



REMAKES OF JAMES DRAPER. 



I will take only a moment of your time, but there are two 

 items in this programme that have moved me. The first is, 

 that you have invited to grace this platform a woman to 

 speak to you upon this touching subject of farmers' wives 

 and daughters. The other is just this line on the closing 

 page, "The subjects for discussion on the last day are of 

 particular interest to Patrons of Husbandry, and they are 

 invited to be present, and take an active })art in the dis- 

 cussions." Now, Mr. Secretary, as representing the Order 

 of the Patrons of Husbandry for fourteen years in Massachu- 

 setts, I thank you for this invitation to be present and par- 

 ticipate in your discussions. I expect a better and higher 

 development of the agricultural interests of Massachusetts 

 from this union of efforts. 



Now, a word or two in regard to this organization. I am 

 keenly aware that many of you, through ignorance, perhaps, 



