Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1901-02-27
Ban land Sd sweetly uamed,

fIeV w III. hRuguboh VINO Fetlletl Tue
following original poem, composed for
the occasion:
Fair land so sweetly uamed,
withs teeming treasure stored,
We meet tonight with fond delight,
Ex Ilting hope aud promise bri ght
Around the festive board,
Totell of progress thoQ mast mada
And pledge thee our united aid.
Just fhy years ago,
Here came little band
And 10! thyVaees and wooded dale5
True to the might that never fails,
Thrilled like fairy land
'Tis ever old. yet ever new
What toll, and thrift and skin can do.
And what bright array
OF stalwart. brainy men!
Brave-hearted, true, stroag tosubdue,
And noble women, not few,
As faithful now as then;
They made aud make thee what thou art
Bright Jewel on Wisconsins heart.
And in that awful hour
OF many q blood red plain
We're proud 20 tell at wars dread knell
The flag we love was guarded we'll,
untarnished by stain.
We pledge ourselves anew tonight
For home, for honor and for right!
Then here's 10 thee and thine,
A goodly heritage;
Bright be thy fame and clean thy name,
For midst our western stars we claim
place on glory page.
God has been with US in the past;
May God be with us 10 the last,
Peace to thy noble dead
The old. the young, the faie,
Who stooda he test, whose hands we pressed
From bath, and FRS. s-t th' rest,
And naught can h,r them there
Wen trend the paths our heroes trod.
TIL mustered out and home With God.
He was followed oy capt r. 5. Nc
Michael on the Organization Of Bad
AK county. Mr. McAIichael indulged
in many interesting "reminiscences of the
early days of the county, when settlers
were few. mouey scarce and the com
mon necessities of today entirely uc-
known. He ha6 in his possession a list
of first gettlers, which on request Of the
was read over by II. G.
Gorsiine, the response to each name be-
ing given by Capt. McMichael The
roll call and the monot0nous response Of
'Desd' was q pathetic reminder Of
how many Of those sturdy pioneers had
passed to their final reward Mr., Me-
Michael is living witness Of each
change and forward step taken Il. Our
grand old county during the past fifty
years
Fifty years ago" by Capt Nichols,
was decided hit coming as it did 10
enliven melancholy thoughts brought to
mind by deaths work in by-gone years.
He related number OF laughable in
cidents of early pioneer life, whieh left
everybody in good hunor and happy
frame of mind. pIr Nichols has 4
pleasing manner for after dinner speak
gin.
Col. G. M Butt gave his first impress
sions of Bad Ak county in his usual in
.eresting way An account Of legal
encounter near Viroqaa with an abusive
old pettifogger who had vanquished sey-
eral members of the profession, gave
all a good idea of methods of conducting
Justice court law cases in early times
The colonel closed with brief account
of his impressions " the way while
travelling 70 Viroqua by stage.
Judge Mahoney followed in mis- mas
terlv way with a brief account of the
growth of education in our county,
giving a list and short sketch of the
work of superintendent OF tschools. Ills
tribute TO the work and services of the
late Hartwell Allen brought quick re-
sponse from his audience. He closed
with an appeal for increased interest -
educational matters. and prophesled
more wonderful changes in the county
during the next fifty years.
Mayor Boyle not being present Mr..
Rogers introduced Judge Fruit, who
made q. few well timed remarks along
the line of pioneer work IN county affairs
after which Rev. John Semen gave an
interesting sketch OF church and relig-
ious growth The suolsc was too large
to be handled in detail IN the short tins
allowed, but many matters OF Importance
were presented and abiy discussed
Miss Lucy Dawson entertained the
company in highly interesting manner
on the progress of the feminine portion
of our citizenship during the past htty
years. Miss Dawson ha the honor Of
being the one woman On tne program,
and it is needless TO say that she carried
off a large share of the honors OF the
occasion. She gave sketch OF womsn
progress not forgetting 70 close with a1
alluSlon to our Carrie oI HailoDai tepd
tation.
Capt Silbaugh closed the entertain
ment with talk about the maryels o.
fifty years. Although Mr. Silbaugf
can hardly b said to have much expert
mental knowledge Of pioneer life, yet ht
was well able 70 treat MS subject IN
highly interesting N amer
General Rogers makes an ideal toas
master, and on this occasion carried th'
honors Of the position with grace anf
| ease. II may be said that the who'll
affair was success from start to finish
and the whole hundred and twenty y-fiT
participants went 10 their homes at To
[ close Of the evening, in happy mood
and withal having a greater respect 10
! the memory of those pioneers who hTea
stroge and died IN Ter the hardships Q
/ the early period Of our history We
truly enjoy the fruits Of their labors.