Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1900-07-12

ucation and bulwarks Of liberty seem
to come in jest right and hit the school
house on all sides at once. fur one
am standin neutral in this bizness, and
I'd like to hear both sides Of the ques-
ton. Mebbe Silas Lapham, who lives
next door to the, schoolhouse, would
like to make; "a few; remarks" g,,,..s...#
"lAs; fun, me- says Silas as he rises
up, tsIim, ag'in, ther idea of a .lightnin
rod. That there schoolhouse was built
10 years ago, and durins them 10 years
we've hade72 lthunderstorms!a II she's
lodged 972, why can't she dodge 2o0? 2
Why can't She Keep right on dodgin till
she tamblesi down Or old age?, Forty
dollars fur a .lghtnin rod means more
taxation. - Thar's SIGH a thing as an.
emporium of education, but thar's also
SIGH a. thing as an emporium of taxa
tionsiJ Jericho Is out of debt and no
one kickin. but let the hand Of ex-
cessive taxation clutch her throat, and
how long would it take to strangle the
life out Of her? Pm askin you to
pause and ponder afore it is too late"
"Silas; you've made a pint and a
strong one" says the deacon when the
applause has subsidized. ''If the school
house has lodged y thunderstorms,
thar's no reason--to think she won't
keep up thezrecord: Yes, it's pint,
and mebbe theIigh rod man would
like to answeritt -
y don't think much of the pint"
says the man ash gifts up ag In
"Thar's SO,O00,00o people tn3these Units
ed States. and because none of 'em fell
down stairs lastsyear it8don't foller
that heap Of lem won't tumble down
this year. I've3kpown a3man to go on,
dodgin mules! heels fura16 years and
then git 'em both in the stomach at
once. Mebbe8your schooihouse will
dodge hundred more sthunderstorms,
and mebbe We will skassly hev sought
our virtuouss couches this night before
a tbunderbolt as big as barl wili1go,
Nriyin through her and leave nuthin
$utsa heap of splnters to mark the
Hpot where your emporium Of educa-
Non once reared it's proud roof to the
Blue% vaults Of heaven. 1 said $40 to
Rhe town board today, but in order to
EhoW my interest in the cause of edu-
Eation and to prove to you that my
#handis ever stretched forth to uphold
1.-THE prestige, Of q nation Of freemen
Will make the price $751; SkltLii n
"He's made q pint, gentlemen7he's,
Made a pint" says the deacon as he
Awhaeks on the stove and looks around!
A.Yes, sir;y iwhehf IheE talks fbout our,
kchoolhouse rearin it's proud, roof to
Hhe Blue vaults Of heaven he's made a
bint,8 and I'm more favorable ito the
elightnin rod than | was l think this
crowd would like to hear from Enos
Williams!EHf II .3Gf ptl ,l5l1Cj
"I'm with ;Silas Lapham," says. Enos
as he. shets up his jackknife ard gifts
his feet under him. ''I'm fur lettin
sartin things dodge or bust They
twanted to insure the meetin house "a
years. ago. but my advice was to- let
heradodge. She's thar yit.S I've got a
barns 80 years old, and she's never had
a lightnin rod or been fihsured-jest'
hadsto dodge or bust all these yearsE-l
and she's thar yit. Seventeen years
ago, when built my, house. Fput' a
bellSo the front door. Nobody has
rung that bell to this day. 1t would
Abe the same if we put lightnin rod
ION the schoolhouse-you wouldn'tlsee a
thunderstorm around here fur the next
ms years. Pm all right on the empo-
NEiun of education sbizness, sandsI can
Hsee that thar sschoolhouse srearil it's
proud roof to the blue4vaults Of heaven
as plain as If it wasn't 8 o'clock at
night but | don't see no call to pay
outsS3s Lei her dodgs for bust
'Thar's pint thar. Enos-thar's
Iue