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The lake and all its h ills w ere old
When youthfalA dam first loved Eve .
BOOKOFTHE GREEN LAKE MANSE
A Sequel to theRhymed Story
ofWisconsinBY J . N . DAVIDS O N. A . M .
The Lord hath given the father honor over
the children, and hath confirm ed the authority
of the mother over the sons.
— Ecclesiasticus ”I, 2 .
MA D IS O N . W IS C O N S IN
T RA CY a: KIL GO RE
PRINT ERS
1 9 1 3
Copyrigh ted, 1913
By Jo h n Nelson Davidson
FEB26 l9l4
/c520
©01A36 91 4 6
P AG
To Mr . George Huntington Webster
On Seeing at Forest Lodge a Portfol io of EtchingsStill Sings Thy HeartOf the Wonderful Effects of D ivine LoveThe Present LordImmanuel .
We Have Loved a Little Child
Edward Hun t ington Merril lMrs . Catherine Demorest Eaton
E dmund Boo th
Bertha May Booth
M rs. Grace Hamilton SweeneyD edication Hymn , Grace Church ,T wo Rivers
To the Growing Grass at Hill Cres tWill iam E . Cramer . ;
Mrs. Jeanette Laurie Palmer
O n Reading one o f the “Sonnets from the Portu
g uese
A Christmas Sonnet
D ies Irae
Day of Wrath
A Nation-Builder
In Memory o f a Friend
In Memory of John Nagl eIn Memory of Frances Schroeder .
At the Grave of William Taylor
At St . Jobu’
s Cathedral
J ohn Calvin on Government
Versificat ion o f Micah VI . 6—8
The Kingdom of God
O ur Twenty-seven PresidentsThe Governors of W isconsinW isconsin Song
Green Lake School Song .
Song of the Class of 1 909, Green Lake High SchoolHymn for the Wisconsin Congregational Convention
D edication Hymn for Church at An amosa , Iowa .
Endeavor Con secration Hymn
The Pledge in SongA Lakeside Walk in Winter Wind
Wisconsin Spring
T h e Wind of Yesterday
The Joke of the SeasonWith Apologies to the Sawdust CityHave You a Rhyme for Peshtigo
My Neighbor ’s ChickensTo Mr . Carnegie ’s Spell ing Reform Association . .
A Suggested Ending for One of James Whitcomb Riley ’s Poems
Carpet Beating
T h e Steam Thresher
On a Bill for The Doane Owl
On Reading of a Crown Given by a Brewer
to his Wife
For the Young Folks at Hil l Crest
Visions Given by a Voice
The Song of the Needle
The Academy ’s SoldierA Scene on the Shield o f Achil les
A Parable of Hope
Bel ieve
To My Neighbors at Hil l Crest
To Mr . H . B . Lowe
A Plea for P l eaded
In Memory of Professor Joseph Emerson
Christmas Spiri t
Our Summer School of Only ThreeMary Leavi tt
Rose of Enzie .
M rs. Mary SandersonOur Wee Pet .
Preface and Dedication
The Green Lake Manse i s in a place of
beauty . It stands beside an oak that carries
i ts leaves nearer to the sky than any other
t ree in Green Lake ; an oak that was old
when the pioneers made close to i t a road thed epression of which is stil l visible . On the
right of this old road,as you go eastward ,
men buil t the chu rch ; on the left o f i t, the
school . To each there has been a wel l worn
path from the Manse ; a path that has been
prolonged until i t has reached Ripon Coll ege, and t h ence a scientific institution in the
Nation ’s Capital .
Between the oak and the Manse is a vista
t hrough which one may see , even in summer ,the deepest of Wisconsin ’s lakes ; the one
d est ined to remain when the others o four two
thousand shal l have turned to marshes and
meadows .Beside th is . lake is a home whence came
the children who made “our summer school
o f only three ,” without the interest o fwhose
parents this book might not have been pub
lish ed . Not far from this lakeside Vatican ,as in harmless and obvious j est I sometimes
c all_i t , is Forest Lodge , W hose k indly owner
found that k indred of his were old- time
friends of my father and my mother . He
himself is one o f the many who added to the
5
happiness of my mother ’s later days . MayGod reward them al l !I am sure others wil l not think i t invidiousi f I make special mention of what Mr . and
Mrs . Lawson , of Lone Tree Point, did for the
building of the Manse , and for the j oy of the
heart of her who was the first mistress of i t .
