The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-04-15
HIRAM.
Correspondence

Your article in last week. PRESS, re-
garding u hens egg having been dis
covered in nest OH the premises OF
Mr.. VIM. Nunemaker, in your village,
bearing the Inscription War 1856, y
&C., would have been considered "a TIL
fling joke merely, had it not been for
mi;ur circumstance that happened III
as town about the same time. A hen
V as observed 10 leave her nest in a
peculiarly excited condition, returnil s
to the nest frequently, and acting very
much like a hen protecting her brood
ON an enemy. Her actions were SO
Z culiar as to attract attention, and, on
examining her nest there was found an
egg, of decidedly blush color, on
which was distinctly and plainly
traced In white letters, the words,
!" Don't be damphool." The egg has
been examined by large number OF
persons, and has been subjected to
chemical test, and pronounced genuine
and no eggsaggeratiOn. 1t is to be en-
bslmed and depo~ited in the museum
at the Smithsonian Institute"
The Mantua station correspondent of
the Garrettsville Journal, publishes
letter from Ralph Meeker, eldest son
of N. c. Meeher, who was murdered by
the Utes portion of the letter, which
relates to Hiram, clip and send to
the Press. The murdered Meeker was
once resident of this place, engaged
in merchantile business. He left here
about twenty five years ago, and Joined
the Greeley Colony, after several years
service on the New York Tribune staff.
The extract is as follows:
A letter recently received from Ralph
Meeker-of the n. Y. Herald-whom
many people will recollect as resident
of Hiram, in boy yhood; whose father
met cruel fate at the bands of the
Indians at White Springs, Col, and
whose mother and sister We're captives
for many days, contains some passages
of general interest which we beg leave
to quote. Ralph is now about 35 years
of aga bachelor-and has in a most
remarkable manner, while exposed TO
many vicissitudes of life, kept himself
free from cynicism and moral degener-
aCy. vi Ills ltiS III 4AilaL1 hS
1.-The remembrance of my first young
days will never fade. l love Hiram as
one loves his first love Gf she is good
aud have never seen grass so green
nCr water SO sparkling, nor mornings
so delicious, nor skies so blue as they
We're in the town of my youth. l have
listened to chants in st. Paul's, West
minister and Notre Dame, and heard
organs gloriiying cathedrals with their
harmOnies, but nothing has seemed
swceter or more heavenly than the
music the l. girls made when they
sang round $50 melodeon! I saw
memory the old meeting house in Hi
ram seemed higher. 1 have driven by
moonlight through the mighty gorges
of the Cauca ;us, and climbed the great
peaks of the Rocky Mountains, but 1
can never forget the awe which the
rocks of Nelson Ledge inspired in my
childish soul. To-day / remember
Paris and London, but the beauty OF
Cleveland as saw it when father first
took me up Euclid Avenue in the night
surpasses all the grandeur of France
and England. The romance of youth
can never be entirely obscured by the
visions of afver years. The blue sky
floating Lake Erie has always been my
sit would be like living the old life
over again to wander alone over Hiram
hills and let my feet seek the paths OF
childhood, when 1 walked in never to
be forgotten evening twilight under
the NAPLES, with the soft splendOr of
the moon making the earth a paradise.
On! what raptures the young heart
feels when it loves the woods and flow
ers and the glOries that God has made
to thrill the heart of man. 1t seemed
to me as if 1 could in those days kiss
the ground and the rocks of my home
laud. It is no wonder that the Ger
mans worship in their simple, grateful
way their Fatherland. God bless the
place that gave us BIRTH"
A little four year old comes at his
mother with this conundrum: "Where
do people find little babies ?" He is
very anxious to find one. II.
April IL, 1880. =