The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-22

less than 1000 souls. including boys
over II years of age, capable of bearing
arms yet Whene asked to return their
charter their answer was the hasty
bringing up a few old pieces of cannon
and the melting of lead. The demand
was renewed, but the little band was
never frightened. II was an everlast-
ing example of the stuff of manhood
unsurpassed in the records of human
tiy, not excepting Davids slungshot
battle with the armored Saul; 1t was
in the spirit of the German officer who
shouted to his covered men, Forward!
ChargeN Do you want to live forever"
Their only ally was distance, but they
held their charter and furnished u
manhood which history does not par
allel.
They were not hotheads; theirs was
inspiration and sentiment that"Was an
ineXhorable determination to hold
point wrung in their faces-stern faces,
that we might have cheerful coun-
tenance. If, In tracing back the noDlest
of heritages we leave out the hard fea-
lures of our ancestors, we miss chief
explanation of the fortune to which we
and our children are heirs.
1.-THE Old Red School House and What
Game of It," was responded to by DR..
Warfeld, of Lafayette college. He
said:
Old Red School House.
Like Ruth, / cannot help thinking
that my effort will be fraught with
cleaning among the alien corn" do
not wish to convey the meaning, but l
am forced to be reminded of the Scotch
laymen addressing some of the kirk.
He was i'll at ease and spoke of casting
pearls before swine.
OF New England blood can only say
my children have that of Massachusetts
which l cannot claim for myself
was raised on the Kentucky bottle as
a product for export only.
OF THE Old Red School House." l
believe that in-its memory we have our
birthright and heritage. Washington,
Lincoln, Clay--where should l stop in
the list of men who educated them
selves for us. If my country could have
had thatschool house we could have long
ago clasped hands over the Mason and
Dixon line; we could always have been
one country, all free and going on to a
unity. For myself, 1 thank God that
my ancestors clung to the old flag OF
New England. One of my fondest and
most sacred memories Is that of Lin.
| coins presentation to my father, q
/ Kentuckian, commission in the
| United States army.
The greatest and best school idea II
founded on the idea of Puritanism, OF
its hard necessities, on it's practica
teachings. Not all the seers and poet!
and orators were trained in colleges
Much of their greatness came from tn,
schooling of the schools. am reminded
of Webster, who, arguing in the su
preme court that Dartmouth be sus
tained, said with tears in his eyes, Ssh
Is in her dotage--but we love her yer,
dearly" Such men and such institu
tions are the necessaries which ar
fertile provinces of God in which ou
grand country was nurtured and mad
what she is.
Men trained in these simple school
are not unlearned; from the schools ar
bred the very essence and juice o
learning. 1t is a mother influence owe
which we should all rejoice and tn
memory of which should be perpet
uated.
Rather than let my inspiration max
me chew my subject too fine, sha
cease, although it is a subject dear I
the heart of one who loves his nation
welfare.
T. V. Powderly was introduced t
speak on the subject, THE Barefoo
Boy, the Heroism Of American Labor.
His response was as follows:
Mr.. Powderly's Address.
In the dead of winter, with the regr
lator of the weather bureau preparin
plans and specifications for the comm
storms and -blisserois, I"know or n
more comfortable place to Introduce
barefoot boy than to this gathering {
the sons and lineage of progressiv
hospitable New England. What woul
the boy say We're he to stand here, bar,
foot and in rags, before this table?' Fl
would feel awkward and abashed, bl
l doubt if he would be more surprise
: at the novelty of the situation tha
those who sit here would be. The bar,
foot boy, the ideal barefoot boy
Whittier Is but a memory, a dream
the past, and in repeating the beautifl
lines we lose sight Of the reality, I'll
hard, cold, stern reality, and giN
thought to the sentiment alone. In 1
, country on the globe has the barefot
| boy stood forth so prominently as
, ours In no land did he find so man
opportunities, golden opportunities to
stretched out before him, and in 7
place on earth has he reached Il
, heights to which the barefoot boy
America has climbed America is p
culiarly the land of the barefoot bo
; In 1t he has reached prosperous, su
= cessful manhood such as the boy of I
[ other nation has been fortunate enoue
/ to call his own. 1t Is but Just al
: right that we should crown him
wreaths of song and story and hold hi
4, up to the light that future generation
may see him as he was, as he Is, al
|, as he ought to be.
4 Whittier, he whose lines we repe
( when we sing of the barefoot boy, wi
/ once shoeless lad, and in his youth
was taught in his New England hon
that it was wrong for man to own h
brother man wrong for property in ms
s to be known as an institution of
n nation which began its glorious reco
e with the words: "All men are creat
e equal" New England, America, h
t been blessed with many brave, tr
n men, whose names stand for cou
$ age on the battle field and in priva
[ life, but no man ever struck at the ste
a links which made up the shackles
$ slavery with better blade, keen
n weapon or with more strength of W
|. or undaunted courage than the bla
: mems poet friend whose words a.
d songs cheered and encouraged a n
e ton to do it's duty by its God, in [
+ liberation of man from chattel bondat
l Had Whittier been born In affluence
: Is a question whether he would ha
realized the necessity for the telli
e of such. truths as his songs carried
J, the southland, where they lifted I
u gloom from the home of the poor bla
Z slave. He knew what 1t was to tC
u what it was to endure privatlon, and
! could feel for the sufferings of othe
% The recollection of his barefoot da
- made him strong of heart when
: wrote:
n For to my ear methought the breeze,
a Bore Freedoms blessed word on;
. Thus saith the Lord: Break every vol
n Undo the heavy burden.
0, Ills Career of Progression.
,e Somehow or other we find oursel,
lie looking toward New England when
speak of the barefoot boy. 1t was tht
r that he began his career of progressiC
4; from therehe started westward to cal
IS the spirit of freedom beyond the hi
I. clonae and mOuntainS To where