Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1905-08-31
THE OLD SETTLERS
Hold Their Sixteenth Annual Picnic
at enc County Poor Farm.
PROGRAM FULLY CARRIED OUT

PROGRAM FULLY CARRIED OUT
FAIRY Five Thousand People AssembIe 90
/ Emioy the "Reminiscences on the Pioneers
ara Listes ID tie Addresses.
| On Tuesday, Auaust rs, vas held
vi the county poor farm ihe sixteenth
annual plcnic md reunion Of The old
settlers q Union County The picnic
was success IL every respect. about
/. 900 people being 10 Attendance. The
day WIS almost ideal, and pioneers
gathered from III over the county 10
meet old friends and exchange reminis
cences BIZ youth and early days of the
settlement Of this section 81 south Da-
kota. An excellent program was rem
Idered, the principal speaker of The day
being Senator Robert J. Gamble Of
| Yankton Mr. Gamble spoke about an
hour, giving d very pleasing address
90 the pioneer and his share 10 The de-
velopment Of our great state. He also
spoke 81 the railroads aud their great
part in our industrial and commercial
progress.
Tbos. McIner0ey spoke few words
Of good cheer 20 the Old Settlers and
auIogized the former secretary, MIR. il.
Morris.
NIB. Kent told Of mum Der Of hap
penIngs during the old pioneer days
and read long list Of names OF worthy
pioneers who have passed from the
ranks 81 the llvinp.
Miss Hdith Reeves Of Vermtllion rem.
derad few selections from Doane Ron
inson. one OF which IL entitled ssIn
south Dakota
WilI ChamheflaIn. Union Ccunty's
poet, read an original poem which is
given Ia full below.
EAKOrANe.
There is no dark Dakoty now:
Sunshine IL sps5onll' With her brow.
We've drifled past the hopper DAYS.
The prairie ire's lost ils blazs.
col, they oug.hler see or cora
Them eaNternElFss sure your born.
They onghter hsAr the binders ham.
An threafers oomin' soft, gum.
They oughter sea our cattle trains
An bunth I'm red+tOp fodder wains.
Il makes the soul swell big all thrO'
This land beyond the pearIu Sioux
An folks Who hunt some. other place
Pine for DaikOtyis dear nla face:
Yearn for the smell OF bumper crops.
An when they're back their homesick
stops.
/ makes life sweet a plow to run,
Where they dont cuss at stumps an
Stnn;
It raisea pride to ding the seed.
Where shot gun see1ers ain't la need:
An here we teach III every school
That under God the people rule.
up yon bold stream the pioneer
Il hmndred years pg3 did steer
The little Clark an Lewis band,
Perrin upon vast. new land
The haunt Of bison, ok and deer:
The future scene III thrift AM cheer.
Two generations sped an then
There eAme another breed of men,
An7 builde0 shelter with stern toll:
Who laid the lines for comm towns
Where iashi0n now d0us KILN gowns
Hall. 10 the men III Drawn an brain,
Who beat q traIIsal0ng the plain;
Vino came without railway pass,
An rooted hume With rip-gu8 grass:
Who yolked the long horned Texan OK,
An flbhOnea 0us hls claim in blocks:
WHO With Af Ak an' willow rule
Sweat DER the logs 10 house school;
Who found God on the prairie's rim,
Al RAISED church All sang Il hymu--
sss. ssss taorca III that shrine 81 prayer
Then sraiders were cut on tear:
Askin' the throne of heavenly grace
Yo tina The chaps warmer place.
Some takes Il notion for the south,
An quilts this hand of storms an dronth:
Some hndH ii llkin for the coast.
AN l0r u while they whoop so boast
Bal we don't give Ia ID surprise
When they work hack along the sIos.
Mems got 10 live I'M learn bling
Al8re tbey knows the better thing
The bio red apples of Mizx0u
Dun Y m0smerixa these old Inns tho:
+ hay've been a.dl0Rin here too long
To eit wild eyed DER that bald song.
T nnV knows that CALLER corn an wheat
IL purity miaalIn' hard to beat,
An nQQer cars 81 steers an hogs
All fall HI cash AH berry hogs
fn ArkanxHw ~. they 'rp greed
That neighb0fs who can write an read