Putnam patriot., 1912-08-16
Ballard Family Reunion

l Notwithstanding loud peals of thun- der, sharp flashes of lightning and most dubious looking clouds, the courageous Ballard clan met together to hold their annual family reunion Wednesday of this week at the usual rendezvous, Nichols Grove, West Thompson. Owing to the inclemency of the weather the numbers were fewer than usual only about fifty being pres- ent, yet all seemed 10 have happy time, meeting and greeting relatives who are seldom seen save at these gatherings.
 After most excellent dinner the usual business of the day was trans acted. Mr.i Clinton Nichols was ap- pointed chairman. The following of- tieers were elected for the coming year;
 Secretary and treasurer, stephen Ballard.
 Historian, Mrs. Carrie Brown. Committee on arrangements, Frank Ramsdell, J. C. Nichols, Winthrop | Ballard.
 Amusement committee, Mrs. Jessie | Gilbert, Miss Jessie Tourtellotte, Miss Lillian Ballard.
 Bates cemetery fund committee, | Newton Ballard.
 A vote was taken to make an effort to increase this fund to si0o, the in- come to be used for the perpetual care of the Bates cemetery in which are the graves of Lynde and Zaeheus Ballard and their wives. X paper was circu- lated and over S20 pledged.
 Mir. stephen Ballard had slips passed and the picnickers were asked to vote for U S. President. Thifty-tive votes were east 2l for MT. Taft, s for Col, Roosevelt, 6 for Woodrow Wilson. The l Ballards seem to be most conservative Republicans.
 The remainder of the day was given to social intercourse.
 | At the close of the business meeting Mrs. Newton Ballard, historian for the year, read the following; l HISTORY
 | ''On luc IO0u Of tthG VttS thttSotVhs more
 In the book of life one leaf turned o'er. 2 Although 1t seems but yesterday since we last.met In this spot, grown dear to us because of the pleasant asso. citations of the past, changes have oc' cured during the intervening twelve months In many homes, that time car never efYnce; while In other families life has seemed uneventful. There have been sad days and happy days days of Encouragement followed by days of renewed strength and deter imitation to cheerfully perform the monotonous every day duties before us-a task that sometimes requires more heroism than 1t does to face the great crises of life.
 "For yesterday is but dream, And tomorrow is only vision; 1 But today well lived, makes
 Every yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow vision ot nope"
 Sincerity Is one of the most desir' able qualities of the human heart but when lacking, the most efiusiye de- monstrations become meaningless.
 As your historian has only been grafted into the family she may be pardoned for saying that this note of sincerity or genuiness is marked characteristic of the Ballards. So these hearty yearly greetings of uncles, aunts and cousins, have done much to strengthen the bonds which unite us and deepen our love for each other just as plant that has grown wild will, fl nourished and cared for by q competent gardener, become far more beautiful as well as fruitful.
 We doubt if the following history will ever repeat itself in the annals of the Ballard family. Who was not shocked and grieved year ago last March to learn of the great misfortune Of our cousin, George Ballard, when his house was totally destroyed by fire2 But ere we had ceased to sympathize with the family, behold beautiful modern cottage, perfect .in all it's ap- pointments, arose, phoenix-like, above the ashes of the old, in which was placed exquisite furnishings for the use and comfort of the family--and all this through the kindness and generos- ity of brother of Mrs. Ballard.
 From Memphis, Tenn, comes the report of our cousin Hilton Ballard's great success in raising a fancy breed of fowls. We jadge he has gained considerable local fame through his prize winning BufisOrpingtons. His price for a setting of fifteen eggs is S7. 50.
 Many of us remember with much pleasure meeting MT. and Mrs. John G. Ballord and son of Minneapolis two years ago, when they attended their first Ballard reunion and we were all saddened last spring to learn of the runaway accident In that city when Mrs. Ballord and her mother, Mrs. Mary P. Adams, were thrown from their carriage and seriously injured, Mrs. Adams dying before they reached