The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-08-21

world from pole to pole.
! You have been enraptured spectators of the
marvellous growth of the American Republic
Long years ago the genius of the Republic
while Graded at Plymouth Rock by the bill.
lows of the Atlantic, listening to The everlast-
ing meanings of the sea, gathered theretrom
a new inspiration, the energizing power OF
which impelled her on mission Of civiliza.
ton and subjugation across an uneXplored
continent.
Slowly and surely she wended her way
westward, ever relying upon the rock by the
sea as her base of operations. But the dawn OF
your manhood's morn found the star OF her
empire lowering midway towards the merid-
ian, for want of convenient and expeditions
communication with the base of operations.
You have seen the inventive genius OF man
overcoming the difficulty by connecting the
intermediate space and each advancing step
herewith by iron bars rivited to the earth,
DER which the tide Of immigration might
flow, when the electrical agency should flash
back the Intelligence that the promised land
was ready to be possessed. From thence you
have witnessed and aided the advancing tide
on its march across the desert and over noun
tains, until the Pacific and Atlantic eX-
changed salutations, and the last bar connect
ing the two oceans has been secured to the
earth with rivets of gold, and in the not far
distant future you will behold an ocean bound
Republic, possessing infinite possibilities.
There is another view from which it be-
comes our painful duty to contemplate the
picture. "For if man live many years,
and rejoice in them all, yet let him remember
the days of darkness, for they shall be many
Joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain are
strongly commingled throughout the relm Of
nature. There is no desert without its oasis;
no Eden without Its serpent.
During all these eventful years you have
been drifting on TO old age,
Drifting, drifting slowly drifting
Through the endless tide of years
Drifting, drifting, slowly drifting,
Some with smiles and some in tears"
You are now far advanced on the descen-
ding march of life Ever and anon one OF
your number is summons to depart to that
undiscovered bourne from which no travel.
Ter returns" and the ranks close up, thereby
constantly shortening the line. During the
year that has passed several of your mem
bers have passed through the dark valley and
shadow of death
May the blessing of God, the gratitude of
your succeeding generation, and love of your
children attend you while the river of life
glides smoothly along, and az you draw near
er and nearer the silent yea of eternity, may
your faith in God and nan enable you tri-
to pass Overland peacefully rest
upon the opposite shore.
Now let us turn from the contemplation of
the eventful past, and the unknown future, to
the realities the present, and strive to make
this day one of pleasant remembrances by
the revival of old friendships, and the eradi-
cation of old anmoslties. Let the aged lift
up their heads and rejoice that their earthly J
lives have been so eventful AMI fruitful Let
the young learn wisdom from the aged, that
their lives may be marked for sobriety, ihteg.
rity and honor, and let each Danish all care,
anxiety and sorrow, and vie with all to make
this day Of pleasure unalloyed, thereby H.
Illustrating that
Let fate do her worst, there are relics of JOY,
Bright dreams of the past, which she cannot
Destroy
Which come in the nighttime of sorrow and care,
And bring back the features that JOY used to
wear.
Long, long be our hearts with such memories
filled,
Like the vase in which roses have once been
distilled;
You may break, you may ruin the vase, if you
will,
But the scent of the roses will hang roundit still.
The speech was appropriately responded to by
President Miller, in a few brief and pointed re.
marks. After which Coronation" was sung, and
urther exercises at the stand suspended until .
o'clock to give the crowd an opportunity to at
tend to the cravings OF the sinner man" and TO
enjoy themselves in mutual greeting, social in,
tefcourse and visitation,
The scene now was animated and unique be-
yond Description, Imagine five thousand peo-
pie uupacking their baskets, hauling out their
abundant provender, clean table linen and dishes
Ind things, making their spread on the rude
temporary tables, on their laps, on the ground
anywhere that came handy-and then the jolly !
and hilarious enjoyment of the good things With
an appetite one never has anywhere else as at a
picnic. We could waste A column In describing, |
but the great bread and butter ordinance must
not be profuncd, and we forebcar
Promptly at 2 o'clock the President was again
in his place and tho assembly called to order,
that is, abou. orc,Eith Of the multitude that
could get withia hearing distance of tho stand
while by far the larger number bctcsk them
selves to huge dancing floor that had been
spread III another part Of the grove; others
gathered around the "hyirg fd,se" man, who
Gid = land Office business Others crowded
ercund the stands Of Henry Talther (who was
IA his glory selling ice cscsm by the barrel and
peanuts 10y the bushAn of Mr.. Mason, who re-
called a thirsty GROVE with his delicious temper
auce drinks; and others still patronizing the
swings, or playing croquet, to say nothing O.
the balance that had their sweethearts to talk
and walk with, or had nothing to do but stroll.
around srdaec the pretty girls and othersiS hts
But wc digress: At . o'clock again called to
order, tre programme calling, first, for short
speeches" The tirst-speaker on the st5a9 was
Hot. T. Lyle Dickey, OF Ottawa, who in his
pleasant and graphic way delighted his auditors
with lovely description of this valley as he had
seen it tbirty.seven years ago, contrasting Its
wild and majestic beauty with its no less en-
chanting but more artificial beauty Of to-day.
The next speaker was Saml. l.. Lewis, Esq
who, though an old settler OF a years date.
said this was his maiden talk to the odd boys