Mrs . Lawson ’s father , the late William
Henry Bradley,was a c i tizen of Galena when
my mother dwelt there ; and my aunt was h ispupil in Bible class . He was a citizen who ,wherever he l ived, l eft the impress of a
character that was l ike a newly stamped co inof gold .
As I write these words Vergil ’s “rainy
Hyades” are l ighting the clear Eastern sk y .
In Hill Crest hom e , next on the west , the
children of a g rac ious mother sleep ; childrenof a bereaved father . I am alone , for they ,sister and cousin , who now share the Mansewith me are guests in the home on Lone Tree
Point . Dawn and Night are contending . It
is the morning of the day that precedes theeighty-fifth anniversary of my mother ’s birth .
To her memory , and to the friends who love
her, I dedicate this book . May she , in Para
dise , be glad that i t has been written .
J . N . D .
Green L ak e,Nineteen Th irteen ,
A ugust First.
To Mr. George Huntington Webster
O n the Seventy-second Anniversary of h is Birth
Acquaintance thine am I of summer days,
And these but few . Is it my‘
privil ege
At this glad time to bring thee word of praise
Like some wild flower that grew on rocky ledge?Perhaps not even this i s mine to give
,
But only humble leaf that on some oak
Makes murmur while the August hours stil l l ive .
But one who at God ’s moving taught and spoke,
Compared the righteous man to stately tre e
That by the waters bears abundant fruit .
Thou hast deserved that we apply to thee
His gracious words . So let our own be mute .
O n Seeing at Forest Lodge a Portfolio of Etch ings
W hat marvel this? A c i ty old and quaint .T ransported hi ther by the etcher
’
s art .
Reveals its past,inscribed on l iving heart ,
We see the shrine , buil t by forgotten saint .A nd seem to hear ‘his vespers , far and faint .
T h e artist leads us to the busy mart
Where pavements show the wear of hoof and cart .Rebuilds he walls that heard the beggar ’s plaint
When France first heard of world beyond the sea ;When kings roll ed by who share the centuries ’ famThere ruined chateau dominates the lea ;Here arch spans flood ’neath sunset skies aflam e
A n offering al l , of fil ial piety ,“To father” given . Then fol lows W ebster ’s nam e .
N ineteen Th irteen , S ep tember 1 3.
Still S ings Thy Heart
Sti l l sings thy heart, for thou hast measured years
With sunshine , not with storm, with j oy , not tears ,And therefore youth abideth with thine age ,Blest is thy record writ on l ife ’s fair page .
The story of unselfish love is there ;A love that quickens now our heart-fe l t prayerFor thee and thine ; that al l that thou hast doneOf faithful service wrought from sun to sun
May , as attendant angel , walk with thee
Along the shore of l i fe ’s maj estic sea .
the Wonderful Effects of Divine
B Y THOMAS A’
KEMP IS
L ove is al together good ;By itsel f i t maketh l ight
Everything that seemeth heavy ,Maketh burdens seem no burden ;All that ’s bitter maketh sweet .
By the nobl e love of Jesus
Man to do great things is driven ,A nd i t stirreth in him longing
For what is more nearly perfect .
Love will eth that i t be on high ;Love will eth not to be kept backBy any thing that ’s low and mean ,L ove wil leth that itsel f be free
By worldly good h e not entangledOr by adversity subdued .
Nothing is swee ter than Love ,Nothing is s tronger than Love ,Nothing is higher, nothing is wider,Nothing more pleasant than Love .
Nothing is ful ler or better than Love
In earth or in heaven ;For Love ’s born of GodAnd finde th no rest but in Him .
A lover rej o iceth, is free ;He fi ie th , he runneth ,And no man can hold him .
He hath al l in al l
And al l for al l giveth
Because in the Highest he resteth ;He re steth in Him above al l
From whom al l that is good
Proceedeth and flowe th .
He respecteth not giftsBut turneth himsel f to the Giver .
Love knoweth no measure ofttimes ,And fervent is Love above measure ,A t tem p t e th above i ts own strength .
And for itsel f lawful
And for itself possibl e
Love thinketh al l things ;And therefore for all th ings is strong .
