monarchial Europe misjudged him as an enemy of govern

ment.

Among much that was suggestive and instructive in Mrs. Fairbank's able historical paper, we select the following paragraphs:

Lafayette was but a boy of twenty, yet he was admitted to the deliberations of those measures by which success was won for liberty in the face of all obstacles. He had an earnestness of character and an honesty of purpose which won the confidence of all classes of men. Washington immediately recognized in him a trusty counsellor and a loyal friend and this was in no measure due to his high birth, or to his being a representative of a nation whose friendship was very precious, though these things were of very great value. But it was the man Lafayette himself. The greatness of the man within him was like the man Washington.

Lafayette introduced a new element of great and lasting value when he caused to be brought to America French ships of war and French soldiers. The coming of Comte d'Estaing with twelve ships of the line and fourteen frigates, closed the period during which the American people faced their enemy single handed and alone. When d'Estaing entered American waters, the alliance between the two nations became fully operative, and thus made our recognition among the nations of the world possible.

Lafayette returned to France after nineteen months' service in the United States Army. He remained one year at home keeping alive the cause of the American Revolution. Nothing that he did while here was of greater value than what he did in France. We cannot imagine how America could have achieved her independence but for his work at the court of France. Other men could have taken his place in the field; but at Versailles it was Lafayette alone who could influence the government in our behalf. His efforts and his influence was almost superhuman.

When Lafayette died in 1834 the bells of France, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Great Britain and the United States tolled in mournful requiem. Congress received the news with as profound a sorrow as was expressed for Washington.

In the Picpus Cemetery in Paris the grass grows green over the headless trunks of more than one thousand illustrious victims, guillotined during the "Reign of Terror," and thrown into a common grave. Among the victims were the mother and sisters of Madam Lafayette. Close to this spot is the tomb of Lafayette and his heroic wife.

When we go to Paris in 1900 let us each take the choicest flowers that bloom on American soil and with these mingle the lilies of France, and with tears of profoundest gratitude for the inspiration and aid he gave to our revolutionary ancestors, let us lay them on the grave of that honored soldier whose career in history is without a parallel."

The exercises closed with a poem by Mrs. Shoup, which thrilled her audience with its high thought, stirring imagery and splendid diction. The new Regent, Mrs. Tredway, is a very graceful presiding officer. The Chapter applauded enthusiastically her inaugural address. Mrs Tredway said:

"Ladies, let me thank you for conferring upon me the highest honor it is in your power to give to one of your Chapter members. With gratitude and with sense of the grave responsibility I will try with your help and counsel to keep up the interest in our noble organization and to make it a power for good. Let us work together striving to promote the success of the great ideas for which the Society was organized, that of emulating self-sacrifices, that of preserving patriotism, that of keeping alive a flame of liberty in our native land.

"Let us honor those who labored yesterday that we might live to-day,' by always remembering their brave struggles for the independence of this 'sweet land of liberty,' and

"May we all be made strong through the deeds our fathers have done, "And meet for the heritage, heroes have won.

"It has been said 'that we ought to walk in their light and to pass on their torch to future generations.'

"May it be our constant aim to make national life purer and nobler and in emulating the example of those whose lives and deeds are a constant inspiration to us, may we be true Daughters of the American Revolution."

NORWALK CHAPTER.-The club women of Norwalk enjoyed an afternoon with the Norwalk Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, November 1st, at the Central club house. The rooms were prettily decorated for the occasion; tea was served in the members' room and the room adjoining was devoted to the "pewter show," which contained many interesting pieces loaned by the members, and the entire collection belonging to Dr. J. Milton Coburn, the local antiquarian. Lighted candles shed a mellow light on these relics of the olden time.

The literary program was of unusual interest. It consisted of a paper on "Old Pewter in America," read by Mrs. George B. St. John, which conveyed much interesting information on the subject, followed by a talk given by Mrs. Alice Morse Earle, the well-known author of "The China-Hunter in New England" and other books about colonial topics of interest to collectors of antiquities. Mrs. Earle said that pewter was

not sufficiently appreciated by the people in general, yet a shining collection of pewterware might be very attractive; and, while many mistakes are made regarding the period to which china pieces belong, we may be certain that pewter pieces are really old. Its use was common in country localities down to 1830-40. She related several entertaining stories about some of her own choice specimens of pewter which were found in humble uses. She said the place to search for was not in the china closets and kitchen of country houses, but in the wood sheds, barn lofts and under the attic eaves. Careful inventories used to be made of all household articles, and old wills contain as explicit bequests of pewter as of plate, showing its high esteem in early days. What are called porringers in American lists appear as bleeding-pans in England, a reminiscence of old-time medical treatment.

Miss Katherine Sturgis, of Wilton, read a charming descriptive paper called "The Wedding of a Norwalk Belle a Century Ago," that of Susan Rogers, a niece of Governor Thomas Fitch. Miss Sturgis' vivid imagination and charming literary style carried her hearers back as interested spectators of the ceremony, at which all the aristocracy of Norwalk, 129 years ago, assisted.

