The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1915-03-25

Did you ever get something into
your head and couldn't get it out! .,
no! l don't mean q cold. mean sem
timents, or echoing idcas-just sort
of subtle flavoring that unconsciously
runs all along the stream of your
thoughts. Well, all day long there has
been buzzing in my head the chorus
of an old song; not one of those en-
during old melodies like "Annie Lau-
rie," or Suanee River" but one OF
those jaunty flippant things that RACES
day, month, season and then be-
comes memory of yesterday along
with the hobble and the long tunic.
The name of this particular song is
"Song Long, Mary" and the refrain
that has logged my thoughts is Ma
RVS response as she sang: Its aw-
fully nice of all you boys to see me to
the train"
Do you know that it is just since
coming into this room that / have been
able to get the connection-it's aw-
fully nice of all you girls to invite me
down here today, and especially so in
view of the fact that was denied the
pleasure and privilege Of distinguish
ing myself at the Young Ladies' Sin
gle Blessedness Debating Society last
night.
! In extending your invitation to me,
your chairman explained that your
wish was a fool paper on the future
of Kennewick and hattered me with
the assurance that none were so well
qualified as I. l wonder how many
Of you ever stopped to consider on
how dangerous ground we tread when
we attempt to foretell the future OF
Kennewick. If you will go back and
recall the things that were told you
/ when you first came to Kennewick you
will at once realize the precarious po-
! sition in which I am placed. II not
then, know you will, If you will take
a little ramble through the back files
Of the Kennewick newspapers and see
what the editors have written in pro.
phesy. 9.
Only the past is secure, it is said
The future then, must be uncertain
The courses through which it must b
shifting and rambling. So. If ram
BILE today-ramble with me. Il
pambol- come enjoy the play.
! How many of US remember tina
time when with mischievous stealtl
we tip-toed into mothers room ant
climbed and wriggled and wriggle'
and climbed until we planted ten tot
tering toes upon the topmost tip 0
the headboard Of the bed? Then wit
the wild abandon Of our leap to tn
springs below! And the joy Of it .
we hit and bounced, hit and bounced
until the shrek Of delight burst It
restraint and brought an impatien
mother and the prosaic hop dow
from the quivering springs to the un
responsive floor!
To sit in delightful day dream
to draw the curtain of the present
even though but tiny corner, and
revel and disport in the uncertaintie
of the other side, quickens US wit
that tingling zest of childhood'g thri
ling leap to the springs. The awal
enin9 has in it the mothers frown an
the jarring thud Of the stubborn foo
We may go back to our echoing We!
terdays and mediate on them in glow
ing contentment. We may halt OF
fieeting todays and muse over thel
with warmth Of satisfaction, but tt
kindling hope, the burning desire, Il
electric thrill comes with the conten
| plation Of our in-speeding tomorrow
/ Why are we here? It is the Kenn'
] wick Of the past-the desert dead, tt
wild winds, the swirling sands OF Il
z years that are past that holds us! II
/, memories Of other days answers mo
II Is it the tolls, the trials. the fever II
| the fret, the Flooding of today, tn
binds us? The monotone Of the pas
ing hours answers "No." It is Il
gardens that we will garner, the fiel'
that we will till, the industries we W
/ harness, the homes we will build, Il
women we will love and the men
will know-the thoughts Of the d.
/ that is to come, the tempts US, coax
i US, and inspires US. It is that compt
/ ling hope that buds each day ane'
Il blossoms tomorrow and becomes "a
/ ed thing Of yesterday.
II We know what Kennewick was. '
II know what it is. But what it it to
/ that's the question. Kennewick's ste
II for it has one, which since it was set
/ the heavens, has been buffeted, bum
ed and all but eclipsed, and which
i times has been threatened with n
II teoric fight can now be observed to
Il in the ascendency and shining with
Il stable, steady light. Gradually it b