Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-03-25

school house, on Monday evening, was
attended by about four hundred PEG.
pie. The programme was good one
and as this was the last meeting pre-
yious to the close of the Winter term
of school, every one seemed inspired
with a desire to excel all former
efforts. Opening with music, which
was well produced, the exercises com
menced with recitation-Caractacus
by Miss Ada Foster, given in a
clear, pleasant style. The Western
lawyers Plea, by Master Frank
Nathan, was heartily enjoyed; aud the
declamation--Par ting of Marmion and
Douglas-by Jerry Dodge, can only
be spoken of in the most favorable
terms. The debate next came-Re-
solved, That men who cannot read
and write should vote. The case was
argued in the affirmative by Henry
Rothchild and VIM. Clark; in the
negative by George Cox and Will II.
Lewis. Decided in the affirmative
George Cox, in the negative, argued
we'll and conducted himself in quite a
parliamentary manner, but in the per-
son Of Henry Rothchild, in the affirm
alive, he found " a foeman worthy OF
his steel" Next came a dialogue by
Adolph Schreiner and Oscar Lewis.
"Des Deutshen Vaterland," delivered
by Richard Falley, heartily pleased
the house. "The Phantom Ship" by
Miss Jesse Meyer, was well received.
The Fall of Cardinal Woolsey," by
Messrs J. BrindIey and Geo. Clark,
pleasantly fell upon the ears of nearly
four hundred people. Mixed Decla-
mation-CIyde Showalter and Adolph
Borah-was good and the Paper, by
Miss Mamie Foster, was decidedly
the very best of the programme, in
which Miss Foster displayed consider
able genius in its production. Many
severe local cuts are given, and it
is pleasing to note that every one
"struck submitted with that Dig
nifty necessary to the qualifications
Of true lady or gentleman. 1t is too
good to so by unnoticed, therefore,
we extract as follows, leaving the
reader to Judge as to the " fitness Of
things ="
In the year 1928 quite an old man, who had
long been a wanderer, may be supposed to
enter the city of Lancaster, Grant county,
Wisconsin. The whistling engines, the trund :
ling sound Of street cars, and the general din
Of happy voices, proved conclusively to his
mind that Lancaster and her people were sail
ing joyfully on the ocean of prosperity. This
was the home of his childhood; here had he
attended public school, and was a member of
the Lancaster Lyceum; his life had been a
Of the world for nearly half century and
alas poor man, had obtained but Little of this
worlds goods, and that little had been squan-
dered AS he contrasted his miserable condi
ton to the wealth and prosperity about him,
his thoughts were carried back to happier
DAYS and he became anxious to know the fate
Of the schoolmates and friends of his youth.
He accordingly sought the City Historian, who
was none other than the venerable Joseph
Barnett, and there ascersained that while
many had been prosperous, few, like himself,
had but poorly improved the opportunities for
advancement which this life offers Of the
boys who had attended school in Lancaster in
1878, he learned that three were members Of
the Lower House of Congress, and one was a
Senator; several held prominent positions in
the various professions, and some were clerk.
ing in stores at small salary, with little hopes
Of advancement The few who had left school
early in life in order to get into business were
working for days wages wherever they could
find lob three or four had injured their
health by using tobacco, and had long been in
their graves When he considered that these
bows all started equal in life, and saw the diff
ferent positions they then occupied, he said
" Surely man is the architect of his own for
tune. and the moulder of his own destiny
He learned that the girls of this period had
done remarkably we'll, most of them being
settled in life and representing the best families
in the city; two had never married, and were
then editing the Literary News which had de
vcloped into daily paper and was known as
the Universal Literary Gazette The curiosity
of our hero was now somewhat aroused, and
he resolved to learn what had become of the
Young ladies and gentlemen who considered
themselves the elite of Lancaster in 675. The
Historian kindly gave him free access to the
records from which he obtained the following
astonishing particulars Among the ladies he
noticed that Miss Mary Carrier was practicing
law in St Louis, and Miss 0rah Cox was at
the head of an extensive newspaper establish
nent on Madison street Miss Emma Shgader
was carrying on large farm in Western Grant,
and Miss Lille Farnsworth was Surveyor Gen
eral Of Dakota Territory Miss Nellie Barber
was running drug store at Bcloit, and Miss
Jennie Church was at the head of wholesale
boot and shoe store in John 2 Lewis old
stand Miss Zeruah Farnsworth had purchased
the whole Of Bloomington. and Miss Nettie
Jones held half~interest in wholesale dry
goods store on Maple street; Miss Alma Dn-
rand. he observed, had emigrated East. and
VAS carving on a large hardware store and
tin shop ii Westfeld, New York After con
tempating these examples Of prosperity, the
travellers eyes we're filed with tears; his heart
felt the btterest pangs Of remorse; he thought
how mach he might have accomplished had he
only praeticed industry and frugality he in
thaaafann} ~ -sti,.fia Tho
young men, Of course, thought he, have ac-
| complishei much more. and with a heavy
heart he searched tor their record He now
found to his great surprise, that Mr.. 5. G.
Harris had failed III the newspaper business,
and was then preaching at Shutdown; K. f.
Mccoy had conquered all desire for worldly
gains, had gone TO Chicago, and was knitting
socks for the benefit of the grasshopper suf-
ferers Of Nebraska Mr.. Joe Philips had super
ceded Mr. Hawkins and was taking care Of
the church, and Frank Budd was brakeman
~ The narrow gauge railroad from Lancaster