A nd much it comp le tet hAnd bringeth to passW here one not a lover
Doth faint and l ie down .
W atchful isLoveAnd even when sleeping
It slumbereth not .
T hough i t endure to be weary
It is not l ightly tired .
Love , tho’ pressed , is not straitened ;
O r alarmed, is not put to confusion .
9
As a flame or a torch in i ts burning
It force t h i ts way eve r upward .
If any man love
He knoweth the cry of this voice ,Loud cry in God ’s ears .The ardent affection that saith
“My God, my L ove .
Thou art al l m ine ,And al l I am is Thine .
Enl arge Thou me in Love
That with the palate of my heart
I may taste and I may l earn
How sweet a food i t is to love .Let me be holden by Love ,Above mysel f mounting
Through fervor and w onder .
Let me sing the song of Love
Beloved , l e t me follow Thee ;Spend thysel f, my soul , i n praise
In thy j oy through Love .
L e t me love Thee , love Thee , more
Than I love mysel f,Nor love mysel f except in Thee ;And love in TheeAll that love Thee , love Thee , truly ,As the law of Love commandeth ,Law that shineth from Thysel f .
Love is swif t and is sincere ,Love i s pleasant and del ightsome .
Brave and pa t ient , faithful , prudent .
Manly , never seeking sel f .
Where a person seeketh sel f
There from Love h e falleth , fal l eth .
Love is circumspect and humble,Uprigh t ,. yield ing not to softness,Nor to vanity attending .
10
L ove is sober, chaste and firm,
Quiet , guarded and obedient ;Unto God , devout and thankful ;Trusting, hoping in Him always .
Who is not p repared to sufier
For the wil l of his Beloved
Is not worthy name of lover ;Nor for things that fal l against him
Should the lover turn from God,From his well beloved God .
Versified by J . N . Davidson .
The Present Lord
Forgive me , Jesus, i f I think of TheeNot seated by the Father ’s throne in l ight
But guiding in some sad soul ’s wanderingnight ,
Or Captain of those men whom sinners flee ,Or easing disappointment when the pleaThe wronged have made for j ustice andthe right
Seems al l unheard and al l in vain the fight .
Unconquered stil l Thy hosts ; Thou g iv’st to
see
The triumph though delayed ; with these
Thou art .
Or this I think : He is with all that keep
Integrity in field , or shop , or mart ;With those who watch while homes and
ch i ldren sl eep ;With those who feel the rending of the heart
W hen silent s teps of death near loved ones
creep .
Th e A dvance,” February 1 6 , 1 305 .
1 1
Immanuel
0 l iving tree of frui t and flower,0 word of everlasting power,0 creed of blessed truth and trust,0 faith that l i fts us from the dust
God with us, blest Immanuel .
The blood in hearts thou hast renewedB eats high to cal l of brotherhood,Makes strong for deeds of love the handsWhen men hear gladly thy commands ,T hou Brother God , Immanuel .
We Have Loved a Little Ch ild
WRITTEN FO R A FRIEND
He who loves a l i ttle ch ild
D oeth what our God hath done .
T hink ye . In His own loved Son ,Crowned with manhood undefiled ,
Lord in storm and confl ict wild,
God hath blessed each l i ttle child .
W e have loved a l ittle child .
Read ye . Jesus, Lord of l ife ,‘
Taketh from earth'
s hurt and stri fe .Like Himsel f al l undefiled ,
Never by the wrong beguiled ,A nd He keepe th safe our child .
1 2
Edward Huntington Merrell
Thy l ife-work is not done , for thou didst build
For age of ages , not for years alone ;Like those who formed the miracles in stone ,Men chief among the captains of their guild ,Who sh rine and temple and cathedral fil l ed
With questioning “Who can for sin atone? ”
And God gave longed - for answer : things unknown ,He brought to light as He Himsel f hath willed .
T h ou ’st formed of many a heart a temple fair ;
Hast towers of thought buil t upward toward the sk y;Hast wrough t in state and col lege with the careWise master-builders showed in times gone by .
Thou , bending at thy task with zeal and prayer,Had ’st vision and didst teach of God Most High .
In Memory of Mrs. Catharine DemarestEaton
'
As one who passing by some hal lowed shrine
Hears voice of song and utterance of prayer .A nd knows some soul hath fel t i ts weight
o f care .
