Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-02-10


reason, more interesting events, that
distinguish each passing year, as, in its
order, with relentless pace, it marches
rearward FROM the present to the past.
But who would presef~e, and some day
give TO our successors, written history
of Wood county's childhood and early
years, must do SO at the cost of much
and laborious research. Very much of
the valuable material necessary for such
work will not, cannot well be, gathered
and given in detail on occasions of this
kind. That work should ere long be done
well and carefully done. 1t is more
than probable that it must be inspired
by, and performed under the auspices
of this or some kindred association, its
action to be taken at its business, rather
than at its social meetings. This and
similar meetings are, desirable chiefly
as the best practicable means of calling
together, in social union, those whose
continued residence in the county en-
title them to be classed as cold settlers, !"
and who may be supposed to have a
common interest in that which consti-
tutes considerable part of their own
past history. There is a frate rnal tie
that in some way draws near to each
other those who have long lived in the
same locality; who have jointly borne
the same burdens, and achieved the
same successes. and this, even though
their vocations and futures may have
been wholly different, aud they may at
no time have been upon terms of per-
sonal intimacy. There being no special
reason to the contrary, this tie grows in
strength, as those affected by it visibly
decrease in numbers. Its influence
should be encouraged and strengthened.
Those who feel its impulse should not
hesitate to act in harmony with it. If
it be true, in whole or in part, that the
tendency of the present age and condi-
ton is to divide the people into un-
friendly classes, to wrest from the reach
of the many for the benefit of the COM
paratively few, by the misuse of the
functions of government, or otherwise,
prizes which should be secured by him
or her only who labors and deserves,
let this and future like meetings demon
strate that those who have lived and
wrought side by side for a generation
or more, in this, one of the grandest
counties of this grandest of the great
family of free states, still believe, as IN
their youth they believed, that in this
country there can be no lasting success
that does not rest upon the bedrock Of
justice, and that there can long endure
here no social aristocracies of any kind.
1t is earnestly hoped that your meet
ing tonight will be most pleasant and
profitable, and that the future has IN
store for you many more such, at which
each one now here, and many more,
will be present and participate.
Mr.. E. P. Arpin read history of the
Old Settlers Club since its organization
which had been prepared by Mrs. Ivah
Babcock. 1t brought back to memory
many pleasant recollections of doings of
those who were then on the scene of
action.
The experiences of pioneer life has
developed in one Of the old settlers a
love for rhyme, and he has been chosen
poet laureate for the association. This
person is none less than our esteemed
friend Rufus Mcfarland of Centralia,
who read the following original poem:
sHANTY LIFE IN THE EARLY DAYS.
Times weary wheel goes moving on,
The lumber trade will soon be gone;
Among lost arts will be the ways
Of shanty life III early days,
When to the pinery there came
The rugged Scott and hardy Dane.
New England sent her sturdy boys,
And suckers came from Illinois.
They gathered here like thistles blown
To reap the harvest they had not sown.
The red shirts then among the trees
Were busy, like swarm of bees
There Ole, Hans, and Bill and Mike
Would labor on without a strike,
Hard work for them did not annoy
The shanty life they did enjoy.
Twas fun to be a pinery boy,
And listen to the yarns from Pat
AS around the fire in circle sat,
Who many tales of witchcraft told
OF dreams and signs and stories old,
How good st. Patrick with his hand
Banished the tOads from Erin's land
The happy Frenchman was there too,
To pull the saw and parleZ vous,
TO show in his mysterious way
How they cut the logs in Canada.
And Jacob, too, with foot and hand
Would try to make us understand
How they hooked the hOlse in vaderland,
We riddles told and tricks did play
To pass the evening hours away,
Then to our bun ks on hay or straw
Would wrap up i'll our mackinaw
To pass away the weary night
In broken dreams and SlumberS light.
At two o'clock that well known shout
OF grub is ready, boys, roll OUT
We minded not the storm or wind,
With saw to file and ak to grind
Then to the woods, where blow on blow
We laid the forest giants low.
And Just before the morning light
Out from the barn came Buck and Bright;
And close behind was lazy Dick
And in his hand q stout gOad stick,
To teach them how to gee and haW
And prod them if they would not draw.
With rattling chains and wide bob-sled
They follow where the swampers led,
To gather logs from where they lay
And place them on the long skidway,
And then upon the logging road
The horse teams took monster load,
And toiing on Der marsh and hill
Would finally bring them to the mill
When this went on from year to year
1t made our forests disappear;
Where once they stood, now naught is seen
But waving fields and pastures green,
And cattle drinking at the pool,
And on the hill the district school:
With newer life and newer joys
And merry shouts of girls and boys.
But glSlOned eyes can see the day