The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-06-03

we can make our lives Sunlme.' we chIl Ill 10
something to aid the poor and the weak.
Then came "Decoration Day" by Christopher
II. Byrne-a hasty sketch Of the great horrors OF
the days of the sixties, to commemorate the
memories of whose 100000 victims this grand,
beautiful day was instituted, 10 show that we do
not forget them, and also TO keep fresh in our
memories their noble actions-acts meet to urge
us on to greatness, though it may be in other
fields of action.
Miss llollecker gave us the "Newspaper-the
novel literary production Of modern days. She
gave us hasty sketch of the history and growth
Of the newspaper-its great work, wonderful en-
ergies in gathering strange and wonderful items
of news its wonderful contents--births, mar.
riages, deaths, two-headed women, sermons, po-
lice news, advertisements, &C., &c, all gathered
into one sheet; and how the various classes OF
people read it, one for one thing, another for an
other; and how it meets all their wants! Its lit
erature and information, however, are not al
ways the best to make wise men.
Alex. NJ Cooley gave us "Luck and Pluck"
The future of men depends much on luck and
circumstances require pluck, and pluck some.
times requires luck. Napoleon is an eminent
example of both luck and pluck, both
lucky and plucky, he was successful, though at
last he lost his "luck," and his "pluck" could
not save him. Pluck every day is needed to con-
quer temptation, and properly guided pluck will
conquer luck Indeed, pluck can conquer all
things, only watch and wait, using all your pow
ers judiciously and thoughtfully.
Miss Belle c. Meigs followed with "Oxygen
and Nitrogen" The discovery of oxygen is the
beginning of modern chemistry. Its universally
and usefulness and dangerousness were then
treated hastily. Nitrogen is its conservative oppo-
site. The people of this world are like oxygen
and nitrogen-these are the hothcaded oxygen
its and the conservative ntrogenites united the
combinations are most happy. The comparison
was extended through many different classes OF
people, and also peoples. The French c. q. are
the oxygentes the Germans nitrogenites; the
English think they happily combine the two, and
probably the Americans SO do unqucstionably.
The band playing here, the doors were opened,
and the ushers came in loaded with flowers for
those who had thus far read Some of these tri-
butes were magnificent
The music over, Miss Okey struck some Gun
touched Chords" The great untouched chords
the future unrevealed. There is poetry about
the future. II is like the mountain rain seen at
distance. The essay alluded to the many chords
of science and art untouched in former days that
sound for us now, and many we yet shall hear
silent now. The world is full Of unwrltten mu-
sic-in history and art to be touched by the ear.
nest and the faithful.
Mr.. Nathan Degen followed with "lmagina-
la Aa... all Grct
breathed immortality into the dead of history
through the Imagination. It is the sunlight OF
the mind, illumining all things and arraying
them in beauty and glory. All art, poetry, liter
aturc depends on imagination; and it enlivens
the dry bones of history, and we again,
through it, live over the lives of the men OF
the past II is, all in all as an aid to enjoy life;
and has it's harmful side too, in that It developes
the bad impulses and leads to mental and moral
degradation, unless the faculty is trained and
kept under command.
| Miss Pease told us OF "0ther Peoples Eyes, "
depicting the evils we fear and horrors we suffer
because other people possess the power Of sight
and how we strive and starve to appear present
able to other peoples eyes at all times.
Opportunities gave Miss Rathbun an oppor
tunty to tell us how opportunities affect us, how
we rSle on the tide to success if we grasp them
or swept away by the ebb if we miss them.
j. VIM. Hayden thought 1.-THE Good Old
Times" was not so "good" as some old people
tell us they were Since Soloman or Homer
always people have lamented the good old
times" It has become chronic. Give up lux
ures and elegance and most of the necessaries
| Of life and you have the good old
times"-and may live like barbarian or saw
age, or as slave would object to. If the grow
lers wants the good old times let them have
them, but send them to desert island where
they will not annoy the sensible people who pre-
fer the better things Of to-day.
Miss Smith told the "Story OF o Star"-the
geological story Of earth told in an autobiogra
phical form-very cleveriy and beautifully done
Again the band played and again the flowers
poured la, even more beautiful than befOre-One
piece to Hayden, pair OF scissors!
"My Essay" by Geo. Ravens. I'm vision
while seeking subject all his studies passed be
fore him ~ he unused on his essay but he passed
them by as unworthy; but as he unused the pro
cesson Of great literary men passed before him
reformers and then the musicians Of the world
&c ; and justice with her peculiar" ways; and
then the vision changed, and Ottawa in the
future came and the Times man watching the
burning court house-a famous Dream that after
all left him without a subject.
Influence Never Dies" Miss Zimmerman told
us; and telling us how many in the past iniu
enced the world, urged that as all have an inhu
ence in some degree, we should be careful that
! it be for good, to win name and power in the
future to come.
Nr. StasoR, of Gran Ridge told us how "Edu.
cation is the Hope of America" It is the enemy
Of despotism, by bringing truth broadly into the
II light Cor all men. The fate of the ancient
states gives us warning; and We
must save our country, developing
so fast now, from the evils of so mixed people