The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-12-28
AN OLD MANS PANORAMA.
Some Suggestions from Thurlow
Weeds Life

Some Suggestions from Thurlow
Weeds Life
From the Detroit Free Press. fss21e*'''f
In one of Louis Figulers imaginative sci
entlfc books he places spectator on dis
tant star which the reflected light from the
earth does not reach in less than hundred
years. Equipped with sufficiently power
ful glass, this individual could in the course
of long life behold the principal events
and prominent men that made the history
Of the world for century past. He could
as u young child, see the war of inde-
pendence, the French revolution, the rise
and fall Of Napoleon the wonderful mod
ern inventions, from the steam engine 10
the telegraph the figures of Washington
Goethe and Herbert Spencer, Byron and
Tennyson, Scott and Charles Reed, all, Of
course, 100 years late, but still distinct and
consecutive. Were he a former inhabitant
Of this earth, dying on his Tooth birthday, he
could ON that distant star live over again
his earthly life and see his career as drown.
ing people behold their own, passing before
him like panorama.
What the Frenchman's imaginary inhabi.
tant of the. star could see. the still vigorous
and vivid memory of veteran like Thurlow
w ecu Gull 4OW Uc11Olu as III n VASAOA AAC
Seth anniversary of his birthday was cele-
brated last week, and is suggestive tie Of
"Reminiscences between this age and the last.
Born in 1897, he must, at two years OF
age, have heard, perhaps understood the
account of the death of W. ibingtOn. At
seven he could have read the report of JET.
ferson's reelection, Napoleon's coronation as
emperor of France, the battle of Austerlitz,
and OF the first steam locomotive on the
Welsh tramway. As cabin boy
on the Hudson river he saw Fulton's first
himself was, as soldier in the war of 1872,
freezing In the winters of the northern from
tier, Napoleon's army was overwhelmed
tu the SHOWS OF Russia, and the close Ut his
military life was simultaneous with the de-
struc.ion Of the French army at Waterloo.
Byron had not yet walked on that celebra-
ted morning and found himself famous by
the publication OF "Childe Harold" and
the pleasure of reading SCOTS romances, as
they appeared fresh from the press, was re-
served until Weed had been printer for
some time ut Albany
The clothes he wore when a boy were
home-spun and home-woven; his
garments now are an in6nitestimal fraction
Of the 5000. OOO 900 or $500. coo, 900 worth an
nu lily produced in this tountry. The week
which. as a cabin boy, he spent in going
from New York to Albany will now suffice
for the journey from the Atlantic to the Pa.
cific Ocean. He has seen nearly every In.
vention characteristic of this mechanical
age originated and developed. The steam.
boat, the railroad, the steam loom, the
power press, the telegraph, sewing ma.
chine, the telephone, gas light and cleo
trio light; even the humber, but no less
useful Observation-Disclosures for illumina'
ton, anthracite coal for fuel the cast-iron
plow, and the photograph-have come
within his personal knowledge He has
lived under th5 admin stration of every
president from Washington to Arthur; seen
France travel the whole circle from the
first republic through two empires and two
monarchies, back to republic again;
Prussia and Italy emerge from congeries
Of small weak states to mighty empire
and q consolidated kingdom. As boy in
petticoats he might have taken the hand of
an old man who. while a boy. had seen
one OF the pilgrim fathers In Old age, ana
as an old man himself may take the hana
| OF a boy IN petticoats, who will see the Goth
anniversary of the independence Of the
United States; thus touching on either side
generations that are separated by the gull
OF three centuries and half.