The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-11-13

feet that.
'.tt's easy enough to be pleasant
While life flows along Ike song;
bHt the man orth while
is the man with d smile
"hen everything goes dead wrong
In politics that might read:
It's easy enough 10 be pleasant
When voting with the majority right along.
But the man worth while
Is the man who can smile
After Noting-while right-turned out
wrong.
In 1913 Mr.. John Bear, of this
city, cast his first vote for Gen
eral Cass, democrat, at Erie,
Pa, Zachary Taylor. whig was
elected.
''Ihose were great tim es, re-
marked Mr.. Bear. Il was work.
ing in foundry, making stoves.
at so much each. | received 50
tor making one of those long
wood stoves, such as were used
in school houses and churches
for a great many years. That
was a great campaign. | re
member how a whig would come
into the foundry and give us a
ticket and tell US to vote it, that
we would get better wages and
better times. Then a democrat
would do the same thing. We
were at a loss to know how to
vote The most of the men voted
repu blican, butsome how l voted
for Cass, the democrat, and |
have voted for a democrat for
president ever since" With a
smile on his face, he remarked,
"yes, | have voted for Bryan
three times but it did no good.
Mr.. Bear is SO years of age,
but it is worth any mans time
to have half hours chat with
him. You will 60 away with a
different view of life if you hap.
pen to feel a trifle blue. Its one
hearty laugh after another, and
so contagious that you have got
to keep on the lookout or you
will join in with the old gentle.
man. The Herald man spent a
pleasant half hour with him last
Tuesday, and it will never be for.
gotten. "How old am IT, he re
piled to the question as to his
age. 'Oh, I am only 50 my next
birthday, February 25th. I was
oorn in Germany and came to
America in 1916. [ had started
once before, in 1914, but our old
ship got into trouble in the En-.
glish channel. We tossed a.
round in the channel for six
weeks, the side of our ship was
stove in and otherwise damaged.
Getting disgusted | went back
to my home in Germany. | re-
member we'll a funny incident
that happened. My folks lived
about two miles from the village
and | walked home. 1t was
after dark, and in passing the
home Oh friend, l went to the
bedroom window which was
partly open, aud cried out Hello
Fred He answered me and I
told him it was John Bear. The
next day he told some of the
peighbors how he had dreamed
about John Bear, and imagined
he was talking to him and John
was in America by that time.
He was a surprised man when he
saw me and / told him l had
stodped at the window and talk
ed to him.
In 1S46 T started out again for
America, and that time after be
ing on the sea 55 days landed at
New York. | went from there
to Erie, Pa. There I remained
for nine years. 1t was at Erie
that Mrs. Bear and | were mar.
tied-sixty years ago. We have
twelve children living, eight boys
and four girls. From Erie we
moved to Wisconsin, where we
lived until we came to Dakota,
u years ago. We settled in
Roberts county near the lake,
eleven miles north of Milbank.
We still own our farm, $50 acres.
one OF my sons living on it.
Mrs. Bear and l are enjoying
life and | want to say that I am
going to vote for the next demo
cratic nominee for president,
even If Bryan runs again.
Over at Brookings the other
day man by the name of Big
ger and q woman by the name of
Miss Storm were married. The
Press dt that place made head
ing over the write up read big
ger-Storm". Next.