Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-06-06

| l some times think, when carried back in
retrospect, that there is not now with the
younger portion of our people, due ap-
i probation of our fathers and mothers of
the past and present generations few
| of whom still 1inger on lfess verge-but
very many have passed away, to that
! bourne from whence none ever return. L
don't design to find fault, but it seems to
me that reverence for the aged is much
I lacking; indeed. it is the sin of the rising
generation. They scarcely remember or
reflect that it was yours, my veteran
friends, to brave the dangers of the pri-
| meval forests; to fix your temporary cab
| ins, miles away from civilized human
| abodes; to contend with the ravenous an
imals of the wooded wilds, and not un-
frequently meeting with and living in
near proximity with the untutored red
man of the forest; they unfortunately
| forget that 1t was your work to open the
! country for civilized settlement, to blaze
out roads on the trees to mark the way
from place to place, or from cabin to cabin
among the trees-the 'latch-strings, were
| always OUT to facilitate a ready entrance
10 the wayfarer; to clear the ground of
| heavy timber and an immense amount of
| under-Drnsh, SO that subsistence could be
produced for your dependent family; in
| short, it was your hands that made the
first improvements of the country; itwas
your indomitable courage and Industry
ful field, and made the once solitary places
| rejoice and blossom as the rose Again,
! iE was the fathers who built our first
| schOol-houses, and laid the foundation
| upon which was built our noble and eff
| cient Free School system, which throws
the means of education within the reach
of all classes; none too Door to obtain by
proper industry, competent English ed
ucatlon. The fathers, too, provided meet
ing houses-as best they could-nOt for
getting the obligation they were under to
assemble together for social worship to
theiraImlghty pre- server and benefactOr
Now, wanttO be understood to include
the mothers, those noble pioneer-women
who undauntedly braved the dangers and
prIVatlons of a wilderness country, they
indeed possessed a power that was irwin
cible, and had it not been for their wise
councils, cooperation and loving encour-
agement men could scarcely have sue
ceeded in performing the rugged and ar
duous tasks they had to encounter. 1t is
said that The three sweetest words in any
language are, Mother, Home, HeaYen": ::
and surely, what a blessed, Venerated
name is that of mother; it has a power,
not only to move our hearts. but to move
the world. Blessed, yes, thrice blessed
be the mothers now assembled. Although
the elasticity of youth has departed, and
your once auburn or jet-black locks have
ehanged-have lost their smoothness and
lustre-and become silVered o'er with
gray, and these once fair cheeks, much
wrinkted and careworn, showing but too
plainly that you have not escaped the adj
verse circumstances of a protracted life
Yet, your kindness and generosity, the
ready and atfectionate smile, all conspire
to demonstrate that you still appreciate
and enjoy the social circle, and can enter
with zest into the innocent amusements
of the day. ''rhen lift up your heads in
hope, for your redemption draweth nigh -
| But, to return, l scarce need say that
we live in ''fast age and, as l said be-
fore, the fathers and mothers are not ap-
preciated by many, for we often hear
them spoken of in rather derogatory
way, as Ignorant old souls, greatly be-
hind the times; have lived out all they
knew; done pretty well, according to
their limited knowledge; yet, after due
allowance is made, are quite 'old fogy'
after all" But stop little. Young Amer
lea, and Jet me tell you that these are an
excellent lifelong class, and, as general
thing, deToted to the cause of improve
ment, to humanity and religion.
Well, my veteran friends, to sum up
the matter, through your industry and
economy you were blessed, and you
saw the country improve beyond your
most sanguine expectations; those rich
aAuvial lands have been reclaimed and
are in profitable state of cultivation
the cabins have given place to more noble
and elegant residences; those blazed-out
paths have been succeeded by turnpike
roads in almost every direction-free to
all. Wen may it be said of you, that you
have Indeed labored, and others have en-
tered into Your labors I presume that
you VIII readily acknowledge that You
have been blest; that mercy has followed
you your whole life long; your cultivated
fields have generally yielded a rich re-
ward-some 80, some 60 and some 100 fold
and, if perchance, some seasons yOul
fields have not been so productive, by rea-
son OF drouth, or some other cause, yet
the country has produced sufficient sup
1 ply for the entire population; then, may
be, like David of Olden time, you cav say
that you "haVe never seen the righteous
forsaken, nor his seed begging Bread
In conclusion, permit me to relate an
instance or two, to show the sympathy
and disinterested kindness that existed
among neighbors in the early settling Of
f Highland and adjoining counties; and in.
o deed, all were considered neighbOrs fol
five OF six miles around, it being quite
common for men to go that distance tG
; help raise house, taking their dinners
n with them. But, what 1 was about to re
late was the circumstance of a supply o
= corn, when emigration had fairly set in
q Ny father settled in Highland county
e about four miles north of where Hillsbort
4 now stands, we had neighbor by thu
lldluC Vi OOSS DLl E9N knOuOuDG
, name is familiar to yOu1, who had got al
IS early start on Clear creek-had some o
is those rich bottoms cleared up-hence, hat
If corn to sell. A certain man by the mann
of Wright moved and settled few mile
0 distant, and hearing that Joe SwearengiI
'e had corn to sell, went over to see about it
e He wanted 100 bushels, at least; had tn
ready money to pay, and that i'll silver {
rather scarce commodity; had a wago
!" and as good a team as ever crossed tn
is mountains, and would haul the corn righ
4, away. Swearengin replied: ''9ou cam
a buy corn of me! You say you have III
silver to pay, a wagon and a good team
III you can go down on the SciOtO, to tn
High-bank Prairie, and get corn; mir
is is for those who have no money to pal
r. New settlers are constantly coming il
the winter is near, and such as have L
'e money must be supplied Wright wei
a away somewhat out of humor, and afte
ur ward, speaking of the affair, he said: :
=, would not have believed that there WI
:. - living man who would have refuse
u money for, his corn and let parties ha'
'e. it who were unable to pay.''
ed Again, we had another neighbor in tho
days, very kind man, by the name
'" Shadrach Stafford; it may be that some
as you knew him. My father had got f1e
- of about eighty acres cleared, and plan
les ed late, which, however, made pret
,so fair crop-for new ground. In the ia
" my father was from home on business, Il
en- a week or more, and during his absen
TO- there came severe frost, calculated
on iniure the corn and spoil the fodder if n
- cut up. The next day neighbor Static
lo- came over with his two sons (nea-
ty, grown) and several other men, and thu
ID 1nasked, cut and shocked the entire ffe
4 before night; making good the old adag
. ga friend in need is friend indeed"
Fo- could multiply instances of the same kin
nv but these will Suffice
ad We may we'll ask the question, in'tf
M aristocratic age, 'sWho would refuse
:. sell corn for the ready money, reservir
Is il for those who had none ?H And Whe