Or burden of i ts sin , by touch divineRemoved ; so have I known that l ife of thine ;T h y home a temple , thou a priestess there .
Thy voice that made melodious the airIn blessing hearts hath oft, far heard , blest
mine .
Brave hearted singer in heroic days ,Thy l i fe was purpose se t to melody !
Wife , m other, friend, thy character d ispl aysT h e im press that on Mary
’
s soul we see ;Thou wil t not blush now at our words of
praise ,Our tribute hath its truth , i ts worth from
thee !
A dvance,” A p ril 7, 1 904 .
13
Ninety Years of SilenceWritten in Memory of Edmund Booth .
His mother ’s songs he heard ; then silence fel l ,T o him al l noiseless was his schoolmates ’ play ,And birds with songs unheard fil led all the day .
Sad, sad ,” men sighed “that he apart must dwel lAs in a voiceless world .
” But le t his l ife ’s work t ell
How strong the resolute sou l ; h ow mighty they
Who beat beneath their fee t the fears that sway
The timid and the weak . A proud farewel l
We speak , for thou has t stood l ife ’s testing pain ;T hou wast the conqueror of thine adverse fate ;S ight of the soul far - reaching
,thou didst gain ;
Cry of the wronged made thee articulate ;Rights of the dumb thou didst with might maintain ;Deeds l ike t h y Lord ’s ; these we commem orate .
Bertha May BoothA Teacher of the Dumb
T h e theme of t h e fi rst of these sonnetswas suggested by French ’
s wc
f u l t ribute to h is friend , M ilm ore ; t h e w ork entitled. Death and th e
t or,
”
A young man toil ing at the wondrous art
That gives to marble human form and gracePerceived a touch and, turning , saw the faceNot of a th reat ’
n ing Horror armed with dartBut of a matron with a loving heart
Who bore this kindly message : “In some placeThy Master bath a need that thou should ’st traceFair l ines of beauty ; that thou l ife impart
To what were else imperfect , shapeless, dead
Thine , daughter , si ster , was a nobler art
Than sculptor ’s craft or painter ‘s ; thou hast l ed
T h e moving of the mind in those apartIn everlasting silence and the dreadOf hopeless years . T h ou ’
st taken Christ ’s own part
In pitying woe and inarticulate needA nd hast these helpl ess from their bondage freed .
I4“
Good night” thou say ’st? Why , i t is not mid-day !Thy sun hath not to noon ’s high altitude
Arisen yet. Like discord harsh and rude ,In music ’s charm seems parting now ; we sayT here can be none who need thee more than theyTo whom thou g av
’st the rare , rich plenitude
Of thy great heart and of thy mind imbuedWith love of duty ; who made toi l seem play ,With love of beauty ; who spake word divine .
“Be opened" to dumb l ips ; whose words in song ,"I trust Thee with my l ife ,
” seem like design
Of Him to whom the ways o f l i fe belong
That we may comfort find as we resign ,T hee to the Father who can do no wrong .
Who would have thought that this memorial strain
My pen should write? For I have seen thee play
In happy sisterhood the summer day ,Of years long past : have heard thy laugh ; refrain
Of thy abounding j oyfulness . No pain
Nor asking “W h y?” of God can take away
T h e memory whereby I hear thee say“Tell us a story , please .
” 0 wh y complainWhen stil l I hear the mu sic of thy tongue ,Stil l see the beauty that can never fade;
For thou shal t be forever fair and young ;A pproaching l ife unknown ,
yet not afraid .
T h y noblest song, I know , is yet unsung ;Thy l ife ’s ful l offering h ath not yet been made !
1 5
In Memory of Mrs . Grace Hamilton Sweeney
Keep thy dear place :Beside us still , we can not le t thee go .
Our l ives shalt stil l thy constant presence know .
More thou wil t be than form or face portrayed .
In that fair dwel l ing that our love hath made
Abide as one who l ives ; keep thine own place .
Keep t h y dear place
Continue thou with us. increase our j oy .
Here, here are those who love thee , here thy boy ,Here father, mother, husband are ; most dearAnd al l who shared thy deeper l ife ; be near ;Stil l l ive with us ; keep always thine old place .
