The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-08-26
OLD SETTLERS PICNIC.
immense Catherine at Judge Cations
Park on 1hursdav'


Il
The Speeches, Ineiasnts, &C., &c. 4
Inc old settlers OF La Sale County will long
remember with the greatest pleasure their rel
union at Hon. ]. D. Cations Park on the s4tfs
inst. While their annual gatherings hereto.
fore have always been pleasant, this, as ID
numbers in attendance, the excellence of theit
speeches; the number Of distinguished visitors
from abroad +; the perfectness of every arrange1s
ment, and the delightful family-hke tone of
the meeting, far exceeded all previous ones.
Judge Cation was the happiest man In the
assemblage He greeted every body with a
warm, hearty welcome, and seemed to know
every man, woman and child In the Park.
Among the distinguished guests from
abroad, we notice the Hon. r. E. Goodell of
Springfield, Hon. N. B. Judd of Chicago,
Perry A. Armstrong of Morris, s. d. Shep.
herd OF Hennepin, &c. One of the pleasant
features OF the affair was the excellent singing,
led by E. Frank Ford, with Miss Ebersol at
the organ in the morning, and Miss Mary E.
Lansing, most talented musician, in the
afternoon. For the success of the entire
affair. the chief credit is doubtless due to Mr..
A. NJ. Eberso, the Secretary, who was every
where at all times, seeing that nothing was
lacking in any part of the programme.
In the morning at 10 o'clock, the meeting
came to order at the call of the President,
Rev. Wesley Bachelor, when prayer was Of
fered by the Rev. Mr.. Gonbel, ofSomanauk.
"Auld Lang syne" was then sung Mr.. Ford
leading Eand the assembly joining in, the
thousand voices making such volume Of !!
music as had never been heard before in that
Park.
Following tins came that most important
feature,
THE PIC MIC DINNERS.
Three thousand people, men women and
| children, gathered in groups around white |
table cloths spread upon the grass, the grey
headed grandslre at one end and the vener- |
able matron at the other all of the delicecies
OF life in rich profusion freely distributed
upon the cloth, with the finest of fruit, boquets
OF sweet flowers, and, Of course, "fisb, flesh and
fowl, y cooked with the rare skill of our s'good |
old mother" And aroundthis festlye-cloth
were seated sons and daughters, and their
families, and . grandson under the kindly
care OF grandma, and grand daughter at her
granGpa's knee-these were pictures. every
where not drawn from fancy, but multi
piled by hundreds in real fact
Aftor'the dinner came music first ~ the |
Ottawa city band and then by Mr.. Ford, Miss
Lansing at the organ, the audience joining in
"My CoIntgy It's Of thee" and then came the
sPEECLAs
Hon. J. y. Cation first addressed the assem-.
bly,. He saM the managers Of this reunion had
elected him to bid them cordial welcome to this
friendly gathering, and to express their gra,ifi.
their friende, and of the friends of their friends
gathered together again cn this occasior. It
was cause FOR gratitude to the great An that
so many of them have been spared to meet to.
gether again and reach ons to one another the
hand of friendship. He osuld hardly s17ssss
the thankfuhess they felt, that 90 few Of their
members had departed SINGS their last session. A
kind Providence had watched over our hand,
NO epidemic had appeared amongst rs, and the
great number Of those whom they were wont to
meet on such occasions were still present with
them. The circumstances which had originated
these annual gatherings suggested the propsisty
OF their continuance. He saw around him now
not only many old settleps, but great many
young settlers. The social disposition Of man
inpelled them, now that Providence had 90 bless.
ed their lot ia the presence Of new generation
growing up around them, to come together and
signify BY such gatherings their spprsc,asioa Of
and thanks for the blessiAgs which had attended
them. For himself, he could only speak Of .
comparatively short experience as settler in
this state; former generation had witnessed
and undergone privations and struggles Of which
the present generation scarcely knew nothing.
In those struggles he lad 70 some extent borne
part He remembered when the ssyths was
the only implement Of agriculture known in this
part OF the country, and when the settlers knew
nothing Of the comforts which were aow their
common portion. Me was glad to see the in.
ereasins patronage that was being given to this
society, and in the name of the committee he
gave all present hearty welcome.
Mr.. s, d. Shepherd, of Hennepin, then said
few words. He had come to Illinois forty. three
years ago, when there was no white settlement
in this part Of the county, except few detached
H. 4