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Show rijpcE U's a Jong time to look ahead fifty years, but U seems a short time to look back upon the past for half a century. And yet, what mighty changes have been wrought during the past fifty years, even in Mount Pleasant some fifty years ago the writer of these few lines first saw the light of day amidst the sage, brush streets of this city; then a hamlet of very small proportions, made up principally prin-cipally of one room log huts, and dug-outs, which In those days constituted consti-tuted the homes of it's early inhabi- tants. How well do I remember, as a very small lad, the beating of the old bass drum, calling the male inhabitants inhabi-tants together to protect themselves and families from the threatening raids of the Indians of those days. What fear I had to hear that beating of the old drum! That was the signal sig-nal for the men to get their rifles, q flint locks, with powder horns, caps and bullets, ready for the on coming savage of the wild primeval forest. With shuddering fear I sought the refuge and protection of mother in the little log hut in which we lived. Father would mount his horse, and with the others, go out to keep the Red Man of the plains from slaughtering slaught-ering the few inhabitants of the place. I remember how glad I was 'i when I saw them return, safe and un- 1 harmed. Somebody's cattle or horses had been stolen, and the Indians were far away. But those days are past and gone 5 forever; yet the memory of them still Uvea on, green and fresh, as if the happening occurred but yesterday. The old stone fort which encircled itha entire block where noT stands the Madsen Opera House, was the refuge of the early pioneers from the terrors of the savage Indians. Its 2 port holes served as openings from 3 which the settlers watched for the J unruly savages, and occasionally took m a shot through them to warn them of I the danger that was theirs if they 5 came too near. Later on, as the town i grew in numbers, the fort was vail va-il cated, and homes were built upon the city lots assigned to its inhabitants. 3 The interior of the old fort became 1 the home of the "Mourning Dove" j and the small boy, with his pockets ! full of rocks, blazed away at the harmless creatures, trying to see how j many he could kill. But alas, the b Mourning Dove has vanished from the place and the old fort is no more. 4 On the south side of the fort, exit ex-it tending the entire block, in the early 3 spring time could be seen all the J male population of the city, playing marbles, pitching horse shoes and 4 playing buttons. Bennet Monk was i champion button player, with Bent jj Rolfson a close second. Burt Rey- nolds was champion marble winner I with Ephraim Hansen second. For 3 days and days the games would go on 3 along the south wall of the old fort. Bennet Monk won all the buttons ' in Bight, each day, and finally broke ; the town of buttons. (I hope he S don't read this as it might carry him back to those good old days.) Some 3 of the old boys lie slumbering be-3 be-3 neath the sod, out in the silent city j of the dead; others have moved to j distant parts of this, and other states, but the memory of their boyhood 5 days is still rememberer by some of S us at least. Let me name some of jj the old boys who used to do these 'i stunts in the early spring time, prior to the planting of the crops, and as J I recall them, acting then as a small jj spectator, not as one of the players, j I remember Bennet Monk, Jerry j Page, Melvin McArthur, Dunken Mc-i Mc-i Arhtur, Burt Reynolds, Eph Hansen, Bent Rolfson, Nels Rolfson, Thos, I Oldham, Abe Day, Ira Day, Herbert Day, Ed. Day, Hans' Nielson, Peter Frandsen, Hy Frandsen, Geo. Frand-j Frand-j sen, Ras. Frandsen, Ras. Clemensen, I Louis Oldham, Chas. Larsen, Jas. Larsen, Ras. Anderson, Eph Larsen, j Manassah Larsen, J. K. McClenahan, Lars P. Madsen, Mart Rasmussen, Jos. Monsen, and a lot of others too ! numerous to mention all of them. Besides it might make the others angry, if I told the names of all the i early button and marble players of j the old town. I Contrasting those days with to-; to-; day, how changed! The business of ' getting rich engrosses the mind and j time of the people of today. No more j time for that kind of recreation and . pleasurer. Another generation has ! come upon the scene, and only know of those days as they have been told i by those who partook of them in days gone by. "It's a Long Way to Tipperary, it's a Long Way to Go," so it's a long way to hark back to the days of fifty years ago, but it doesn't seem that long to the writer. "Chronicler." j P. S. Some day another installment j will be forthcoming, if you want it. |