eets of Atlanta. When the first electric-motor cars were put into
service an aged "contraband" looked at them from the street corner and
said: "Dem Yankees is a powerful sma't people; furst dey come down h'yar
and freed de niggers, now dey've done freed de mules." [Laughter.]

The New Englander is so constantly engaged in creating changes that in
his eyes even variety appears monotonous. When a German subject finds
himself oppressed by his Government he emigrates; when a French citizen
is oppressed he makes the Government emigrate; when Americans find a
portion of their Government trying to emigrate they arm themselves and
spend four years in going after it and bringing it back. [Laughter and
applause.]

You will find the sons of New England everywhere throughout the world,
and they are always at the fore. I happened to be at a French banquet in
Paris where several of us Americans spoke, employing that form of the
French language which is so often used by Americans in France, and which
is usually so successful in concealing one's ideas from the natives.
There was a young Bostonian there who believed he had successfully
mastered all the most difficult modern languages except that which is
spoken by the brake-men on the elevated railroads. When he spoke French
the only departure from the accent of the Parisian was that _nuance_ of
difference arising from the mere accidental circumstance of one having
learned his French in Paris and the other in Boston. The French give
much praise to Moliere for having changed the pronunciation of a great
many French words; but his most successful efforts in that direction
were far surpassed by the Boston young man. When he had finished his
remarks a French gentleman sitting beside me inquired: "Where is he
from?" I replied: "From New England." Said he: "I don't see anything
English about him except his French." [Laughter.]

In speaking of the sons of New England sires, I know that one name is
uppermost in all minds here to-night--the name of one who added new
lustre to the fame of his distinguished ancestors. The members of your
Society, like the Nation at large, found themselves within the shadow of
a profound grief, and oppressed by a sense of sadness akin to the sorrow
of a personal bereavement, as they stood with uncovered heads beside the
bier of William T. Sherman; when the echo of his guns gave place to the
tolling of cathedral bells; when the flag of his country, which had
never