The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1891-02-27
Franks Great Speech.

Printed by request.
Frank Lane is bright boy of twelve.
He belongs to the Loyal Temperance
Legion, and the rest Of the boys regard
him as a great orator. He has many
original Ideas, and an easy flow Of words.
When Frank has speech as rart Of the
pro Sramme at the Legion, the other boys
are sure to be- on hand to hear. Yester.
day went In and heard Franks speech.
He went to the platform and looking
about earnestly, said quietly;
Last night I dreamed. dreamed
that great white flying horse came TO
me, and got upon his back and rode out
into the air. We flew down to Taxas,
where the we're acres on acres Of hops
growing. They shook out their green
tasses as far rs eye could see. Then the
hops picked themselves and fell into n
long heap and turned into great river
Of hops and began to flow out over the
land.
"Then we flew a little north, over Mis-
souri,, and saw orn-feds-miles on
miles OF corn-felds. The corn stood
straight as soldiers and tall as man.
In a little while the corn picked itself
and husked itself, and fell into long
heap, and turned into a great river Of
corn, and began to flow out over the
land.
Then flew on my horse still farther
north, over North Dakota; and saw field
on field, all standing thick with rye; and
1t waved in the wind like the pillows OF
a great green sea. Then the rye reaped
itself, and thrcshed itself, ana fell into a
river OF rye, and flowed out along the
land. And these three rivers united and
rolled on and on.
"Then flew east, and perhaps it was
Michigan; and l saw whole farms OF
beautiful tall barley. Its beard glistened
in the sun just like silver. And the bar
ley reaped itself and threshed itself, and
fell into long heap, and turned into
bulty river and Off across the land. And
1t met the river made by the other three,
and joined them and rolled on.
"Ihen | flew over Northen 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 a river, and
joined the other four,
"Then l 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, barley,
and apples-rolled right into these two
great buildings. NV flying horse took
me away over these buildings, so l came
where could see the otherside, and there
l saw the river that had just rolled in,
rolling out. But it was turned into a
river of beer and whisky.
'It rolled over the land like great
flood. 1t carried off men, women, and
children. 1t swept down houses, and
barns, and shops. 1t carried away clothes
and books, and furniture, 1t was ninety
times bigger than the Johnstown flood.
All before it was quiet, and rich, and
green, and happy. All behind 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, suppose for the next thing l
knew I was in my own bed. And l
wondered what we should do to keep the
beautiful hops, and corn, and rye, and
barley and apples, from turning into a
flood to destroy everything-and why it
is we must let people have trade OF
turning good things into bad things"
This was considered Frank Lanes best
speech - YO1Ln1 Crusaders.