The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-06-07

against bcFNdls,
Foheight years he lived under tn
name Of NJ. Madeline, gaining wealtl
and respect as time advanced. Fol
lowing the bishops example he CAV
all 10 the poor. But destiny did no
see TIT TO allow him to live too long il
this condition, and he was rudel
startled by hearing that man, VIII
had been captured proved TO he Jeal
Vatican, an eXscOnvict, who was agail
arrested for robbing little boy NAMED
Gervais. Should he allow this limo
cent man TO suffer in his stead d
should he who had won the respect o
all show himself to be the eX-convict
The struggle was fierce, but cOnscIenc,
won the victory and NJ, Madelin,
stepped forward at the trial ant
proved himself the guilty person. ii,
was again taken TO the galleys. but eff
fecting an escape, he lived compare
| lively safe and the remainder OF hi
days were spent in relieving the suffer
ings of Others and in giving TO all WHIT
asked him. The one ray of sunshine il
his life was little COsette, in whom
! his entire affections were centered
Though Jean was an ignorant man, h
was also "A man who would not stool
to crime without being driven to it.
We find Kindness one OF the prnCi
pol elements in his character, and h,
shows ii most plainly when he risk
his life for Father Fanchtlevent, whC
was about his only enemy.
He teaches us Il lesson in forgiveness
most forcibly, when having 0JtojNeC
permission to shoot Javert, the mar
who was constantly bringing him int
trouble, and who at the time is plan
ming harm against him, he takes hin
to one side and sets him free. And h,
shows us the nobleA lesson in self-Sac
riiice when he gives Cosette, the on,
person from whom all his happiness i,
derived, to Marius. Vatican died
without one pang Of regret for having
done one misact for which he had moi
made full atonement.
Truly, Victor Hugo is only voice
but a mighty one. A voice like the
sound of many waters pouring floods
of harmonious thought and feeling
through the life of France and of the
nineteenth century: vast cataract
shaking the earth with its thunder
beautiful with rainbows and prismatiC
splendorS: terrible with "reminiscences
and prophecy of destruction. His was
the flash of moment struggling tC
abide as the light of a generation: the
guesses Of powerful imagination
claiming to be the philosophy of the
future.
From Cradle to Commencement,
by Frank f. FOllett, was very origi-
nal idea in the way Of a commence
ment essay. 1t was ''prOfusely illus
trated," as the boORmen have it. Mr..
Toilet opened with an illustration of
a One-year-old in its cradle, with eX-
planatory remarks. Then followed
the walking days, the first school day
and then, in rapid succession, a pic
torial history of the school boys
breaches of discipline and punish
ment, his green apple days and finally
his career in the high school. The
evolution was exceedingly interesting,
and though short, was one of the best
things of the evening. The drawings
were exceedingly well done and the
remarks were very funny and quite
applicable.
Miss Ella Rawlings essay was cap
toned
Ulysses and Aeneas
The well known tales of the heroes
of Homer and Virgil were well told in
a very pleasant manner. The subject
was one in which collegiate or acad-
emic graduate would find more pleas
ure than the average auditor. The
characters of the heroes were very
neatly composed; Ulysses, the con-
querer, seeking his native land: Aneas,
the conquered, hunting out new
home for the remanant of his people.
Yheir experiences were very similar.
Each had suffered much from the
work of hostile Gods. Both sailed
upon the sea for many years before
reaching the borders for which they
had set sail. Fate had in store for
each many pleasures and pains. Fin
ally Ulysses reached his beloved
Greece and Aneas landed upon the
shore where he founded the NUCLEUS
of the Roman empire. Ulysses fought
for his own glory: Aneas in the name
of the gods. Each represents the
ideal hero-Ulysses Of the time of
Homer, Aneas of Virgil. Homer was
the greater genius, Virgil the greater
artist.
Edward w. Bach spoke upon the
history of
La Sale County.
Living near the central part Of the
north half of the state is the county
of La Sale, a connecting link between
the Father of waters and the great
lakes. The beauty of its scenery is
far-famed. with its long, rolling
prairies, it's magnificent streams, its
high and picturesque bluffs; while its
material wealth of coal, clay, sand,
mineral and arteSian water have made
it the second county in the state.
The first inhabitants of this county
were the mound-builders. Within a
few miles of Ottawa there are scat
tered here and there about three thou
sand mounds, many of them the work
of mound-builder who lived here 2OOC
b. G..
Several centuries later we find the
war-like tribes of Savages spread Ovel
the country, among those in this
county the Illinois confederation, con
sistiIg of five tribes, was the most
conspicuous. The site of their town
Kaskaskia, is still pointed out neal
Utica, mile or two west Of Starved
Rock: and the starvation Of rem
nant of this confederation gave that
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