The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-10-21
GIVES MORE OLD
"REMINISCENCES
w. ]. MOIR NOW OF Ell
DORA, IA, HAS SEEN %
PRESIDENTS.
Writes Letter to Former Pupil
]. V. Ashley Recalling Incl
dents in Plymouth.

Mr.. J. V. Ashley of this city,
hands us this letter from w. ].
Moir, formerly a school teacher
here, at present located at Eldora
Iowa, for publication. Mr. Moir
may be remembered by some of
the Older settlers. He is now S5
years OF age, and has seen TWEEN
ty-three presidents of the United
States. The letter follows:
My Dear Pupil of "Ye Olden
Time
Your esteemed favor OF the 9th
-eceived and | assrIe you that t
gave me great pleasure to hear
from you. 1t brought to mind
many OF THE scenes OF my early
days, and especially the good
times | enjoyed in Plymouth,
when | left Plymouth | had
taught school 8 years, but the
school ! taught in plymouth gave
me the most pleasure and salts
faction. We had three grades,
Mary Van Valkenburg taught IN
one grade, my wife in another
End in the third, and l had 112
pupils in my grade, two classes in
,acb branch Taught. IN my grade.
And no man ever had as fine a
lot OF obedient pupils as | had,
End never shall forget the kind
ness shown me by the people of
Plymouth during my residence
here. | have often thought that
when quit teaching and took up
blackstone. that spoiled fair
teacher and made poor lawyer.
There was one little incident
that happened me while in Ply
mouth that happened SO long ago
eat | am not betraying any sec
rets if speak of 1t now. was
invited by some good friend, to
meet in an upper room on the sly,
and was directed how to gain adj
mission, but before the night of
the meeting | was informed by
same friend that the meeting had
been postponed indefinitely. At
forwards | learned that the meet
ing was called for the purpose OF
starting Knownothing lodge
and | jumped at the conclusion
that the promoters of the project
had learned that | was born in
the land of Bruce and a Wal
lace, and that | would not be
likely to make a very good know
nothing.
] am a little your Senior. while
YOU have lived to a good old age
and have beaten three score and
ten, shall be four score and FIVE
on next Tuesday, and | assure
you many changes have passed
before me. some of them solemn
changes. ! am the first born of a
family OF ten and only three are
this side of the Mystic River.
! have lived while % Presi-
dents have occupied the presiden-
tial, chair and all but two have
gone TO their eternal home.
When | first drew breath ON
the Banks of the Bonnie Dundee,
there was not a mile OF Railroad
in the civilized world. now there
are 100000 miles OF railroad in
the United States, palatial
coaches cross this continent at
the rate of "a mile aminute.
Have lived to see this nation
become one of the powerful mar
items of the Earth. Its flag floats
on every sea. lake and river and
no man or Nation now dares to
spit upon that proud emblem OF
our Nationality while an Ameri-
can man of war floats on the
ocean or a boy in blue draws a
sword.' Japan may buster and
threaten but It will find if it under
takes to whip the American eagle
that it is not fighting the Russian
bear.
Have lived to see this globe by
the use of the telephone and tel
egraph. turned into a vast whis-
pering gallery.
Have lived to see sixteen OF
the finest steamers that ever
hoated on the sea circumnavigate
the globe and when far out to
sea telegraph to friends at home
without wire or pole that they
were safe and would soon be
home again.
Have lived to see the struggle
Ct 500 years brought to a close
when the stars and stripes were
wrapped around the North Pole
in imagination. 1t is a little hard
at this time to tell who first got
there Cook or Peary. but | am
willing to admit that my sym
pathy is with Cook. for he seems
to be gentleman and Peary is
rather abusive.
Kind words never die, and
grievous words stir up anger.
Please carry nv kindest re-
CARDS to all my old pupils of the
Plymouth graded school. and i
there any of the patrons still liv'
ing in Plymouth. please tell then
that | shall never forget their
kindness to my wife and |. AND
please tell my most esteemed
friend Daniel Mcdonald that
have not heard from him for {
long time and it would great.
nleaSe me 70 do so.