Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1927-03-24

Give us a quotation from LCngfel-
low please" Yes, he's very fa-
miIiar with the psalm of Life" 1t
was an inspiration to him when a
school boy, and In his young man
endeavored to instiIl its truths In
to the minds of his pupils, and later
| In his institute work, having been
over the state quite good biteven as
far as the Ohio river. he had made
use of this masterpiece until the
i sentiment 1t contained had become a
| part of his life, and he believed he
could give one stanza right off the
reel, as follows: What is life? 'Tis
often asked us. It's scramble, for
what's called dough- To buy a lit
tie gasoline, To get the burned old
Ford to go." The worthy lecturer
said sire had read the selection when
a schoolgirl many long years ago,
and she wasn't quite sure that he
| had quoted it right, but anyhow
we'll let it go at that. Next the
| Worthy Master, E. r. Tilden Is call
| ed. Now Ray is man who is up
on his boot-straps and doesn't want
to suffer the humiliation of being
mot prepared" This roll call busi-
ness had slipped his mind until he
arrived at the hall and it was now
almost time to call to order. He
was at a loss to know just what to
| do. He went to Miss Lura Dye and
stated his predicament and at that
instant light shone in on her
mind. She was to act as secretary
protein that evening and she would
| just give him her selection and she
would be excused 1t consisted of
the first four lines of ''The Bridge"
by Longfellow, which are as fol-
lows: Il stood on the bridge at mid
night, AS the clocks were striking
the hour; And the moon rose DER
the city, Behind the dark church
tower Ray protested that he
hadn't time to commit SO much, but'
| Lura insisted that he learn it, and
she would help him. So they got
him until she. was sure he had it,
and he was too. Now the time was
at hand and he was called to do his
part AS he took his place Miss
Lura felt proud of the highest Off
cial in the grange. And besides.
she was proud to think that she had
been instrumental in helping him.
Moreover she knew that he was
capable of rendering it even better
than she could; that he would give
it some finishing touches that be-
long only to persons of rare gift
and talent. AS he marched up
Lura almost wished for a small
box for him to stand upon, as he is
man of rather small stature. With
an expression on his face somewhat
akin to slight embarrassment, he
began: THE boy stood on the burn
ing deck, When all the rest skedad-
died; Twas bout The Bridge and
the moon Ger the ridge, | guess, be
gosh, I'm added Miss Lura rails
ed her hands, looked aghast and
well. lets just drop the curtain for
moment
In regard to the biographies of
these eminent men, most all present
knew but they had just forgotten And,
where there was little difference
of opinion it was soon settled in the
most amicable manner. In reference
to Russell Lowell, Forrest Thorla
said from what he had learned when
he used to help Jim Connell culti-
vate melons, that, he was the man
who founded little town down
about Parkersburg. John Smith
said he knew that was so for he'd
'ieen through the town the time
him and his pap went to West Viz
ginia huntin'. An Frame said they
were both wrong and he could prove
it, that the author in question was
the man who used to make thresh-
in machines over near Muttonburg.
That settled it.
Bill Ogan said he had an ex-
quisite little gem of poetry that con-
tanned much sentiment, but he didn't
know just what author to attribute
it to, that it happened to come into
his mind Just the other day while
skinning a calf. 1t was to cal
ways let the tail go with the hide
As to Henry Wadsworth Longfel-
low, Harry Dickinson said from
what he had heard that he was the
tall fellow who used to live about a
half mile down the creek below
Seeleysburg, wore his pants inside
his boots and later moved to Color
ado or "Metsopotamie;" he wasn't
sure which. We argued that he
was the proprietor of big millinery
store in Paris. John Hall claimed
that we were both wrong that he
was in some way connected with
Sears, Roebuck, but didn't live in
the town of Chicago. Doug, editor
this is "DOUG') Kuntz said by
thunder! everyone of yes are wrong,
you've all got the hair on the wrong
man. John Hail." he said, was
always a sayin' and doin' things
wrong, he was over there one day
and John was a tryin' to clean the
snow off the front porch with a
scythe and morn that he didn't
know what he was talkin about
half the time" 'Dod blast ye,' re-
torted John, maybe ye' think I
don't know who's who in this lit
erary business and made toward
him with the shepherds crook held
aloof in the most threatening man
ner The worthy master hastily
+ooIy hic bnotc from, off tbn dpcIx and