1904 (Tuesday) – We had Uncle Harry (Miles Harrison Sperry) and Aunt Sarah Sperry (Sarah Edmunds) and daughter Sarah (Sarah Jane Sperry) to dinner. I received a letter from my husband (Alfred Oscar Lunt). In the afternoon we all went down to Grandpa Sperry’s (Charles Sperry). We met there to celebrate the 56th wedding anniversary. We had a fine dinner and spent the evening in dancing, singing and speeches. Grandpa Sperry gave a sketch of his life telling of the difference of today and fifty-six years ago. Then Uncle Harrison Sperry (Grandfather’s brother) spoke and he related some of their boyhood experiences. He was filled with the spirit of the Lord, in conclusion he said “Let us sing the song ‘Oh My Father’ in the spirit in which it was written.” I felt the urge to start the song, and I have always regretted that I didn’t as before anyone started it, someone suggested we wait until Aunt Molly (Marion Olive Sperry) and Min Abbott (Minnie Lamont Abbott) get back from the post office where they had gone, as they were usually the ones who lead out in the songs. Uncle Harrison had felt the gift of tongues but did not give utterance to them as he did not think there was anyone who could interpret it, Grandma Sperry (Emily Louisa Miller) felt the spirit and would have had the interpretation as she sometimes had the gift of tongues herself. After their return, we did sing the song, and it was nice, but not as it would have been had we instantly started to singing under the beautiful spirit present. A spirit of gloom settled upon us when we didn’t start the song and we all felt as if buckets of cold water had been thrown upon us, when Aunt Mollie and Min returned they notices how glum we were and wanted to know what on earth was the matter with us all. We felt as if Aunt Retta Sparks (Clarissa Lorretta Sperry) and Aunt Manda Bowers (Philenda Amanda Sperry) were present at our party, their influence were felt by many, Aunt Ret’s daughter , Mame (Mary Emily Sparks) went into the bedroom and lay on the bed weeping, she said she knew her mother was there.
Altogether we had a lovely time, but I shall always think that we missed a special blessing that evening by not following the promptings of the spirit and singing the song as requested.
Aunt Ret and Aunt Amanda both had died since the celebration of the Golden Wedding six years before. There was present at this party, a niece of Grandpa Sperry’s from Illinois. She seemed to enjoy herself very much and appears to be a nice sociable person, she is not a member of our church.
Alfred (Alfred Oscar Lunt, Jr.) and Lillian (Lillian Lunt) enjoyed themselves very much. Lillian tried to dance the Cake Walk. The baby (Charles Gilbert Lunt) was very good.
Loony Lunts and Company 