Keep thy dear placeWe who have shared the home ’s sweet sacramentHave right to thee , for thou wast given , no t l ent .
Share , as God w il l s , some larger l i fe , but know ,
He knoweth well , for He hath made us so ,That we shal l keep thee in thine own dear place .
Keep thy deas placeWhen summer silence on the outspread stream
Gives back to heaven its stars ; when all things seem
So l ike a gift of God ’s eternal peace :When clouds have passed, when sound and tumult cease,Thou , though unseen , wil t be in thine old place
Keep thy dear placeW hen by the Father ’s bounties we are fed ,Togeth er at our tabl e breaking bread
,
Seem not as one that ’s absent ; all th e day
Make duty blessed , share thy child ’s fond play ,Make glad our hearts ; keep always thy dear place .
Keep thy dear place
We bid thee no farewell ; we sti l l shal l seeThe light o f thy loved face , and none can beNearer than thou . Share thou the h ome above ,Thou ’l t be no stranger in a world of love
,
But stil l abide with us ; keep thine own place .
1 6
To the Growing Grass at Hill Crest
0 fair, soft turf, pressed o ft by gracious fee t ,Where children play in innocence and glee ;Where tired toilers come a while to free
Their m inds and hearts from struggle and deceitOf courts ’ sharp wrangles and
,in love
,complete
The summer home ’s rare happiness ; and see
The tricky squirrel dart from hickory t ree
With winter store to some secure re treat .
Bless , yielding turf, with coolness active feet
Of those w h o strength and sunshine seek in play ;To whom seems near one who made home complete
Who loved these scenes , and watched from day to day
The bending sk y and lake each other gree t ;She bids you wi th your joy her love repay .
William E . Cramer
In the h igh peerage of the press and p en ,
That unassembled parl iament of s tate .
His was a place among the nobly great .
Right eminen t was be among the men
W h o sought Wisconsin when the wild beas t ’s den
Sti l l held its tenants . In th at ‘
day of fat e
When men on fundamen tals held debate
His was the counsel of a ci ti zenW h o loved the forming comm onwealth , w h o saw ,
Broader th an vision on ou r in l and sea,
The fu ture o f a state on righteou s l aw
Builded to stand forever .
“Hail to thee ,Thou first ’mid equals . W e in rev
’rence draw
Strength from t h y l i fe and its integrity .
P ublish ed 1 905 , M ay 28 ih .
1 8
In Memory of Mrs . Jeannette
Laurie Fahner
If all were l ike her happy al l would be,
How kindly was h er laugh , how inno
cent her glee !
T wo things she j oined that m any k eep
apart :
Wise trust in God ; a j oyous , merry heart .
S o was sh e l ike the morning ’s blessed lightThat upward ‘
g u ides the eye , that makes
all bright
In sk y and earth . B ecause to God she
l ives
Her loving serv ice to us al l she gives .
S o said they al l who knew her daily l ife ,0 friend ! 0 m other ! 0 thou fai thful
wife !
S o didst thou meet each day ’s recurren t
need ;S o didst thou j oin in one t h y creed and
deed .
On Reading One oi the Sonnetsfrom the Portuguese
”
The music of a woman ’s love -made rhyme
Fel l swee t and sad , at e ve , upon my ear ;At evening in the dying of the year .
I knew that sh e , pure Sappho of her time ,Gave love for love ; and , in the happy cl ime
Of Tuscan Florence , sang withou t a peer ,Roused patriots ’ hope and tyrants ’ hate
and fear ,Withou t a peer she sang ’mid band sub
l ime
Who mo thers are at once of sons and
songs !
I knew her l ife had been both love
and l ight ;That sh e h ad aided triumph over wrongs ;Had w rought with those who burned
the Bourbon blight
From Verg il ’s home and Dan t e'
s : and .
w i th thongs ,Had scourged the tyran ts into outer
n ight !
The love that blessed her husband , childand home ,
W as po tent to free Italy and Rome .
1 4 December, 1906 .
20
A Christmas Sonnet
My heart cries “Give ! ” and wil l not rest content
Unless some token tell my love to thee .
