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Show Address By Amasa Aldrich (Addiejs delivered at the anuuai Pioneer Reunion at M'L. Pieasant, Liuii, March SSulii, l2u, by Amasa Aidrich.) Mr. President and officers of the Ml. Pleasant pioneer Association, ladies ana gentlemen, and beloved old iriends: i g'.eet you with most prologue re-jpec'l and deep veneration. 1 wish, in Uvijginnin, lo than'ie your coiu-niitlee coiu-niitlee tor ihe honor con.iei'i ed, in aligning to me tlus great privilege of addressing you on this occasion. 1 cannot begin my talk with a better inlrouuclion than lo quote the lol-lowing lol-lowing poem. It is entitled, "Ot i 1' nienus and A so fu.'LbiUiny expresses express-es my feelings iovvui. d each and all oi you, Lhat 1 liaili oeym my romaiKs with 'it as most lilting to the occasion: occa-sion: "There are no friends like old friends, And none so good and true; We (j'.cet tiieui wneii we meet them, As loses greet the dew; No other tneuds re, dearer, '1 hough born oi kindred mO'ld; And while we piize me new ons, We treasure more the old. There are no friends like Old hiends, Wheieer we dvveil or roam, In lands beyond the O'tean, Or near Cue bounds ot home; And wiien lliey smile to guulden, Or sonic-times Iroiw n lo guide. We fondly wish those old friends, Were always by out side. There are no friends like old friends, To he.p us with me load That all must bear who journey O ei- life's uneven road; And when 'U.uconquei ed sorrows The weary hours mvest, The kindly words of old friends, Are always found the best. There are no Iriends like old friends, To calm our frequent fears, When shadows lull and uec-pen Through life's declining years; And when our faltering footsteps Approach the Great Divide, We iong to meet the old iriends, Who wait the other side." I am not so unmindful of the fact that you have others who could render ren-der better service than can 1 on this occasion. Bui 1 suall try to make jny words Ting true to Pioneer times a3 we, their decendants, see them after af-ter a lapse of over sixty years. 1 can not bring or tell you anything new. You are as familiar with the days (gone by as 1 am. You are the descendants de-scendants of these pioneers whom today to-day we honor and pa our i everetice For a. few minutes let me take you back to yesterday. Co.ne follow -me then, and we wit", go back to their day and time, when settlement was first made of this city, you now call your home, and which you love so well. Let me ask you, who were these pioneers? They were your fathers and mothers. Go 'read their names on yonder monument, that , siands as a silent reminder of their iv.ining. I do not know whether any; e omitted. If so, I am sorry for the omission. Of all those sixty names, engraved thereon, I re T. em bar them all, with the possible exception of thinee, Daniel Page, M. C. Chnslen-seu Chnslen-seu and Andrew Johnson. I have no distinct recollection ci' these as having hav-ing lived long enough for me to know. I would like to have seen 'tjhe names of others whom I know were here at an early date. There was old Dr. Scovil, Amasa Scovil, Joseph Page ind others, perhaps, whom I do not iw recall. But they have our honor and reverence just the same They ill tasted tihe bitter with the sweet Out there was more bitter than sweet n those days. Of aili those whose names appear on i the monument, erected in commeratron of these pioneers, pio-neers, all have pasred to the Great Beyond, except one. This sole survivor sur-vivor is your honore'l townsman, R. V. Bennett, whom we all delight to honor on this occasion. May God rant that his last days may be his happiest and the burdens and cares if yesterday, be lightened by those who do him reverence today. While I am speaking of the only male survivor of those sturdy am' iou'.v'i ;eous pioneers, let me rever: "or a moment to speak a word for out mothers, those courageous and angel-c angel-c heroines who stand side by side with our fathers in their work of Unionization in this wf'.d and desolal waste of sun-baked earth. Oh m -riends, 'my inadequate knowledge of the English language fails me when r attempt to weave into suitable 'anguage a wreath ot f. a;.,' ranee an Lace it upon the brow of those faith I'ul women. When I thing of tin rials and privations in the rude and uncormifortaible- home; their .goinr down into the shadow of death at the arrival of each new born child into he home; their fortitude and un-'linclviri; un-'linclviri; coniirage in the face of Indian In-dian teot'or; the atneiree and lack ot skillfull medical help in case of dire necessity; the bar-en cupboard, unfilled un-filled with the necessary and nourish-inig nourish-inig food to give health and strength to'the mother and her babe. All of liese hardships were uncomplaining ly borne by these heroic women of dxty yea-is aigo. But far the sustain--lV hand of Divine Providence, in these hours of anguish and pain notiher and child would probably nave 'gone to their eternal rest. But sow few are now left to tel'l the storv of these by-gone days. There is but me left here in Ml. Pleasant ot the Moneeus of '47. I now allude to Grandma Wilcox. We have heard her story with tear-stained eyes as die has related it time and tima .gain God grant that her declining lavs may be happy, and that her sur--oundirns today are not what they jnce-wore. You will pardon me for referring to my own mother, who saw ome of those heart-rending times, tod too, has spared her life to set better davs. There may be otneis .bom I (io not recall. To all, and ach, I bow imy head in solemn 'reverence. 'rev-erence. Mrd now for Yesterday. Let us peak for a few minutes of their com-orts com-orts and conveniences of Yesterday, 'hey had the pleasure of the tallow dip for lighting the dug-out, or the one-room log cabin. They cookeu ... it u the bake oven and the fry pan. The crane that hung in the fireplace rid the soot covered kettle whicu was used for a multitude of purposes Hi-' mothers carded and spun the vool from which our sox were km-, f perchance we had any. This city was then a flower garden t sage and. rabbit bnush. Adjaceni uid in close proximity, lurked the Indian, who made this valley his home. His friendship for these pioneers pio-neers was not always enduring, and frequently thievings and murders were the things they had to endure. The oi'.d rock fort gave them some protection from their savage foes. (Continued on last page) |