The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-15

bus we found pieces of slate, relics of
some tyro's mathematical beginning,
who probably has long been a distant
wanderer from the old familiar haunts, |
and preserved souvenirs of the fallen |
brick chimney and charred wooden |
walls. For we fondly remembered a
blue-eyed elder sister in far-off Oregon |
whom we knew would prize them and
the acorns Mary gathered from tree
hard by, far more than if they had been
gold from Galice Greek or Santiam.
We were exhausted with exertion in
the summer heat, but what cared we?
Oh, the birds in the branches were singing
With the shrill, stirring cadence of yore.
Our ears were with melody ringing,
As in childhood they'd oft rung before,
And the past and the present commingled,
And our fancies with harmony tingled,
While memory shadowed us o'er.
1t was high noon, and we could re-
main no longer in the enchanted wood
and field. When, and under what cir
cumstances, shall we see these haunts
again
A visit at the home of good Father
Landes, an elegant country dinner, aud
after it nap, and then a ride to Ire
mont, and in the evening we break the
bread of the gospel of freedom to a
waiting audience in the old Baptist
Church, where Grandfather Scott used
to sit by the pulpit in great chair that
yet hallows his memory, as it sits there
unoccupied and solemn as the grave.
Oh, the voices so precious and olden,
! That float through the dim long ago!
Oh, the hours so glad and so golden,
That fit DER the soul TO and fro
How through the long years do we cherish
The loves that through earth-life meier perish,
But live on, their sweet wealth to bestow.
Everywhere the invitations to lecture
and visit crowd upon US. The people in
the rural districts of Illinois are sadly
in need of a political missionary. II
our loved ones at home were only with
us, we should feel that we ought to re-
main and labor here for year.
A severe headache, caused by over
fatigue, kept US a prisoner on Wednes-
day, but on Thursday we took the train
for Groveland, which we reached
through a more driving rain than we
ever encountered in Oregon. Here we
again meet friends and relatives, and
here, on Friday evening, we greet 6
large and tearfully enthusiastic assem-.
bly, in the dear NJ. E. Church, where we
used in childhood to meet the youthful
faces of those who now are growing old
and where, alas we also miss so many
who are either dead or departed to far
' off lands.
Saturday evenings train took US t,
Delevan, among other old-time lovet
, ones; and on Sunday we all went owe
, to Hopedale to visit a dear materna
uncle and aunt, who, like everybod,
!, else we visit, have the Oregon feve
q badly.
t Monday evening we lectured at Hope
p dale in the NJ. E. Church and on Tuesda
o repaired to the home of other relative
Y at Atlanta, where the weather grew S
8 insufferably scorching that we sue
: cumbed to a melted butter conditio
v and yielded up all effort save an impos
!. sible attempt to keep cool.
r The next Friday brought US cool, Ore
d gon weather and we came on to NJ
r. Pulaski, where we began a protracte
d meeting on Saturday, which is to clos
= after three lectures tonight. Here W
l. are again visiting relatives who are i
sympathy with us in every word an
: work.
If the weather continues as it now i
we shall work in Illinois till Octob,
first, thereby prolonging our stay f.
9 beyond our first intention. But "
could not work our way to Philadelph
- in time to meet with the first suffral
gathering there, and the latest are pos
poned to October I'd or Sd, as is also tt
; WOman's Congress and Citizens Su
=, frage meetings, which we must NJ
: miss.
70 We're homesick enough to go di
tracted, but it has cost us too muC
- money and toll to come so far to {
~ back to Oregon now with our missiC
unfulfilled.
Rally, good readers, everywhere,
the support of the Peoples Paper. YC
~ have no Idea how anxious we are abo
II the papers support. The NE
- NORTHWEST is in good keepin
~ See that you hold up Mrs. Coburn
~ hands till we return to aid her al
ar our honored liege and faithful typ
70 in their constant, arduous work.
1t seems as if we could fly, so soliC
tous are we in regard to your comiI
es convention and the action of the OregC
Legislature. A. ]. D.
Mt. Pulaski, ILL.,, August IS, 1875.