The people of the Universalist church gave a well-attended reception to their pastor, Rev. E. B. Barber, and his wife at the church parlors last evening. The other churches of the town were well represented and there was an especially large delegation from the Norwood Congregational church. The parlors were prettily decorated with ferns, vines, and natural flowers, wild and cultivated, the floral decorations being furnished by F. W. Talbot.
In the smaller or reception parlor, there were groupings of ferns, lilies, syringa, and other June flowers. In the larger parlors the chandeliers were entwined with the beautiful and graceful wild smilax. The other decorations included carnations, sweet peas, buttercups and other summer blossoms. Rev. and Mrs. Barber received unattended. The ushers were Dr. L. F. Bigelow, chief; Perley Thompson, Francis E. Everett, Dr. Richard E. Winslow, Harold W. Gay, William A. Comey, David A. Ellis, Ernest W. Ellis, and W. G. Upham.
Light but delicious refreshments were served, the ladies presiding at the refreshments being Misses Catherine and Amie Bigelow, Miss Leola Adams, and Miss Emma Niles. The affair was made unusually pleasant, social, and informal for all participating, and there was considerably less starchness than is usually seen at a function of the kind. Colburn’s orchestra furnished music for the reception, which nominally lasted from 8 to 10, but practically lasted from 8.30 to 0.30. It was a well-arranged, but very modestly gotten up affair and was the first public greeting the people of the parish and the town have given to Mr. Barber since his coming here, about six months ago. There were about 150 guests present.
(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)
