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Show l5aa Suirarit County Pair layf'ii S''1? 11:!SP AM Page 7 PIONEER ANCESTORS Earl W. McNeil They came to this High Mountain Valley A Century gone by and more; from Western States and Canada, from British Isles and Europe's shore. By foot, on horse, in wagon and cart-crohalf a continent they came. The desert West they made their Zion for God and rellgion-no- t wealth, not fame. They made their home tills Valley, on sagebrush flats they grubbed away. With hoes and shovels, steady clearing onehalf acre every day. They cleared the trees from river bottoms, green pastures now where once were none. They fought the varmits. the killing frosts; the land was their pay for all they'd done. They changed the course of mighty rivers, beat the will of mountains and streams. Cut trees to build their homes and churches. ss raised kids on love and work and dreams. I see them now in every field; In every ditch they dug by hand. In bams and houses that they built, that after a, hundred years still stand. I marvel at what they did here against all odds the triumphs came. With shoulders stooped but unbending they murmured not, but blessed His name. They mourned and grieved and burled babies in small pine cofllns built by hand. K Their resting places now made hallowed this beautiful, bountiful, sacred land. They built this beautiful, treasured valley for themselves, for daughters and sons. An inheritance in Gods earthly Kingdom for generations still to come. Some day Ill meet these holy people who passed this treasure down for free. I worry have I built upon this legacy they left for me? |