10 



Haifa dozen years since, I received in answer to some 

 questions of mine, a letter from a fine, old gentleman, a 

 gentleman of more than ninety years, and filled with the 

 spirit of the days gone by. Among the several things nf 

 which he wrote, was this, which you will be likely to 

 think worth knowing, and worth saving. 



I had asked him if he remembered when Washington 

 died . He wrote : 



"Yes, sir, I remember very well when he died ; and the 

 day he was buried they had an imitation funeral in Saco. 

 They formed a procession and carried a coffin by four men 

 as underbearers, with pall-bearers marching by their side. 

 It was the style in those days. They m;irched to the old 

 meeting-house that stood on the Common (where a school- 

 house now stands) of which" (referring to the church) "I 

 think Gov. Fairfield's grandfather was then the pastor ; 

 and they had a funeral sermon and other services. I and 

 other boys wore black crape on the arm that day." 



Reflect a little, and it will not cause wonder that the 

 boy's memory retained such an event, A funeral with a 

 sermon is common enough now. The unusual circum- 

 stance would be its omission. But "formerly no religious 

 services whatever were held at funerals. The first prayer 

 at a funeral in Boston was in 1766, and the first funeral 

 sermon was as late as 1783." So says the Hon. Robert 

 C. Winthrop. 



Now, ladies and gentlemen, please produce the divers 

 scraps of history, quaint, odd and charming, that you 

 happen to have, and free your minds for the benefit of 

 all concerned. 



Some time back was mentioned "the future historian ;" 

 but the fact is, the society needs an historian now. The 

 future never comes. The historian should be even now 

 busy treasuring up and arranging his items for the full 

 history of the county. Moreover, he should be a man 



