Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1871-09-06

Feot prints in the sands Of Time.
Though great and irrsparable as was our
loss in the great soldiers death, we have
much cause for oongrstulation, that to his
successor we can confidently look for the
complete furtheranee of the plans that in
him We will see combined the same profess
sionAl ability, the ssms high social quail
tieb, that marked the works, the life, and the
bearing of his fellow soldier and friend who
has passed away.
Thus through many memories ihis Island
Is dear to tbs hearts OF the Old Settlers, and
IS the years roll BY, it will grow more sno
more into our affections, tor IT is here that
as each Yesrly gathering cones around We
sill meet this Que or that enc for the last
time. Here many of Us will exchange 'he
last esrthly greetings with each other. How
fitting il is then that We have made these
hsdy groves the Necca Of our annual pill
rimAge.
But, Mr.. President, cur words have as
sumed the lILge of sadness "reminiscences
re not always thus som bre-haed. Memory
and melancholy are cot always so closely
,iiied scales as well "a tears welcome the
recollection Of the by-gone time You OF
Scot county can call to miud the great con-
Gest for supremacy between Davenport aud
Rockingham. and the Jokes that hinge upon
that struggle woald ill q volume or make q
long night merry. The story of the great
expectations, magnificent plans and nov
forgotten existence of Rock Island City,
that wonderful town by the mouth OF Rock
river. would ''point q moral or adorn q tale"
And not only in matters OF public moment
can we find our material for history grave
and gay; but we can find it too 10 the social
circle, truly social and socisble in those
dsys when all we're alike, no fine lines of
caste determining the society position. all
standing on the broad platform of true man
hood and vomsnhood. But the recital of
the many incidents Of froIics and balls,
sleigh-rides and pic-nics, mass meetings
and tea parties, haps and mis-haps, tricks
on travellers and practical jokes, belong 80
and can be heard from those who we're ac-
tive participants. 1t would i'll become 8
man A. B c.. scholar to dabble in that an
cient love. IT'S sa d that one story q good
until smother is told, but the old stories OF
the olden times told by AT old old settler
are good always, IS you all know and will
probably be better assured of before we
part.
Let us now for q moment touch up with
the subtle pencils ofPride the picture of the
Twin Counties 10 their prosperous present.
Where nearly fifty yesrs ago was g vast
wilderness unbroken save by the occasional
wigwam Of the Indian, we nov point with Q
feeling akin to self g~lori6casion to the busy
TWIN cities with there handsome residences
their main business blocks their many fac
tories and foundries pouring forth from their
tall chiminies the dusty smoke which black
through it be must command our respect,
for it 10 the smoke Of the incense from the
alter OF Labor. And too ell over the two
counties we find towns and villages, ithirfty
fields inexaustible mines, turning out daily
their thousands of tons of Black Diamonds
ell supporting 8 cont nted and prosperous
people. Here when within one life nothing
disturbed the flow :or stirred ths current Of
| Old Mississippi save the frail birch bark
canoe or humble dug out, We now see the
n~pjestic steamboat spreading Ger the waters
Ike q thing of life, aud the mighty RATS
from the far north pouring into our laps the
wooden wealth of Wisconsin. while high
above the rushing waters the iron horse flies
toward the setting sun. In the place of tbs
council fires and war dances We see hun
dreds of churches with their spires pointing
skvward and their teachings pointing out
a better life. No longer does the bAraugue
If the medicine man or the warrior chic.
disturb while it leads the public mind bur
q its place the mighty Press throwing it,
all reaching armsabroad teaches and brings
iuto bond of sympathies and fellow feelins
every dweller In city, town, village, ham.
Iet and farm house in thu land.
Where now are the swift runners with
heir oral messages of war or treaty? Where
he signal fires lighting up the country side
4s they blaze out from the lofty hilltops Z
All gone before the onward march of civil
zAtIon, with its postal service bearing its IL
iings OF good and i'll, yielded TO the new
era that has chained the lightning and send
it over the wires at mas's bidding.
4 The Indian trail that myriads of feet had
worn deep over the hills and across the
broad p~rairies he's long since been obliters.-
ed, while railroad marks the land with an
iron net work, and the lightning express and
ponderous freight trains thunder across every
township.
A good right, Indeed has thu old settler
to be proud of ell this that has been growing
under bis own eye. Proud with q prid,
surprising that Of 6 fond fssher in his rising
f family. Proud to be able TO point to al
these things and say, "All this has come Il
n pass in my time, and in all | was an instru
: uens and q part"
, Surely We can hardly be accused of look
ing through the Claude Lorraine glass Of
d~elusive hope, when we predict q great ant
glorious future. What that may be we leav.
Tor itself to determine. We will not proph
esv. We are here to devote this day to ih'
old rather than the new. To talk and thinl
of things gone by; of those passed away, ant
!, to trace our lineage through the line ofgoot
! deeds and noble lives back to the grand an.
!, true of other days. No. through the famil!
! tree; not through the red line of blood; TO
' we Americans should care little for our an
cient descent. Il 10 little to the purpos
J, how old our family may have been, whethe
like O'Toole. they came over with Noah Ii
the ark, or like the great O'Donohue, the,
had q boat of their own. Family prid,
: should be based on glorious actions, not OF
:. old stock or blue blood.