Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1889-10-02
Prss. Erwin. Asadrs.s.

president Of the Corn Palace association,
sAs.ss 81 o. e B ss.ss "a :.
Pres. Erwin's Address.
In bidding you welcome once again to
this dream Of beauty-Sioux City's pride
and glory. her own Corn Palace--the tn ought
that most forcibly impresses me as look
over this glorious temple dedicated to King
Corn is this: How appropriate and fitting
1t Is that we who live to- day in the land
where corn was born should thus erect and
dedicate this. the grandest artistic and
architectural conception OF the world. to his
glory. Let mo tell you in few simple
words of mine the Indian legend OF the
genesis Of corn. made immortal by the
matchlcss pen OF our own great poet. Long
fellow:
Far back in the almost limitless past.
while yet the races that now people the civ.
ilized world were but germs In the progress
of evolving life. there lived and roamed over
these wide prairies and forests Of our land
. dusky race who lived In close communion
with nature and natures god-a simple. un-
tutored race whose means OF subsistence
were those that nature provides-their food
the berries OF the field. the fishes of the
running brooks. the birds Of the air.
AT times the long cold winters Of the north
would come and hold them in its icy fctters
for months. The birds would have flown
away ta SUMMER skies. the streams. frozen
into ada.aant. would keep from their eager
hands the food they had been accustomed
to yield, and in that desolate season fruits
with his hungry fingers. clutched the best
and bravest Of the .,Ace.
Among the young iaen OF this people was
one who. wiser and more thoughtful than
his followers. pondered often and long upon
this: Why should it be tliSt the lives Of all
his race should depend upon the uncertain
resources OF the air, the stream. the field?
At last, with the faith Of his race in the
Great Spirit. he went into the dept:ss Of the
forest to commune with his God IN the
seven days Of fasting and prayer tina. hfs
religion requires--nOt, says the great pcat
who gives US this legend I am telling yoG
now
.Not for greater skill in hunting,
Not for greater craft In fishing,
Not for triumph Ia the battle
And renown among the warriors.
But for pront OF the people.
Tor advantage Of the nation
Riawsthe PRAYED and tasted
his tent. still dreaming OF his hopes for the
nation, he saw coming across the flower
decked meadow in all the glory of the pur-
pie sunset youth of noble appearance.
dressed in royal robes Of yellow and green.
Green were the silken plumes that lowered
0UOvS uI0 nolIuct anu 8OfO0u ouO Buky WAS
his hair. He came to the door Of the tepee,
looked with long and compassionate pity
upon the wasted form OF youth before him.
and said. his voice something like the
zephyr through the treetop:
'Oh. my Hiavstha,
Al your prayers arg heard IN heaven;
For you pray not like the others,
Not for ereatef skill in hunting.
NotfoR greater craft In fishing,
Not for triumph In the battle.
Nor rsnowu among the warriors.
But for pfont Of the people,
For edvantage Of the nation,
From the master of life descendins.
I, the friend OF man, Mondamin,
Come to warn you and instruct you
How by struggle and by labor
You shall gain What you have prayed for.
Rise mp from your bed OF branches.
Rise. oh youth. and wrsstle with me-"
The young warrior rose and grappled with
his antagonist. Finally. Mondamin. smil-
Ing upon the young warrior. said: 1t is
e0ough: tomorrow will come again"
And SO again on the morrow and tho next
day he came. and again they wrestled.
Thrice had Hiawatha failed. Then said
Mondsmin. smiling still upon the youth:
sTo.mosrow. oh my Hiawatha.
10 the last day Of our fasting;
You viii conquer and o'ercome me,
Aako bod for me to lie In,
Whefo the rain may fall around me,
Whoee the sun may come and warm me.
QeElp these garments, green and yellow.
strip these nodding pluma4e from me.
Lay me IN the earth and make 1t
Soft and loose and light above me;
LIt NO hand disturb my slumoef,
Let no weed or worm molest me.
Only como yourself to watch me,
Till I wake and start and quicken,
TIL leap into ths sunshine"
And 90 It was. On the next day as the
purple sunshipe floated over the meadows
Iondamin came As before. They wrestled.
but this time HiAwatha conquered and his
antagonist lay dead before him.
TenderlY then did Hiawatha bury him.
Carefully no stripped rom ,I him ~ his s green en-
ehd watercd and tended the grave OF Mon.
DAMN, waiting for the time when no would
again leap into the sunshine. till at length q
small green feather from the earth shot
slowly upward. Then another and another;
and before the summer ended stood the
and In rapture Hiawatha cried aloud; 1T
= nondamin; yes. the bread OF man. Mon
Ma,: nm. tho ha.u,,,u, legend ~ thu h,rth
~ Torn. IA the untutored Indian Mondamin
VA his 6avior. And II Is atting that We
who live IN the land made blessed and pros
porous sy A0n0emi9 should erece tn1s tenn
sS 4, srov ~ hlm hinr Hn ~ oncs mora niacs, Jace
wrought ~ fair and fairy fingers. place In
en4 go - 1iesxs'. is1 one voice ,at no@ 1 ovety
aSctaoa g ovr anas PrOclsim tn.s O0in y
xoaeef ek. ,ssishsapp; n thap ps;.d resrsin snS snd
1enne0eee sek0 uP ing sl11 IotErtC enu
ecno: vetn z n n1n1 vSer M .assc "a HoD[Isss Is.
nn9 s,. W. = slU na ha.. "u ~ io AL,
ICY SVs1 ~. =. Az tHc ..nite, - -. hroad A..
oves e; IN sne cSpssa .,9 =, III ~ ~. os "a
H