Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-29
rAlgona Republican,

I can not remember when ! saw
the first locust but l can remember
where and it was sight l snail never
forget / am in my S1tn year and
can well recolect the falling stars as
one Of the greatest sights of the world.
That was in 1881 or 1892, and tho
was but child l remember 1t wen.
Old peopls. who saw IL had fears that
it was the last great day, or the day
of judgment or presaged some great
plague or sickness, but to my sister
and l, too small TO have thought OF
the end Of the world, we saw the stars
coming down in countless myriads as
a thing of beauty. The grasshoppers
were like the stars TO the old people,
filling them with awe, with dread, with
forebodings of evils to come. so tnat
those who looked shuddered at what
might follow.
The time was afternoon at Rice
grove where a great county meeting
| was being held. I am not quite GER
tain who the speaker vas; either Father
Coffin, OF Fort Dodge, or John b.
Finch. A wonderful temperance orator
of Nebraska, who, had he lived untli
now. would have stood up along side
| of that other great Nebraskan, the
peerless William J. Bryan. The great
meeting was closed and the men We're
discussing the wonderful speech 10
which we had just listened, whlie the
sisters, God bless them. were gathering
up the fragments and about to start
for home. I, with bunch OF men. was
lying on the grass under the trees
when 10, a most wonderful sight burst
on our astonished vision. All out IN
the south the sky was filled with mil
Lions of sparkling jewels, for all the
world like snow fakes floating along
in the air above us The western sun
glistened on their wings and hlled the
whole heavens with gems Of white
gems Of unusual beauty. Oh. 1t was
a lovely sight, but spoiled by thoughts
of what this sight might portend to us
yhs, had cast our lot in this section
On and on they came. We coulo
| neither see the front nor the rear; on
they came in endless profusion. nc
hurry. Just floating along. They came
from the northwest and went toward
the southeast. When would they stop!
All we could see was the wonderful
insect. Once in a while one would
come to earth and some one would
run and get it and we all examined /,
land hoped some parasite had fastened
upon it. But the soldier-like fellow
seemed to say, Hurt me if YOU dare
I have millions behind me-" We looked
nm on our way home and saw that the
fight lasted from Rice's to Algona.
never knew what became of this frs
great fight of grasshoppers. 1t wa'
reported that they alighted in Wrigh
county and did great damage. It ma!
well be true.
From this time on grasshopper stor
les, were very plentiful. 1t was salt
: they were in Palo Alto county; the!
were near whittemore and destroyfn'
everything before them; story tina
/ was never quite true, altho God know
it was true enough.
remember, about this time. OF meet
ling Mr.. Samuel Reed, who lived jus
t west of Four Mile creek. Mr.. Reed wa
4 a good farmer and good man. BY tn
way he was the father of the curato
: of our County Historical Society.
g said: 'Hello. Mr.. Reed. How abou
the gras shoppers, have they reache
. your farm YETI. He said. No. BIZ.
: reports are true they are not far off.
o I said, well. Mr.. Reed, what do yo
think Of IT. Are all our crops to b
d destroyed by these pests" He sai
+ NO. with an emphasis that put me-
e life into me. He went on to say. tn
ipeople are just scared half to dealt