Belding banner., 1916-07-12
INTERESTING news
OF bELD|MG PEOPLE
MANY YEARS AGO
p. J. JERSEY WON FIRST PRIZE
AS A CORNETIST IN BAND
TOURNAMENT AT FLINT

TOURNAMENT AT FLINT
Just after going to press last week
the glad news reached our village that
our worthy young friend and towns
man, p. j. Jersey, had won the first
prize as a solo cornetist at the Band
Tournament then in progress at Flint.
The announcement was received with
expressions Of pride and joy by all
our citizens.
There were ten contestants, but af-
ter the playing of Mr.. Jersey six with
drew. The committee awarded Mr..
Jersey the first prize, 500 in gold.
William Dreskell, of Lansing, the
second prize, $50; j. 0. +. Smith, of
Port Huron, the third, cornet solos
with piano accompaniments. Mr.. Jer-
sey entered as contestant with moth
/ ing to support him except real merit.
1t is said that at first he received but
| little attention and was regarded as a
mere country boy until his first play
1 ing, after which he was the lion of the
day.
Mr.. Jersey arrived home on Satur-
day afternoon, and was met at the
depot by the Belding Cornet Band
and many citizens who extended con-
| gratulations, A meeting of recep-
ton was held at the church in the
evening, which was largely attended
and enthusiastic throughout. w. A.
/ Luther was appointed chairman and
announced the object of the meeting,
stating that the greeting was entire
/ ly fitting. He named many noble
men who had won the applause of
the world by self-determination and
/ felt proud to place Mr.. Jersey in the
same category. j. Milton Earle then
| took the platform and in behalf of
the citizens of Belding extended to
Mr.. Jersey warm and enthusiastic
greeting. He knew that the victory
had been won by good hard work and
personal application, not by mere
stroke of fortune Mr.. Jersey was
then called for and asked to favor the
audience with one of the two selec-
tions which had won for him the
prize. AS he modestly took his posi-
/ tion on the platform he was greeted
with a general outburst of applause,
and played "Leroy's Carnival of Ven
/ ice" with organ accompaniment by
/ Miss Alice Luther J. B. Millard was
then called for and made an appropri-
ate and eloquent address-he was
glad Mr.. Jersey had taken the prize
/ because he had worked for it, and
glad again because it would do him
good; sometimes the bestowment of
honors was injurious to the victor
\ he had no such fears with regard to
( Peter; he closed with poetic selec-
\ tion from j. G. SAKE:
'In the struggle for power, or the
scramble for pelf,
/ Let this be your motto, rely on
yourself;
For whether the prize be a rib
bon or throne.
4 The winner is he who can 90 it
alone"
| Peter Shindorf died at his residence
in Otisco last Thursday, and was
I buried with imposing ceremonies at
the Catholic cemetery Saturday.
There were over 100 teams in the pro-
| cession.
The following poem was read at the
Pioneer Meeting at Grattan, June 2:
When the Country Was New
! Ho all We old settlers, the brave and
the true,
Come tell of the times when the coun-
try was new;
How you Jared in your cabin so hum
BILE and mean,
! Telling early and late, without aid or
machine.
How you labored for bread by sweat
of your brow,
How the wardrobe of then would be
hooted at now
By these sons and daughters enjoying
the homes
Made by pioneer hands where the In
dian roamed.
But no poet can paint all the i'll we
endured,
When shaking with ague and couldn't
be cured,
With none of your dainties to tempt
With the appetite poor, and the work
all to do.
When at night we would rest, the
tinkling COW bells
Chimed in with the note of the shrill
whippoorwill
And then the mosquitoes, the worst of
all things,
Who, seeking his prey, exultingly
sings.
Half-starved, like the owl had been
resting all day,
And at night roamed about in search
Of his prey;
Now with netting, screen doors, and
houses secure,
You never can know what we had to
endure.
But those times are past, and many
have gone;
They bore many burdens, but COM
forts had none;
And some oft hem pined for their
eastern homes
And the kindred they left when west