What can I give ? Thou needest not from me
Thy table ’s weal th increased ; nor ornament,Fair in design, of art and nature blent ,Thou art no t one that boasteth , saying , SeeHow many they who make their annual plea
Forget me not .” Nay , thou most reverent
Before the love that , l ike the ocean tide ,Sweeps round the earth with heaven -born uplift
Wilt value most the gift that not in pride
Of pleased exchange doth come , bu t was a sigh
That ’s now a laugh ; the joy of need supplied
By lowly toil that some one ,— why not I?
In q uietness must g ive . Sh are love that ’s gladT o bless al ike the joyous and the sad ;T o say, i f thou dost mourn some hear t that ’s still ,Thy fondest hope is l ess than God ’s good will .
0I
Dies Irae
Dies irae dies il la , dies tribu lat ion is e t angus
tiac , dies calam itat is e t miserias , dies tene
brarum e t calig in is, dies nebul ae e t tu rbin is .
Dies tubae e t clang o'
ris super civitates m u
nitas , e t super angulos excelsos . — S oph on ia
I : 1 5 , 1 6 .
Dies IraeB Y THOMAS OF CELANO .
D ies irae ! Dies il la !
S olve t saeclum in fav i lla ,Teste David cum Sibyll a .
Quantus tremor est inturns ,Quando Judex est ven turus ,
Cunc ta s tricta d iscussurus !
Tuba m irum sparg ens sonum
Per sepulch ra reg ionu rn ,
Cog e t omnes ante t h ronum .
Mors st upebit , e t Natu'
ra ,
O num resurg e t creatura
Judican t i responsura .
Liber scriptu s profere tu r ,In quo totum con t ine tu r,
Unde m undus ljud ice tu r .
Judex erg o quum sedebit ,
Quidqu id late t apparebit ,Nil inu l tum reman ebit .
Quid sum miser tunc d ic tu t'us?
Quem pat ronum rog at urus,
Quum v ix'
gjustus sit securus?
Rex trem endae maj estatis ,Qui salvandos sal vas gra t is ,Salva me , Fons p ie tat is.
22
Day of Wrath
That day is a day of wrath , a day of trouble and
distress, a day o fw asteness and desolation ,a day
of dark ness and gloominess, a day of thick clouds
and thick darkness .A day of the trumpet and alarm against fenced
ci t ies , and against the high towers . — ! ephaniah ,I 1 5 1 6 .
Day of Wrath
Day o f wrath ! T h at day por tended
David ’s word with Sibyl ’s blended ;Earth in flame and ashes ended .
Great the fear ; that dread time neare t h
When the awful Judge appearethWho al l causes strictl y heareth .
Hark ! The trumpet, uttering thunderThrough the tombs now rent asunder ,D rives all to The Throne in wonder .
Death and Nature now are shaking
Lo,creation riseth quaking ,
To the j udgment cal l awaking .
Forth is brought the Book revealing
All the record ; deed, thought , feeling
Earth is j udged ; there’s no conceal ing
When the Judge His session holdeth
Who each secre t thing unfolde t h
Nor unpunished sin beholdeth .
Wretched,what shal l I be pleading,
Whom entreat for help or heeding
When the j ust are mercy needing?
King whose maj esty hath spok en ,To Thy chosen . word unbroken
Save me : be T h y Cross the token .
23
Recordare , Jesu pie ,Quod sum causa tuae Viae
Ne me perdas il la die .
Quaerens me sed ist i lassus ;Redem ist i crucem passu s ;Tantus labor non sit cassu s
Juste Judex u l t ion is,
Donum fac rem ission is
Ante diem rat ion is .
Ing em isco tanquam reus ;Culpa rubet vul tus meus
Suppl icanti parce , D eus .
Qui Mariam absolvist i,
E t lat ronem exaudist i , |
Mihi quoque spem ded ist i .
Preces m eae non sunt dignac ,
Sed tu bonus fac benigne ,Ne perenni cremer igne .
Inter oves locum praest a,
E t ab h aedis me seques tra ,S tatuens in partedextra .
Confu tat is m aled ic t is,
Flamm is acribus add ic t is,
Voca me cum ben ed ic t is.
O ro supp lex e t acclin is,
Cor con t ri tum quasi cin is .
Gere curam m e i finis.
L acrym osa dies i l l a ,Qua resurg e t ex favi ll a
Judieandus homo reu s ;Huic ergo parce , D eus !
