The Mankato free press., 1922-06-16

GrlInn, pastor OF st. ThreSa' S
Catholic church of Mapleton. In
his opening remarks Father Griffin
paid tribute to the pioneer men
and women both living and dead.
The speaker said that 'if we could
but cast of the shadow of old age
and turn backw ard the dial, and
then turn our faces to the sun, we
would behold vast army of men
and women coming westward to
wrest riches from the virgin soil of
this region. They did not ride in
automobiles or carriages. It was
either on the feet that God gave
them, or in the OK cart drawn by
the slow patient oxen. They were
called tither and onward by 1the
mute voice Of the untouched acres
of the vast prairies. They were
coming to the land of golden op-
portunity. This was the land that
our forefathers purchased for us
with the sweat of their brows. +.
ITO us of today has come the
proud heritage of citizenship, great
er than royalty and nobler in this
day than either prince or princess
or king or kingdom, for we are
IL we are successful today, we
should place the credit where it
rightly and Justly belongs. Not to
the credit of our efforts, but to the
credit of courage, domination, pa
tience and toll of the pioneers"
The speaker said that 1--WE are
the children of the American soil.
The men and women from whom we
sprung were well calculated to lay
the foundations Of this great state.
They stood firm in the blessings of
integrity, and the religion of the
soul and morality was their guide.
Those who would make light of the
work of the pioneer, forget the
labors of those hearts that wrought
the destinies Of that new born Re-
public, which in its infancy rules
the world"
Rev. Griffin said that 1t is indeed
a PHYS that the old fashioned faith
ers and mothers are fast disappear
ing. 1t is because that the author
ity of the parents of those days,
whose word was the sacred law of
the home and the family have been
allowed to be lost and set aside by
the rising generation.
In closing the speaker said that
in order to teach the boys and
girls to make the best citizens they
must have respect for their elders
and for the laws of the state and
nation.
Fourteen To Nothing.
The baseball game between Am
boy and Delavan was too much ons
sided to be interesting. 1t resulted
in Amboy winning the game in an
easy manner by a score Of fourteen
to one.
In the running races toward the
l. - afk h
Moses of Madelia took first money,
Courtney took third place and Harry
Evans fourth. The second event in
the running races resulted as fol-
lows: Jake DEM, first and second
money; Lee .Danner, third place;
Charlie Bartholomew. fourth, and
Evan Reese, fifth. John Macbeth of
this city acted as official starter in
all of the races.
n the free for all foot race o. Nc
Laughlin took first money, Wayne
Adams second and William A1lis
third. Boys race, Ben Woitas first,
B. Moses second and Douglas Laur-
isch third. Boys under fourteen
years, Fred Deering first, j. Hal
vorson second, and Al Bell third.
In the girls race Freda Essel
took first money, Eunice Brown
second, Doris Morrison third place,
and Mildred Martin fourth
Old settlers, grand old pioneer
men and women. Wrinkles marked
their kindly faces, but the cares
and work of frontier days that put
them there had not extended to the
heart. The fieeting years seemed
to have no impression on their
spirit, for it had not grown old
with the lapse of time. The old
settlers were as young in spirit yes
terday as away back through the
yesterdays when they took up their
homes in this region.
E, It was indeed an interesting sight
to sit back and watch couples bent
with age, and with heads silvered
with time, totter side by side to a
seat beneath the trees in as loving
a manner as the younger people
gathered there on the grounds. 1t
bore out the saying, that friendship
goes part way, but love goes the
lie to the modern idea of dead love.
1t was indeed a pleasure to note
tnat some couples will meet the
sunset of life with an old fashioned
ending. What store of early his
tory hidden away in each dear old
mind, which will never be recorded.
The oldest settler on the grounds
yesterday was George w. Buekmis-
ter of Amboy, father of Frank Buck
mister of Mankato. He first settled
in this part of the state sixty five
years ago.
Oldest of Old Settlers.
The oldest of the old settlers in
this section of the state is Mrs. Ger
hart Petit of Mapleton who today
is celebrating her ninety fifth birth
day. She is proud Of the fact that
she is able to do her housework,
and walks over a mile to church on
Sundays. She is one of the women
of Blue Earth county, who has kept
young by keeping up with the times
by intelligent reading. Grandma
Petit can discuss the questions of
the day with the best Of them. She
is grand Christian old lady.
Much credit is due for the sue
cess of the meeting to the follow
ing committees: Reception: Mr.. and
Mrs. T. M. Hamp, Mr.. and Mrs. R.
B. Hanna, Mr.. and Mrs. Chas. Whit
ney. Mr.. and Mrs. Scott Grover, Mr..
Ralph Cornell. J. S. Emerson, DR..
B. Johnson, B. F. Taylor. Foot races:
W. r. Annis, e. F. Moore, w. w.
Taylor. Finance: B. F. Taylor, ].
T. Golf, Harold Healy. Gates Sam
Chandler. Race track: Ralph Cor
nell. Ball ground: B. F. Taylor.
Politicians from all parts of the
county were at the picnic with a
smile and the glad hand to extend
t0 pvery0na ##