Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1921-06-24
PIONEERS HONOR
MISS MARY O'NEILL
AT PICNIC SUNDAY
Judge Crosby Reads "reminiscences
Written by Early Teacher on
Experiences

The picnic given yesterday al
Priest Point park, in honor of Miss
Mary O'Neill, by her former pupils
Iof 60 to Is years ago, was a verv
pleasant occasion, though, on account
of the uncertain weather, the attend
ance was not as large as it would
have been with settled weather.
+ Among those present were: Mr..
and Mrs. Mitchell Harris, George Tai
colt, Grant Talcott. Charles Talcott,
]. Horton. Ed Elder, AL Munson.
Frank L. Crosby, Fred Stocking. and
others.
Lunch and coffee were served, and
as Miss O'Neill made the coffee it is
a guaranty that all enjoyed it to the
utmost.
A short program. consisting of
reminiscent speeches. and story Of
Miss O'Neill's early life, written by
herself, read by Frank Crosby, was
given, and all enjoyed the day de-.
voted to honoring one of the early
pioneers Of this city. and one of the
most successful of the pioneer teach
ers who did so much for the children
of that day.
Following is the story read by Mr..
Crosby:
Olympia, Wash, May %, 1921.
/ am asked to give my wanderings
into Olympia. Well, there's nothing
very racy about 1t.
April Is, 1863, a gentleman from
the West, by name and occupation
DR.. A. G. Henry, surveyor general Of
Washington territory, had been very
urgently invited to Washington, D.
c., to visit his old friend, President
Lincoln, both having been neighbors
in Springfield, Illinois. After his visit
at the Capital his itinerary brought
him to Mineral Point, Wisconsin, to
visit a relative, and have me Join him
on his return.
We left for Springfield, where we
stopped for few days. saw the
home of Lincoln and the capital of
Illinois. From Springfield we went
to Tonawanda and picked up another
member of the party to be, Miss
Sallie s. Holcomb, who was to be the
Doctors daughter-in-law upon her
arrival. From Tonawada we went to
Chicago. At the Chicago station we
took the bus for the Palmer house.
The bus driver called out, "All
Aboard" Some smarty called back,
"All are here but the old maid and
the poodle dog" came near saying.
1.-THE poodle was here, II the old maih
was missing" but had been taught
misses should be seen and not heard.
l kept silent. From Chicago we went
to Buffalo, to the Mansion house,
where we remained for q week or
more. Friday before we left we were
joined by two young ladies, nieces Of
Doctors, Miss Robbins and her
cousin, Miss Howard. That after
noon we all took trip to see Niagara
falls. Well, of all the Disguised
people I have ever met / surely was
one. Having heard SO much about
Niagara falls, I had expected and pic
tured in my mind something out Of
the ordinary, but only finding great
volume of water tumbling over the
rocks was surely a very great disap-
pOintment to me. We crossed from
the American side over to Canada, and
walked across the Niagara suspension
bridge. We did not 60 under the
falls. I have no love for the wator
and had enough of the great falls
We returned to the American side
and wandered down to the whirlpool,
a place I had never heard of. You
can all imagine my surprise better
than can tell, SO will leave 1t to you
with a few remarks: That grand.
wild body of water, seething, tum-
bling, boiling, whirling and swirling;
no outlet but a subterranean. This
wonder was to me the grandest thing
all night in Niagara, returning to