Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-03-02
RENEW ING OLD ASSOCIATIONS.

RENEW ING OLD ASSOCIATIONS.
Tho Ladies Floral Club celebrated WASH
ington'e birth day by having q reunion Of
Old ssttlers, and ON Tuesday night If last
week large number congregated in Jones'
Hall to Participate in and enjoy the exercises.
Mr.. o. W. Shaw oficiated as Master of Cere-
monies, FIRST introducing the Choir, which
sang tho "star spangled Banner" Rev. C..
E. Wright delivered the initial address, which
WAS as follows:
Eriesds and .felloe-cit;zens:
Ono hundred years is not long in the life Of
. nation. When we think of Iceland, 4 year
or two ago, celebrating her millcnnial instead
other centennial: when We think Of England
whose good King Alfred died more than a
thousand years ago, then ono hundred years
seems but little time. But We have lived
more and longer in one hundred years than
some nations have in thousand.
II would be interesting to contrast our pres
ent condition with our condition one hundred
years ago. One hundred years ago to-day
suese United states Of America were only q
colony Of Great Britain. They were just
entering upon that long and terrible conflict
for independence. One hundred years ago to-
day our country WAS, for the most part, On
unbroken wilderness-these grand prairies Of
tho West untrodden except by the Indians.
One hundred years ago to-day the steamboat,
the railway, and tho electric telegraph wcrc
unknown. The sewing machine, the cotton
gin, the percussion cap, the friction match,
and thousand other useful appliances were
unknown q century ago. One hundred years
ago the Sunday school was unknown, while
now four millions Of youth gather every Sun
day to where the highest truths of human ex-
isecncs arc taught. Surely We have made
progress.
While we think Of the blessings We enjoy
~ eitisens Of this country, it becomes US cs-
pecially to remember tho man to whom, prob
ably We are more indebted than to any other
man for our very existence as a nation; the
man whose birth We celebrate tonight. The
man whose fame shall widen With the march
Of tine; whose name shall be the rallying cry
on battle fields Of liberty yet unknown, and
whose personal character shall stand out
moro honored and moro colossal and more
monumental as the years of tine roll ever the
grave Of GEORGE WA.u1xcrox.
One hundred years ago to-day Washington
was Al years Of ago. He had been for eight
months commander.in-chicfo Of tho American
armies, and from that time till his death near
~ oil his time was spent in the service Of his
country, as, indeed. most of his early life had
been A mon endowed by God with majestic
personal appearance, = man Of wealth, and
being thus enabled to spend his time, with
out compensation, in the service of his couu-
cry; man of conservative mind, which saved
him from rashness, q man of courage, which
did not know fear; man Of patience and per-
sistence which nothing could wear out;
man of wonderful sagacity and far-sighted
wisdom: and above all, man Of moral char
actcr untarnished, and who feared God. What
other man could 80 we'll have guided the eoun-
try through the numberless difficulties which !
be.et the FIRST twonty -6vc years ofits history:
We do we'll to celebrate the birthday Of
Washington As the celebrated English states
man, Lord Brougham, has said: ut will be |
the duty of the historian and sage Of every |
land to let no occasion pass Of comme mora
ting this illustrious man, and until time shall
DO no more, will q test of the progress which !
our race has made in wisdom and virtue be !
derived from the veneration that is paid to
%ha Al ~ nm IS W. h:uc&o~
AZ it 10 we'll sometimes for individuals to |
review their histo- y to sec whittier their lives |
are tending, 90 it is we'll for cities and ma
tions. You do well, fellow citizens, to gather
together tonight to review your past history,
and to recount the hardshipz, aud struggles,
and victories, through which you have pass
-; and it will bs profitable occ aston if We
arc led by it to remember that We, IS COM
munity and as individuals, are helping to
make the history Of our country. 1t is not
now ss it once Was, that few great minds
control affairs. The great minds now wait to
sse what the people say, and public sentiment
controls 1.-THE land. How important, then,
that the people be men and women Of wisdom,
snd temperance, and purity. We are not 50
anxious about the looming mas" Is about |
the coming men. If every man and every
woman will do their duty, tho land is safe.
TO build nation, Is one has said, is the
grsndest architecture in tho world. Only |
millions working out each true life can &C.
eomplish it. Nay you and I, and each one
Of ~, do something in our generation to make |
the second centennial much greater than this
one. God giant that We may not be unworthy |
Of our sires-not unworthy Of Code gifts and |
works; not unworthy Of His blessing in the
future.
The choir then sang "The breaking waves |
dashed high" by Mrs. Hemsns.
SUPPER.
THE DOWN HILL OF LIFE.
A Song an Hundred Years Old.
BUNo By EUGENE CRANE WHILE SUPPER !
WAS BEING SERVED
On the down hill Of life when I find I'm de-
elining
1isy my fate no less fortunate be,