Telegram-herald., 1890-06-28
ADVANCED IN YEARS
Bat They Had q jolly Good Time
Yesterday.
$40 SEIILERS SyUlL RE-USl0S
A large Crosa at the lake aBd OIc
frisuds Again dsst - Fte-nics sag.
IStl Stories A4aks speecasss aEd
Take Fresh start.

The Old Settlers reunion and picnic
&C Reeds Lake Yesterday was very
much Ike the similar gatherings IN the
past years, except that yesterday the
weather Was hotter than on any pre-
slcGs day OF reunion within the mem
ory OF all. Il was very large crowd,
although larger ones have assembled
n former years. But Il vas the same
Old crowd that has always gathered
and VII continue to gather on reunion
day 20 the end OF time. Thls old
settlers crowd can never be mistaken
for any other sort Of = crowd. It's per
sonnel may change again and again,
but rs own distinctive physlOgnOmy,
never. The Fourth OF July wlll proba-
I bly, see 4 larger crowd, containing
more or al the elements taat made up
the crowd OF yesterday. Possibly u
VIII actually contain more old settlers
/ than were AT the lake yesterday;
but the distinguishing mark or
/ hOmOge viii not be there.
/ The peculiarly of the old folks gath
eIngs Is the familiar mountaineering
| that unites all as one family. There
were no strangers 10 the crowd. Every
I body seemed % be everybody else's
next door neighbor either IN fact or by
the assumptions OF the occasion. The
| hearuness and cordallty which per-
meated the whole assemblage pat their
mark upon the crowd. and gave IL
/ face and a character OF its own.
/ As 70 program there was very little OF
/ It. The usual picnic at picnic time took
| place with usual accompaments OF
mirtn-making, storytelling and remi-
| nlScences.
After dinner the more formal part of
| the exercises began. They consisted of
I the usual Grafton and shorter speeches,
and singing.
Prayer was offered by Rev. f. c.
| Crawford. The Grafton of the day was
made by Hon. E. G. ID. Holden, and
/ shorter speeches were made by Judge
/ John T. Holmes and others. DR.. e. X.
/ Johnson presided as president of the
association.
| Among the speakers was Mrs. Sarah
I Graves, a silver-hared old lady of -
years. Her speech seemed TO make the
best impression upon the assembly, both
on account OF its subject matter and
| particularly by reason of the strong,
resonant voice IN which 1t was uttered.
/ The speech was replete with old folks
talk, and concluded with the following
poem, of which the speaker was the
author. She entitled 1t "Llfe'S Retro
spect:"
Seyenty-two years old. Why am not old,
Though my dark hair Is al turned gray,
My affections are young. my spirit IS bold
l 4 when rrIHnr nODES
I way.
Oh. what short time since with brothers
/ played.
| Meath the green. shady trees by the old
mountain side;
! When hand Joined in hand. and onward we
/ Strayed,
| With nothing between us our love to divide.
n innocent childhood, with purity Blended;
| The future undreamad OF, the present so gay:
I Thy sunny hours gone. thy days are all ended.
! But. On. the sweet mem'ry shall never decay.
When went as a schoolgirl my task to pre-
/ pare,
What visions of future came dancing to me!
/ And threw Ger my spirit shadow OF care;
And l lOnged eyeL then like the bird 10 be
Tree.
But my spirit longings would never be still;
! lOnged for that knowledge which in part
now IS mine
What the future would be. what my life would
Was a question old Time has nearly defined.
And now when the shadows of evening come
on.
Ny spirit is waiting now 70 be free.
To join with my loved ones who long since
nave gone
To the bright spirit home where they're wait
ing for me.
The festivities and sOciabilities con-
tlnued into the evening.
The street railway company handled
the crowd very handsomely. 1t vas a
hot day and the horses had a tough
time of it. But so did the rest OF us.