Candles brought from England in 1812 were lighted in handsome old silver candlesticks on the piano. Mrs. Earle extinguished these when she ascended the platform, saying it was a pity to burn them now they had been kept so long.

Tea and light refreshments were served after the program was concluded, by Mrs. John H. Ferris and Miss Mary Cunningham, assisted by some of the young ladies of the Chapter.

The cloth of Mrs. Ferris' table was spun and woven by her husband's great grandmother. Candlesticks which also belonged to her were used in lighting the table.-ANGELINE SCOTT, Historian.

WAU-BUN CHAPTER.-At the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Flanders the newly chartered Wau-Bun Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, made its first public appearance as a Society. It was the occasion of a reception given by Mrs.

Flanders, the Chapter Regent, to about seventy-five interested friends, in honor of the birth of the Society. No special attempt was made in the way of decorating, although numerous flags artistically draped about the rooms served to arouse the patriotism and enthusiasm which their presence always inspires. The floral decorations consisted of Jacqueminot and Marechal Neil roses and English violets. Disposed against the draperies of the bay window in the spacious east parlor, where stood the receiving party (comprising the members of the Daughters of the American Revolution) was a large emblem of the Society-the wheel and distaff surrounded by thirteen stars-the whole wrought in the correct colors.

Mrs. S. A. Holden read the address of welcome:

The members of the Wau-Bun Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, welcome you all to their first official social gathering. We wished a few of our friends to help us celebrate, in a quiet way, our union with the National Order at Washington. In the faces before me, I discern encouragement and approval. Enjoying as you all do the honors of American citizenship, surely your first thought is one of gratitude to those brave men, our ancestors, who, against overwhelming odds, and in the face of great discouragements, wrought out for their descendants, and the oppressed of other nations, what is so aptly expressed in the phrase "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Should we not then revere the memories of the revolutionary soldiers, and accord to them a part of the glory so recently reflected upon this nation? We wish also to stimulate in the minds of our children and young people that veneration for these long since heroes which they so richly deserve; to recover and restore to the knowledge of the American people many names which are fast fading into obscurity, not the leaders and prominent generals, but the soldiers and sailors, the rank and file, the minute men who listened earnestly while plowing the field or hammering at his anvil for the alarm which too surely sounded the morning of April 19, 1775. Very many of their names, as well as those of mothers, wives and daughters have been brought to light, and become history, through the efforts of the organization called “The Sons of the Revolution," as well as by the one we represent to-night.

How little does the average person of to-day realize or take into their hearts the sacrifices endured, the nobleness and grandeur of the patriotic woman of 1776. You all know the story (and some of their descendants may be present) of women shearing sheep, carding and spinning the wool, weaving into cloth and making garments, all in the space of time numbered by hours, to replace the tatters of some freezing soldier from Valley Forge. Such, and similar instances were countless. Is there any heritage of which we should be more proud, or more

willing to bestow upon our sons and daughters than the knowledge of such inheritance to the descendants of a patriot of 1776? An address delivered by Senator John C. Spooner some time ago is so applicable to the time we treat of, as well as the Children of the American Republic in general, that I quote here:

"Tell them the whole, sweet, sad, glowing story, not on this day simply, but tell it to them, fathers and mothers, as they gather around you in the twilight of summer and by the blazing fire of the winter. I conjure you to remember that with them this is the receptive time of life, and that the lessons of history which fall from your lips will live longest and thrive best. And the story, as they tell it in the years to come to the children who shall gather around them will be hallowed by the tender memories of childhood, and set to the sweet, sad music of voices that are gone.

Teach the young among you to look with eyes of love and pride upon the flag, wherever they see it floating-to remember always that

For every star in its field of blue,

For every stripe of stainless hue,

Ten thousand of the tried and true

Have lain them down and died.

There is music in its rustling, there is magic in its web. 'Every star is a tongue; every stripe is articulate.' It is an inspiration to those who love it. It is a sunburst to those who are proud of it. Heaven has blessed it, and the sacrifice of man has sanctified it. Keep it forever floating in the midst of our people, high up where the morning breeze may caress it, and where the rays of the morning sun may transfigure it. Spread it where the school children may look upon it. No school house is finished without it. Let it float over the halls of justice, for liberty is the twin sister of justice and this is the flag of liberty. It is forevermore the flag of a united people, the ensign of a Union preserved, redeemed and regenerated."

And now, a few words as to the title of our Chapter, "Wau-Bun," a name more closely interwoven with the early history of Fort Winnebago. It is an Indian word and signifies "the dawn." In Mrs. Kinzie's work bearing that name her design is to indicate the dawn of civilization upon this portion of the great northwest territory known as Wisconsin; as applied to our Chapter it receives other than local significance in commemorating the dawn of liberty, and the deeds of heroism that foreshadowed American Independence, and gave to us our dearly loved colors, the red, white and blue, the starry emblem of liberty, known and respect the world over.

In the name of the heroes of '75, whose descendants we are, and of Wau-Bun Chapter, we bid you welcome.

Mrs. W. M. Edwards read the register of revolutionary