Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-07-05
Pioneers and Pioneer Life in Grant
County-A Paper Read at the Old Set
tiers Meeting Last Wednesday.
BY WILD BIRD.

When the sunbeams shone upon
the matchless bowers of Paradise,
bathing leaf and flowers in flood of
gold, and shedding halo on the holy
brows of Adam and Eve, and the
birds poured forth their melodies.
while luscious fruit of every kind
mingled their sweetness with the
roses breath, and the oders Of frank
incense, then God gave that first
family q mission to "subdue the
earth" And oil along the rolling
ages, those words have been echoed
on, and will be until the glorious
end of Time. Our fathers heard
that voice, and became pioneers.
They pressed onward to possess the
land and seize blessing On the path.
less hills. They led their focks to
pleasant pastures and built their cab
in homes for Joy and blessings. And
how much real joy soul may reap
in rude and rustic homes is only
known to those who there have liv-
ed, and loved and toiled. Pomp and
formality, which chill the heart and
shut out angels, is not found in from
tier cabins, where simplicity reigns
and sings her sweetest songs, and
gathers brightest treasures. And
heaven seems to bend so low, and
come so near TO humble homes where
God is honored; compared with these,
palace in its naughty glory is"van-
itv and vexatiOn of spirit" Who,in
this short life, with all the cares and
responsibilities of kingly homes
can ever find time to gather the
treasures of the mind, and search for
"thoughts that breath and words
that burn. "But the Wisconsin pioneer
was not affected with the grandeur
of his residence. He was thankful for
shelter, and thankful for his daily
bread. He was astonished at the
fertility of the soil, and rejeiced in
the beauty of the wonderful prairies,
with the clear, cold springs that sent
the bright streams ripping through
the valleys. we'll remember how |
often wandered over the rolling hills
of Blake's Prairie, when child, and
gathered the wild flowers that grew
in such profusion on the green I'M
broken bills and lovely valleys; and
such wild roses beautiful enough to
bloom 10 Eden. And what grand
play ground that was with no fences
to obstruct our painless W ay. And
farther on, the glory of the old fan,
tastic bluffs, so full of dells and shady
ooks, and cool gushing fountains
that mingled their silvery voices
with the song of birds. What ovely
retreats for rest and thought are of
fered along the Mississippi valley |!
That great, rolling river is 9 beauty
and grandeur to behold, sweeping on
in majesty like the never ceasing
stream of time, rushing to the sea
Every cline has its peculiar beauty,
and no country can say to another"I
have no need of thee ;"but q country
more beautiful than some parts of
Grant County, neither expect nor
desire to behold this side stke shining
shore.o But now those new lands
which | first saw in 1S45 are crowd
ed with life and industry. The home
of the deer, the squirrel and the wild
| rose has become land of orchards,
gardens and golden fields. And
those of you who have borne the toll
and heat of the day, may truly behold
the change with gladiened hearts.
You may not, like the ancient king,
stand upou the heights of your palace
and say as not this great Babylon
that | have built" but you have
done greater things than the build
ing of walled cities. With the bless
ing of God upon your endeav-
ors, how grand has been the progress
| of civilization, The churches point