The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1915-03-31
A. D. Stewart Talks
to II. S. Students
Gives Words of Good Advice on
Time Spending And Habit
Forming
NOW is BEST TIME
Believes Integrity, Intelligence.
Industry and Energy Are
Among Basic Virtues

come here some morning and
talk to you young people and it
gives me pleasure to comply with
his request. Having a son of my
own among you | am made to
feel the ties of friendship and |
want to deliver a message
cleaned from observation and
experience that will help you in
your efforts to achieve success.
| think the most of you know
me, | have lived in this commun-
ity quite while. Brother Robert
and | are the oldest settlers in
our township. When we came
here IA years ago the country
was new, it did lot have many
people. We could drive across
the country for miles, meet no
one nor pass a farm house; or
stand on some eminence and look
around far as the eye could
reach to the circle of blue hori-
zon and see no sign of habita-
tion-a wilderness of prairie,
silent, trackless save sometimes
a wagon trail running snake
fashion across the country Oh
the higher ground.
The first settlers were poor.
They did without things that we
would consider necessities. Many
of the farmers did their work
and went to town with oxen, St.
Peter was the nearest railroad.
Many of them hauled their fuel
from the Minnesota river or
burned hay. No fences. For the
first few years | herded cattle
on foot. One day two Indians
came into the yard with a pony
which they wanted to sell or
trade. We offered a COW in ex-
change. They would deal if we
would throw in a rooster and
we agreed if they would catch
the fowl and | can assure you
that no Nabob in his palmiest
days with all his wealth, with all
the luxuries that riches could
buy had as much fun nor with
all his possessions and achieve
ments was as proud as the lit
tie boy of 40 years ago, ragged,
hatless who roamed across the
prairies on his Indian pony.
1t may be that some of you
wish that your lot had been cast
in those days of severe trial and
hardships incident to pioneer
life-in those days of abundant
opportunity where homes could
be had almost for the asking.
Not all who came here in the
early 7O's succeeded. A majority
were unwilling to fulfill the con-
ditions necessary to success-to
make the investment of indus
try, economy and perseverance
and of course they failed.
I think | would rather be
among you-be young in this
age which | believe is the best
of all history. envy you young
people because of your oppor-
tunities to achieve and be some
body.
You enjoy better educational
! advantages than your parents,
schools are better, teachers bet
ter equipped. You certainly at
tract more attention-more is
being done for you in the home
in the school, in the realm of the
social; every influence that mon
ey can buy and skill provide are
given freely and gladly that you
may qualify for the honorable
career, the larger life, the more
CONSPICUOUS future. If you shall
!. fail to come up to the full meas
ure of your opportunities ano
become derelicts out on the sea
of life with it's stress, storms
and fierce competitions, in my
judgment, you will have no one
to blame but yourselves.
You young folks occupy ar
enviable position. You are be-
ginners. You stand at the thres
hold of responsibility and en-
deavor. You are at the cross
roadside parting of the ways
and you may choose the patti
which will lead you through
broad peaceful land of virtue
happiness, usefulness, conscience
J and the approval of God, or yol
: may choose the path that vii
drag you down into the darl
caverns where the vultures Of
, sin and debauchery hawk anG
tear at the finer fibers of your
being and where the serpents Of