The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-06-13
the 0ld settlers .Innsversars Meeting.

oAacJIlB cOuld u6SlIe5 Ltu IL DecH Hauc "
order, and before noon large numbers had as
sembled, each one to partake in, and add TO The
enjoyment of the occasion. At little past
eleven O'CLOCK A. NJ, Judge Monroe, the Presi-
dent. called the meeting 20 order, and the Wee
Presidents of each township we're called on for
their reports Of accessions TO their numbers
since the last meeting, sc. But few Of the
officers we're present 10 respond 70 the call,
though some had made full and explicit re-
port OF their towns numbers, deaths aud all
particulars pertaining 10 the interest Of the
body. In these respects, Mr.. Eaton Branch,
OF Lawrence, furnished the most information
which, in blef. would have been interesting
from each town ship of the county.
After preliminary business proceedings.
which were short, grey-haired men we're called
in succession to the stand to entertain tue large
audience with some experience of the hardshlps
OF frontier life. These stories OF deprivation
and struggle, though IN nearly every instance,
related by men wholly unskllled IN the arts Of
rhetoric, oratory. or the grama,i cal construc-
ton Of sentences, were extremely interesting.
and many OF them were touching tales OF the
difficulties of the situation, which it seemed
impossible to surmount. None but the most
determined, hardy and brave men could have
rode trlumphantly over the hedged-up ways Of
this interminable wilderness, and accumulated
by slow additions. the fortunes winch the most
Of them now possess, thus illustrating the fact
that steady blows, well AIMED, will drive home
at last, and clinch on the other side, the larg-
est, rustest ard most crooked nail.
Hon. ]. j. Woodmsn. whose clear voice
reached the ears Of all, made himself useful,
by the solicitation of the President. who is less
fortunate in volume OF voice. by calling out
and announcing to the audience the presence
OF the different ones who contributed their
| rnites to the days entertainment. He first
called upon Capt. Barrett to tell them some
thing about that large and long whip that he
used to WELD, as a reminder OF duty, over the
heads Of that great row Of "Brights, "Brn-
dies" Buck" ''Spots" and "Stars," which
made up his powerful breaking team" Of long
ago. Capt. Barrett's response was given in a
few words, which told Of long life OF cheerful
but hard labor, which smoothed the rough
places, where now orchards, small fruits and
flower gardens greet the eye.
Mr.. IRISH, OF Keeler, related an incident. IL
Illustrative of the genuine neighborly kindness
and piety of some Of the early Indians, making
the statement that some OF them were better
than the white men OF their neighbors. After
concluding his remarks, which we're relative to
the general hard road the pioneers had to
travel, Judge Monroe confirmed the truth OF
his remarks. and added that Mr.. Irish himself
was the ever ready assistant III his neighbors
wants and misfortunes; when building was
to be raised, and on his broad shoulders the
bent rested 1t surely went up.
Mr.. Van Fleet, OF Lawrence, said that he
would make but fow remarks. and they should
be ''to the point" and they we're TO the point,
that many times in the course OF his eventful
pioneer life his family stared starvation In the
face, but always passed by without any lastin &
Inconvenience. On one occasion he looked
several days for little -four, but could not
find any, except eight barrels in the possession
OF one man on Prairie Ronde, who would not
sell IN smaller quantity than a whole barrel,
and that at an exhorbitart price. Mr.. Van
Fleet suggested to him that il he wanted to
keep his -four he had better lock 1t up, for hun
ger, he said, would "break through a stone
wall" AT that time, failing in his effort to buy
flour. lie bought one hundred pounds OF rice at
Paw Paw, at eight cents per pound; when lie
reached home his wife told him that there was
nothing to eat with his rice, and he went ont
again and bought or procured from the woods
a quantity of wild honey, and on these the
family subsieted for several days After that
he succeeded in obtaining eighty pounds of
| flour, which he packed on his back from Paw
Paw to his home In Lawrence; when he pur
chased little pork, it was DO thicker than his
! finger with hair on it long enough to lift it
into the pot by, ana they took it out and ate it
by the same process. Laughter
Mr.. Gibson. OF Porter was announced. and
it will not detract from the interest OF what
others said, to give him the praise of making
the model speech of the occasion. not in it's
rhetoric or fine expression OF ideas and
thoughts, for nothing was said on the occasion
which pointed in that direction, but In that
which was better, plain truth and common
sense, which we will not try to reproduce, ex.
cept in brief outline. The burden OF this
speech was illustrative CT the great contrast in
the olden and present time, not only in the
individual circumstances of those who figured
In the scenes, that tried mems souls thirty
years ago, but in the public sffairs which effect
eyerybody's interest, when there were but
comparative few to make the laws by which
they were governed, all had an interest which
centered IN the common good, but new oppres-
sions, wrongs and exhorbitant rates OF interest
ruled with rod OF iron, and he present gen.
GRAFTON, that is the children Of the old pioneers,
are raclnng the brains OF invention to an alarm
ing extent, and the results are far more potent,
in the way of spending their parents hard
earned dollars, than they we're IN accumulating
them. Now the usury of the money brokers Is
grinding the face Of tho poor, and then IL a
man had few dollars ahead not in immediate
use, and a neighbor wanted 1t, it was handed
over without scrip, note or account, and when
il was collected, il was without interest. Many
is the time that neighbor has come TO nm
with the unceremonious announcement,
Wash, want little money" and he always
got it II he had dollar and now 1t takes
note. given with the best Of security. at rate