24
The solemn word that holy Thomas spake
Is surely warning for the present time .
This is t h e day o f j udgment ; mornings break
That bring re vealings o f some hidden C l ime .
0 hear t of m ine ! unclean unless God dwel l
Welcomed wi thin thee , know thy j udgment ’snear .
Yea , even at the doors ; His thunders tel l
All secret things . Is this a cause for fear .That heaven and earth se t truth against the l ie ;Duty against thy love of idl e ease ;Eternal l ife against the things th at die ?
B e thou unhappy then , for God’
s decrees
Are registered against thee . But , i f pure
Thine inward purpose , and i t right thy choice ,Thou wil t be gl ad that j udgment standeth sure .
“Jehovah re igneth ; l e t the earth rej oice !”
26
A Nation-Bu ilder
Send , send us men , good men , and send them now ,
A nation builder called , for wel l he knew
That even as the summer breezes bl ewTen thousand farms, new made with busy plow ,
Had registered in maize their potent vow
That homes should be where once wild grasses grew .
“A state is making .
” Swift h is w ing ’d words flew ;With manhood ’s weal th do ye th is realm endow
Count time by hours , not by month or year .
”
Then he , companion for apostle meet ,Led where he bade to follow . Life was dear
,
But not h is own . His offering was complete .
His name stands first where honored names appear
On prophets ’ school and college : Stephen Peet .
And on our state , am id h e r greatest , best,We read i t as on lasting pal impsest .
In Memory of a Friend
Glean-l ipped , fine -featured,with the onward look
Of one who, l eaving boyhood , stands al ert
To see what course before thy manhood lay ;Such wast thou
,friend . I know thy honest hand ,
Thy voice sincere , striking the deeper note
That means the entrance on the larger l ife
That l ies be fore each boy of noble aim .
Of purpose high and spirit resolute .
0 these th ings make man ’s l i fe ! and these were thine .
A re thine , and by them thou wil l serve so long
As this great universe hath need of good ,O f man
’
s integri ty and h ighest worth .
N!
-i
In Memory of John Nagle
He serves God well who serves h is fe l low-man ;He faithful is who doubts no t that t h e searchFor truth wil l have deserved , divine rew ard '
He leader is who hews himsel f a road
And shows what man can do ; and patriot he
Who puts above the clamor of the day his sense
O f duty and of right : these things thou didst,Clear mind , strong sou l and teacher thou of
men .
True hero,for thou didst no t fear the stri fe ,
A nd striving th ou hast won a Victor ’s crown
For thou hast s triven wel lI d id not p ersonally know Mr . Nag le , However I honor
h im fo r t h e good work h e d id as sup erintendent of t h eManitowoc county schoo ls. Even more do I honor h im fo rt h e st and h e took against t h e hyp ocrisy and beer-add ledbigotry that brought about t h e rep eal o f t h e so -cal led B enn ett law ; a rep eal that w as a legislative misdeed . and w as
f o l low ed by an increase of i l l iteracy in ou r d isgraced state
In Memory of Frances Schroeder
Who p erished when t h e steamer “Co lumbia wentdown near S an Franc isco .
Not where the sound of bel ls
Fal l s from some hal lowed shrine
Not where the marble tells
Hope of a faith divine ;
No t where the grasses creep
Soft when the June stars shine ;Not where thy kindred sleep
Lies that fair form of thine .
Then is the place unblest
We may not know or see
Where thou didst find the rest
Whose morn is eternity ?
Nay , for the word of God’s psalm
Proclaimeth that His is the sea ;He made it ; i ts storm and its calm ;He will speak , and it no more sh al l
Th e Manse, Green L ak e,1 0A ugust, 1 908 .
At the Grave of William Taylor
I came a stranger and a friend 1 foundIn him whose form is hid by this low mound .
How did he seek his daily task to do?
A s one w h o fai thful was , and j ust and true .
How did he wri te the story o f his l i fe?
In love o f children , home , and God , and wife .
What was his hope for better l ife above?The word divine that saith ,
“Our God i s love .
At St . John’
s Cathedral
Shall I who can not speak the Shibboleth
Of creed polem i c enter here and pray?
No voice is heard,no tone or organ breath .
A soothing si lence fil l s the sof tened day .
