The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-03-12

monuments Myi Myl My!' But then
as / had not been in my own State
Capitol's new building, though passing
it every day, bridled my surprise. OF
course got my first applause by tell
ing the crowded audience at The Peo-
ple's Temple that night, that it was
a fortunate thing for Mr.. Lewis that
had come to Boston to show him the
way to Bunker Hill.
Yes, l had passed the new Capitol
building three or four times a day
while it was in building, without en-
tering, but met almost daily acquaint-
anees from different parts of the State
and of the United States .who were
travelling miles out of their way to
look in upon the expensive and extern
sive finishing and furnishing. Wheth-
er they really saw the SIS shoe shine
stand that cost the State $1,000 or
the 500 chairs, bought by cubic
measure, ! never knew.
The building was too near me and
| too easy of access to challenge either
my curiosity or my admiration.
1t was in 1897 that three foreign
ers, natives of sunny France, viz:
the Duke of Orleans, the Duke of Mon
pensier and Count Beaufoleis, having
been compelled to leave their native
country then struggling in the throes
of the great revolution and having
wandered in exile through Lapand,
| Russia, Sweden and other countries,
found safety in the Susquehanna Val
ley and afterward pronounced it one of
the finest spots on earth, but many of
our own people have not yet discover
ed its beauties. They must first go to
Europe or Asia or Africa.
'Susquehanna Navigable''
But l am reminded that am to talk
| about the Susquehanna Navigable
Well, ] once, when about twelve years
of age attempted with two younger
brothers to navigate its North Branch
in small foot boat from our farm
shore to the other side in the classic
valley and near the village of Wyom-
ing. A terrific wind swiped us, the
whitecaps rolled seemingly mountain
high, and we, paralized with fear,
prayed more fervently than we rowed.
| think it must have been such an un-
ctuous prayer as my old friend Rev.
Henry Wilson once offered on a chance
visit to the Pennsylvania Legislature
nearly sixty years ago. The chaplain
asked him to offer the morning prayer,
which he did with such fervor, force,
pathos and JUNCTION, that the members
hats, usually worn, came off, and the
cigars usually smoked during prayer
were removed from their mouths; and
one of the members asked my friend,
Hon. Lindsay Mehaffey, from the Ly-
coming district:
Who did you say in your introduc-
tion that preacher wass''
Why, my pastor at Newberry, the
Rev. Henry Wilson,
"Why," said the legislator, "he
prays like the devil, don t he's"
This remark revealed pnas Iawmak-
er IS most intimate associate and patron
saint. / think our prayer on the occa-
sion of the boat ride was more like
that of the old lady whose horse ran
eway with her, and when asked what
she did in such extreme danger, she
said:
~ trusted in the Lord till the
britchen broke, and then I did not
know what to do.
Or possibly our prayer was more like
that of the good pastor s wife whose
hui band went up from a six hundred
country charge to preach for a Bos-
ton two thousand-dollar preacher,
while he took his summer vacation.
Country Parson Makes Hit
The country parson so pleased the
city congregation that they extended
to him a call to become its pastor This
greatly incensed the country congrega-
tion to think that any preacher, es-
pecially their preacher, would be so
worldly as to leave a six hundred dol
lar for two thousand-dollar charge.
and they called an indignation meet
ing of the members One woman, more
indignant than the rest, said:
81 will go down to the parsonage
and tell our pastor what 1 think of
him.
The pastor IS little daughter answered
the door-bell.
Where's your fatherf"
UP in the library
"What is he doing?"
"Praying to find out whether he
ought to go to Boston.
And where is your mother!"
"Oh! she is praying, too, and pack
ing papa's trunk (which is an evil
dence that women get answers sooner
than men.
Well we ihovs naddled ond nroved