The Princeton union., 1879-09-24
100 YEARS AGO.
From Bryaut's Centennial Poem at Cum

mington.1
A centnry since unbroken wood
Uer all these hills and valleys stood.
Save here and there Il sunny spot.
Where the first settlers hands had made
An opening in the boundiess shade,
And reared his solitary cot,
Soon changed the scene; soon opened wide
Green pastures on the mountain side;
Where the fierce panther, wolf and bear,
Through countess years had kept their lair,
Sleek herds Of k ne and tiocks of sheep
Cropped the fresh herbage of the steep,
And tasseled maize and wheat and rye
Grew rank beneath the kindly sky,
Where once sluw creeping glacier's passed
Resistlcss DER frozen waste.
Deep-rooted in the virgin mould,
The dover OF centuries untold
Broad orchards clothed in radient bloom,
Filled the wide air with rich perfume.
Aud when the genial Autumn came,
Aud maple bouyhs We're red like flame,
And all the giants of the wood,
In robes of princely beauty stood,
Earth's plenteous fruits We're gathered in,
With grateful hearts and joyous din.
All, what intrepid souls were they
Who cleared those trackless woods away!
What lireleSS sinewS, bone and Drawn,
That smote the trees from early dawn
Till daylight's latest rays We're gone!
No whining igEt-hour men were they,
Who feared the chill of early day;
They kept the pinch of want away
With industry and watch1ul care,
Till these had brought them generous fare.
Else had those mighty forest trees
Still stood to buffet storm and breeze
All, those were jolly registering days,
When strong men piled the logs on high,
And bllowy smoke and towering blaze
ShOne grandly on the evening sky.
Aud jlbeS went round and merry jest,
As the SWaIt la bDrprS took 1hnir rt.St
AT lunch hour, in some shady nook
Hard by Il fountain or brook;
And where, within an cddying pool,
Brown set was laid to keep her cool.
And when ,lrouNd the cabin door,
They gathered ut the twilight hour,
What wOndcrOuS tales those Woodmen told,
OF fights with bears and pan,hers bold,
All in strain of reckless ylee,
Well garni>hed with hyperbole;
Each one the hero of his story,
Selt-crowned with daring deeds and glory.
On holidays the boys and men
Had games and sports athletic then;
Our wrestevs did not fear to meet
OF neighboring towns their picked athlete,
And by superior strength and knack,
OH 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, as wild deer's nimble feet,
Told that the long weeks toll was done,
flushed in deep stillne. was the hour,
As if some overruHhg power
Had sent through all the waiting land,
A stern and absolute command,
That worldly toll and noise should cease,
And man and beast find rest and peace.
And when the first days morning rose
The solemn silence and repose
Still brooded on till daylight's close.
The law OF stern opinion then
Held in firm grasp the ways OF men:
It kept in check the restless boys
Who Sundays long, for play aud noise.
And keenly felt the close restraint
But dared not to make complaint.
A lad once, bolder than the rest,
Thus to his mate his thought confessed:
"You know Fast day; we'll, that is one day
That is almost rs bad as Sunday
For Sundays then to children here
We're days OF wearinc; ;s and fear.
Yet those old sires were of the stock
That landed upon Plymouth Rock;
Who deep and broad foundations laid.
Ana planted here tue tree, whose shade
Sheltered people great and free
That oriOus tree OF liberty,
Whose branches stretch from sea to sea-
Those were not days Of lace and silk,
or silver spoons and dainties rare,
But homespun Clothes brown bread and
milk,
IN peWLer OlSn ana wooden ware;
Add pork and beans for sunday fare;
Bean porridge hot, bean porr dge,
Fen sometimes more than nine days old.
Waited the tiller OF the soil
Returning from his daily toll.
Rude were the dwellings of that day..
Log cabins daubcd with moistened clay.
The scanty roof with many a chink,
Through which the stars are seen to blink,
And whence, in winter storms, the snow
Was Sifted on the floor below.
The broad, deep fireplace, rou Oh and rude.
Was piled with logs of maple wood
When the keen frosts Of winter came:
Blow climbed 1T first the smoke wreath's blue
Then, bursting into tongues of flame
Went roaring up the chimney tiue.
And, through long, drear Winter night,
Cheer the dull hours with warmth and light.
Round their proud mothers fair to see,
Like sapllngs meath a shcltering tree,
Stood ruddy children, nine or ten,
Soon to be maidens danes and men;
Examples worthy of all praise,
But rarely followed in these days.
And shall the race Of Saxon blood,
That hardship, cold and storm withstood.
And tuned the wilderness, now melt
Away before the advancing Celt?
These tie ds, subdued by hands 80 free.
Pay tribute TO the Roman See?
Kind heaven forbid that this should be,
PLAIN MISC rApExv