River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-09-25
100 YEARS AGO.
From Bryants Centennial Poem at Cum.

From Bryants Centennial Poem at Cur
mington.l
A century since, unbroken wood
Ger all these hills and valleys stood.
Save here and there sunny spot.
Where the first settlers hands had made
An opening in the boundless shade,
And reared his solitary cot,
Soon changed the scene; soon opened Wiae
Green pastures on the mountain SIDE
Where the fierce panther, Vol ana pear;
Through countless years had KEPT t tnelr iSii'
Sleek herds Of kline and hocks OF sheeP
CrOpped the fresh heritage Of the steep,
And tasseled maize and wheat and rye
Grew rank beneath the kindly sky,
Where once slow creeping glaciers passed
Resistless DER frozen waste.
Deep-rooted in the virgin mould,
The dover of centuries untold.
Broad orchards cIothed in radient bloom,
Filled the wide air with rich perfume.
And when the genial Autumn came,
And maple boughs were red like fame,
And all the giants Of the wood,
In robes Of princely beauty stood,
Earths plenteous fruits were gathered IN
With grateful hearts and joyous din.
All, what intrepid souls were they
Who cleared those tTackiess woods away,
What tireless suews, bone and Drawn,
That smote the trees from early dawn
Till daylights latest rays were gone!
No whining eight-hOuT men were they,
Who feared the chill Of early day;
They kept the pinch Of want away
With industry and watchiul care
Till these had Brought them generous lare.
Else had those mighty forest iIees
Still stood 10 buffet storm ana Dreeze-
All those were Jolly registering days,
When strong men piled the logs on high,
And biilowy smoke and towering blaze
Shone yrandly on the evening sky.
And Jibes went round and merry jest,
As the sWaTt labOrers took their rest
At lunch hour, in some shady nook
Hard by Il fountain or a brook;
And where, within an eddying pool
Brown Set was laid TO keep her cool
And when ,ar0uud the cabin door,
They gathered at the twilight hour,
What wonderous tales those woodmen told,
OF fights with bears and panthers bold
All in q strain Of reckless glce,
Wen yarni-hed with hyperbOc;
Each one the hero of his story.
SelfcrOwncd with daring deeds and glory
On holidays the boys and men
Had games and sports athletic theni
Our wre7tlets did not fear to meet
Of ueighb0Ting towns their picked athlete,
And, by superior strength and knack,
Of laid the champion on his back
Our youth were agile 1.-the and tall,
Could catch with skill the flying ball,
And clear the circle round, as fleet
Almost a. Wild decr's nimbie feet,
Told that the long weeks toll was done,
flushed in deep stiffness was the hour,
As 4 some everything power
Had sent through all the waiting land
\ stern and absolute command,
hat worldly toll and noise should cease
And man and beast lind rest and peace.
And when the first days morning rose
The solemn silence and rep1se
Still OrOOded on till dayIghts close.
The law oi stern opinion then
Held i'll firm grasp the ways OF men;
1t kept in check the restless boys
Who Sundays aged ior play and noise.
And keenly felt the close restraint,
But dared not To make complaint
4 lad once, boider than the rest
Thus to his mate thought confessed.
You know Fast day: we'll, that Is one day
That Is almost as bad az Sunday
For Sundays then to children here
We're days of wcarine and fear
Yet those old sIrc4 ere of the stock
That landed lon Plymouth Rock;
Who deep aud broad foundations laid,
And planted here the tree, whose shade
Sheltered people great and free
hat ori0us tree Oi liberty,
Whose branches stretch from sea to sea.
Those were not DAYS Of lace and silk,
or SILVER spoons and daiuticS rare,
But home7pun clothes, brown bread and
milk
In pewter dish and wooden ware;
And pork uad beans for sunday fare;
Bean porr!c--e hot, bean porr dye,
Zen sometimes more than niul days old.
Waited ths ilIer Of the soil
Returning am his daily toll
Rude were the dwellings, of That day.
Log cabin daubed with most,ned clay.
The scan,y roof with many 4 cinh,
Through which tne stars are seen ....'.
Aud whence, il winter storms, the snow
Was silted on the 1O3r below.
The broad, deep fireplace, rough and rude,
Was piled with logs of maple wood,
When the keen lrost- a. winter came;
slow climbed at tirst the smoke wrea his blue,
Teen, bursting into tongues Of flame
Went roaring up tie chimney Hue,
And, through long, drUar Winter night,
Cheer the dUii hours with warmth and light,
Round their proud mothers fair to see,
Like sapiugs meath shcltering tree,
stood ruddy children, nine or ten,
soon to DC maidcns, DANES md men;
Example Orthy 81 all praise,
Bat rarely followed la these days.
And shall the race OF Saxon blood,
That hardship, cold and storm withstood,
And tanned the wilderness now melt
Away before the advancing Celt?
These lie ds, subdued 10y hands so free,
Pay tribute 10 the Roman Sccy
Kind heaven forbid that this should be