The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1882-07-14
MOrrIce.

sermon by remarking that 38 years
ago he came to this county an itin-
Grant Methodist preacher, and held
his first service in this vicinity, in the
kitchen of VIM. Frain. That the cir
cult he then travelled over comprised
Fenton, Corunna, Owosso, Chesaning,
Bennington, Pine Lake, and a por-
ton of Livingston county; taking four
weeks to travel over it, and twenty
eight m for each trip. Then
he knew almost every DIV cling
and every family in all this region; but
to-day, with the exception Of a few
old acquaintance, the hundreds that
turned their eyes toward him were
strangers; with the past for a remin-
der, he would naturally expect to see
father Kellogg and Bro. Locke in the
audience, but they were not therel
His sermon was impressive and elo-
quent, and will long be remembered
by those fortunate enough to hear it.
When a boy l admired Mr.. Blades,
not on account of his eloquence or
his piety, for l did not have a very
nice discernment about either then,
but because he was a fine looking
man, and / had heard that once, while
riding in his buggy with his wife, his
horse plunged into the m%ill-pond at
Byron, where the water was too deep
for horse or man to touch bottom;
and that, undismayed by the disaster,
he supported his wife with one arm,
1oated the buggy with one foot and
with his free hand guided his horse to
the shore. l considered him 'a big
ger man than Grant" Well, he was
promoted, the rural districts knew
him no more. He went to Detroit;
and l have heard old women say, as
they slipped their tea, that long COM
munion with the elite of a great city
had made him proud and aristocratic.
Somewhat burdened by these old
memories and old sayings, and more
than curious to know how the man
would look, and how he would talk
after all these years, | went with the
multitude to see and listen. l don't
think Detroit has spoiled the man.
He told the old, old story, with his
old time pathos and many moistened
eyes attested his power to sway HUI.
man hearts and sympathies.
Next Sunday, Rev. Geo. Dufield,
of Detroit, breaches. here. l would
not be surprised if Beecher and Tai
madge came soon.
Yes, / celebrated the glorious
fourth-that is, a part of the day
Went oyer to Perry; the first thing
that attracted my attention on my
arrival, was a goodly number of PEG.
pie in an open field, standing and sit.
ting in a semi circle; on the concave,
side of this circle, I thought at first,
was a tentless circus, but a mar on
horseback, who brandished a large
sword, said it was only a game of base
ball; and that the blue legged fellows
we're from Owosso. l had heard q
good deal about base ball of late, and
also understood that the Rev. Mr.
Plat trained with the Owosso boys,
SO l thought l would watch this game
And 1 did watch it longer than / eve
watched a game before. About ter
minutes is the longest that heretofore
I have been able to endure the dreal
monotony of base ball. But l think
/ staid fifteen minutes this time and
got an outline Of the game in my
head--it has always been an enigma to
me before. They had one fellow
muzzled with a wire muzzle. 1t
couldn't have been Mr.. Plat, for thi:
fellow must have been guilty of a
crime for which they were Furnishing
him. But as l said, they had this fell
low muzzled, and they set him up be-
hind another fellow and pitched balls
at him most viciously. 1t was pain.
full to see the poor fellow dance and
dodge as the balls came at him,
There may be poetic justice in thi:
mode of punishment, but it looked
cruel to me. / was glad to see the
| chan in front of the victim seize Z