The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1890-04-10
RIVERS GOOD AND EVIL.

Turning into . Destructive Flood.
Frank Lane is bright boy of twelve.
He belongs to the Loyal Temperance
Legion, and the rest of the boys regard
him as a fine orator. He has many
original ideas and an easy flow of words
When Frank has speech as part of the
programme at the legion, the other
boys are sure to be on hand to hear. Yes
terday I went in and heard Franks
speech. He went to the platform and
looking about earnestly, said quietly:
Last night dreamed. dreamed
that great, white. flying horse came to
me and got on his back and rode out
into the air. We few down to Texas,
where there were acres on acres of hops
growing: They shook out their green
tassels as far as the eye could see.
''Then the hops picked themselves
and fell into long heap and turned in
to a great river of hops and began to
flow out far over the land.
Then we flew little north, over
Missouri, and l saw corn-felds-miles
on miles of corn-1elds. The corn stood
straight as soldiers, and tall as man.
and husked itself, and fell into long
heap, and turned into great river OF
corn and began to flow out over the land.
''Then flew on my horse still farther
North, over North Dakota: and I saw
field on field, all standing thick with
rye; and it waved in the wind like the
pillows of great green sea. Then the
rye reaped itself, and threshed itself,
and fell into river of rye, and flowed
out along the land. And these three
rivers united, and rolled on and on.
''Then few East, and perhaps it
was Michigan; and saw whole farms
of beautiful tall barley. Its boards
glistened in the sun just like silver.
And the barley reaped itself and
threshed itself, and fell into q long
heap, and turned into barley river,
and rolled off across the land. And it
met the river made of the other three
and joined them, and rolled on.
''Then I flew over Northern New
York and saw great orchards. There
were thousands of trees full of apples.
The apples picked themselves and fell
into long heap, and rolled off like
river, and joined the other four.
''Then I saw two great buildings.
They looked as big as the earth. They
were full of windows and chimneys, and
fires roared in them. The great river
made of five-the hops, corn, rye, bar.
ley and apples-rolled right into these
two great buildings. My fying-horse
took me way up over these buildings
so came where could see the other
side, and there saw the river that
had just rolled in, rolling out. But il
was turned into river of beer and
whisky.
ut rolled over the land like great
food. It carried off men, women and
children. It swept down houses, and
barns, and shops. 1t carried away
clothes, and books, and furniture. II
was ninety hundred times bigger than
the Johnstown food. All before it was
quiet, and rich, and green, and happy.
All behind it was ruin and wreck. And
l heard an awful cry of people wanting
to be saved from these rivers of whisky
and beer! Then my horse flew back to
my home with me, and left me, sup.
pose, for the next thing knew 1 was
in my own bed. And I wondered what
we should do to keep the beautiful hops
and corn, and rye, and barley, and ap.
pies from turning into food to destroy
every thing. And why it is we must let
people have . trade of turning good
things into bad things"
This was considered Frank Lanes best
speech.-Julia McNair Wright, in Young
Crusader