The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-08-05
Farmers' Associations.

A Joint meeting of the Paw Paw and Ant
werp Farmers Associations was held at the
farm of Hon. j. j. Woodman on the 10Th ult.
The arrivals were announced on the pro-
gramme To be at ten o'clock. and shortly
after that hour. carriages lined the inside OF
the yard under the stately naples fronting
the capacious barns, and groups OF smiling
gentlemen and ladies were seen on the lawn
and in the parlors enjoying the time between
their arrival and the dinner hour III social
greetings. Tables were arranged IN the
front yard to seat all at one time and walters
were employed to serve the guests, so as To
relieve the lady members from attendance.
A card was given 10 each gentleman on
which was written the name OF the lady
whom he was expected 10 attend at the dim
ner table, each gentleman IN one association
escorting lady from the other. OF the
dinner it is sufficient 10 say that il was am
pie. excellent and tastefully spread, with
beautiful bouquet at each plate. Fruits and
ice cream followed the more substantial
courses, and when the toast master, Jason
Woodman, arose TO perform his duties ali
settled back into quiet attitude. After
brief allusion to the origin of the custom and
its appropriateness. he announced, "Farm
Life" and called upon Mr. ID. Woodman
to respond. which be did in a very effective
manner Ii was explained that a response
60 the next toast, ''ClImbing," was expected
from Mrs n. II. Bangs, but that n family
bereavement had prevented her being pre-
sent, and the duty was assigned TO Mrs. j c.
Gould who presented Mrs. BIS sentiments
very effectively. Farmers Assocat ions"
were then toasted" by Mr.. Il. X. Harrison
in q semi-serious manner. He alluded to the
q ,y.ftl
limited at the causes of their successive down
fall, assuring those present that it was be
cause they had no Farmers Associations"
Our Invited Guests" was sentiment that
was very appropriately handled by Mr.. james
Bale. He complimented them on their
efficiency as farmers and commented on
the increasing Importance of their services
as citizens and made some predictions as to
their future usefulness as members of society.
On adiourning to the parlors the work of
the regular programme was entered upon.
After the call to order, music was rendered
by Mrs. l.. X. Woodman. On the call of
the roll of members by the secretary, each
responded with a short selected or original
sentiment. This innovation on the usual
order was a very pleasant feature and called
ont many wise witty and worthy sentiments.
The welcoming address by Hon. j. j.
Woodman was in his hearty, characteristic
style The following is sample nugget
from the body of the address:
1t seems 10 me that this is a fit time for
such gathering Of the cultivators of the
soil. 1t is a little past midsummer, the very
heart and core OF the year. Although the
fragrant hay has been cut and stored away
and the wheat harvest is ended, vet the rip
ening processes are still going on all around
us. The gardens are giving their tender
and delicate vegetables for our tables. the
small fruits are crowding each other along,
each in its own time. and the modest. blush
ing apples, half hidden in the foliage and
branches of the trees, seem to be daily
throwing of their timidity, and their ex
panding. rounding forms. reddening cheeks
and growing beauty tempt us to partake.
Nature, which is our common mother ex-
tends her hints TO us In great profusion to
come out at this season of the year, and
enjoy all that she has to offer Us. Never are
her free gifts offered in such profusion as
now. There seems to be no limit to them.
Truly, 1T is season of bounty and of beauty.
AID yet, all is not sunshine to the husband
man. Clouds sometimes darken the sky
when we would have the sunshine: hail
instead of rain, falls upon the tasseled corn
drouth scorches vegetation and frosts nip
the early buds: but he who fails TO see in
al, these wonderful processes and transfer
nations, in the growing crops and changing
weather, the work of Omnipotence and the
goodness of God, vouchsafed 10 man. loses,
not only the valuable lessons they teach,
but the inspiration they give TO higher and
Eobler life. Our occupation is an important
and noble one, well calculated to inspire
thought and develop noble qualities, for
none live in SO close communion with nature.
and so near God in their daily avocations,
as the tillers of the soil.'
L he first paper on the programme was by
Mrs II. Randolph, entitled, "Spectacles $
She alluded to the various kinds of distorted
vision which is corrected by the use of spec
tacles and made an easy transition to certain
mental alterations that might be corrected
by proper application of appropriate spec
tacles. The paper was one of no ordinary
merit and was heartily applauded at its close.
Mrs. j. 9. Gould very 'touchingly" reci-
ted some of the woes that attended the
unhappy man who, with his wife. was too
late for the train. He, very naturally at
tributed their failure TO her unnecessary
delay at her toilet. In the argument occa-
stoned by Slight difference of opinion they
uSlCSh bhRb niioNhCi DC IlluuC
the next week at the same day and hour,
and each should be independent of the
others aid. The day arrived and the hus
band suggested fair field and no favor,
during the three quarters of an hour in
which he had limited the time for trial
before the departure of the train. There
was little episode, in which shirts, collars,
etc. brought some confusion to the favorite
IN the race and by means of which he lost
considerable time that he was unable to
recover in season to win. The kisses thrown
by the winner of the contest, from the rear
platform of the train, at the man who came
putting along, tangled up in his garments
vas all the consolation he received for his
defeat. This recitation was immensely en-.
tertaining to the ladies and. as a sample OF
impersonation, was very enjoyable to the
gentlemen, although it was quite evident
that they still chung TO the winner of second
money, who was so badly handicapped by
his efforts at packing q valise.
The closing paper on Equivalents" by A.
G. Glidden, ventured upon some things i'm the
world that needed balancing up, and sug-
gested some enforced compensations that
were not equivalent. The discussions were
not very general and not up to the usual
standard, in length, on similar occasions.
The visiting club, through its president
T.. A. Wildey, expressed its thanks for the