Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-03-31
OLD TIME MEMORIES.
Interesting "reminiscences bu Former Grant
County Boy, now Dr.. GEORGE Henderson,
OF Washington, D. c.

While visiting a patient this morn
ing ! picked up a newspaper and to
my great surprise found it was copy
of '.rhe Grant County Herald" To
see the old Herald once more was like
meeting an old friend. Yes, more
than friend, for it had much to do
with my early education.
You know. you are the Great Grand
Daddy of all the newspapers in the
county, and want to say that
know personally something of your
birth. My father (who resides near
Cassville) was digging potatoes and
my brother and |. two little bare
footed boys, aged respectively Z and
II, were engaged in picking them up,
when tall sad aced stranger appear
ed Il never shall forget his face as
saw it that day. he was travel
stained and appeared weary and ex-
hausted, / think he told my father
that he had walked from Lancaster
that day.
He introduced himself rs j. c.
Cover and at once related to father
the object of his visit. He was can.
vassing the county for subscribers to
a newspaper which he hoped to estab-
fish at Lancaster in the near future.
He wished TO secure three hundred
names, aud if he could he was sure he
could make a success of the enter
prise. He and father talked a long
time on the subject. Father thought
he could not afford to take news
paper as times were hard. aud farm
products were low in price, and he
had new land to improve and fence;
but Mr.. Cover portrayed to him with
great earnestness the advantage
newspaper would be to himself and
family, especially to the boys. The
receipt OF news from all parts of the
county every week, the market re-
ports which would protect him when
he had farm products 10 sell. and the
news in general, were given as some
of the reasons why h. should become
a subscriber for the paper, which he
finally concluded to do In due time
the first copy was received, it was the
first newspaper ! had ever seen. My
brother. who was four years my SEN
Tor, could read, but | could not. he
however soon taught me to spell out
some Of the words and finally to read.
am sure words can not describe to
you with what happy anticipations
we boys awaited the weekly arrival
of the Herald and how interesting 1t
was to us to read and re-read every
word in it. We often spoke of the
editor and | raeked my brain to un-
derstand how one man could think
and write out so much week after
week; next to George Washington, /
regarded him as being the greatest
man that lived. By-and-by we saw
other papers, and when | was 10 years
old a log school house was built near
us and we were permitted to 60 to
school three months in each year,
and after a while | was sent to Page
Academy in Lancaster On my arriy-
al there one of the first places | Wis
tied in the town was the Herald office
where | saw printing press for the
first time. The young man who was
pulling the lever explained to me its
mechanism, to my great satisfaction.
By-and-by war was declared in our
hitherto peaceful country, and history
tells you today what the sons of Grant
county did. One thing the war did
was to scatter those Of us, who. by
the mercy OF God, were left after the
conflict to the four ends OF the earth
1t landed me in state much differ
ent from that Of my nativity. Instead
Of the peaceful billowy prairies, [
was surrounded by the majestic
mountains Of West Virginia, where |
spent nearly twenty years Of my best
young manhood. Twelve years ago
removed to this, our beloved capital
city. which is now without doubt the
most beautiful city on Gods green
earth. Here, surrounded by my
children and grandchildren | expect
to end my days. Dear Herald, | am
informed that many and sad changes
have occurred in your official family
since the bare footed boy met the
good editor in the potato patch.
But this letter is already too long.
In conclusion | wish to congratulate