Why hesitate? This ismy Father ’s shrine,
Appointed as a place of holy tryst ;The broken bread . the hal lowed fruit of vine ,Show here His dy ing Who is cal led the Christ .
The bread shal l perish and the cup shal l fail,
Yet He abide th Whom they feebly show .
The hymn , the creed , the peni tential wail
Change word and form , b ut change. He can
not know .
I meditate,seek peace . E ternity
Seems palpable and present . B older grown
My soul claims place in that bles t company
Who worship the Eternal One alone .
30
John Calvin on Government
From h is address to Francis I . Versified by J . N . Davidsonfrom A l len ’
s translation .
B u t i t shal l be yours , mv king .
Not to turn away your ears
Or your though ts from j ust defence
In a cause of such importance
A s maintaining unimpaired
God’
s own glory in t h e world
And the honor of His tru thAnd continuance uninj ured
Of the k ingdom of our Christ .
This is cause wor th your attention ,
Worthy your cognizance royal ,Worthy of your throne exalted .
This consider, i s true kingship
That you own yoursel f God ’s servan tIn your kingdom ’s government .
Where God ’s glory is not made
E nd and purpose of all rul ing
There is but a usurpation
Sore deceived he who expect e th
Lasting good in any kingdom
Not by God ’s own scepter governed
And that scepter is His Scripture
Heavenly oracle ne ’er faileth,
Truth of Proverb that declareth
Where no vision is , the people
Perish , casting off restraint .
31
Versification of Micah v i . 6-8Wherewith shal l I come before God
And bow mysel f down to Jehovah ?
Will Jehovah be pleasedWith thousands of rams
Or ten thousands of rivers of oil?
Shal l I give my first born for my sin,my
transgression ,The frui t o fmy body for sin of my soul ?
Man , He hath showed thee
The thing s that are good ,And wh at do th Jehovah require of theeBut j ustice to do ,And kindness to love
And humbly to walk with thy God?
The Kingdom of GodRead at the semi centennial anniversary of the establ ish
ug h ton , Wisconsin , under the p astorate of Rev . Robert S ew
ister of that place, o f the Congregational church organize
n o f Dunk irk , 1 846 , February 22d, under the pastorate of Re
low, and re organi zed at Cooksvil le in 1 85 1 .
Respec t ful ly inscribed to Mr . and Mrs . J . H . Townsend , hwork of The Kingdom .
thing only is g reat, and that is the kingdom ;gdom o f God or of heaven , o r the kingdom o f manhood
abood comple ted in Godhood, both known in the Master,whom we build on who plan fo r the ages ; Foundationp and eternal
,unfolding bo th l ife and i ts toil ings .
dom is theirs who so bu i ld fo r them selves and the ir fel lows .
3 they buil t whom we honor at this convocation .
ould we write as they l ived ! Then the roar o f the ocean
gled with sound of long j ourneys would hush al l our speak in
should hear sobbings, and part ings from homes lef t forever .should know also the s treng th of their purpose who pressein t o lands wild and lonely , for such were our prairies .
are we should know their heart anguish,and share fearful st
rt ling the car when the ear th is as sil ent as starl ight32
Our Twenty-seven Presidents
Hear first a name the world reveres ;He led through years of hopes a nd fears
Our Washington of world-wide fame .
Th en Adams came of humbler name .
He first Vice -President had been
And ’mid war ’s din had helped to win
In king ’s courts place for nation new .
His heart was true when friends were few .
Four years he steered the ship of state
Through danger great , for France , so late
Our country ’s friend,had foe become ,
“Her war ships come ! ” men said , while som e
As sentinels upon the landFrom him so grand await command ,From W ashing ton the army
’s chief,
Whose service brie f (as seemed to grief !Had end amid this vexing strife ;Had end with l ife , while tears of wifeAnd nation followed to his restThe one cal led best . He stood l i fe ’s tes t
Mark this ofA dam s : First was heTo dwell where we , by wise decree ,Buil t new and great ou r capital ;That pride of al l ; may it never fal l
Two terms , you know had Washington
And Adams one ; his service done
Plain Thomas Jefferson held sway .
We this may say : He had his way ,Enlarging by the Purchase greatOur Un ion buil t of state on state .
He bough t (thus led ou r land ’s advance !What was to France realm of romance
34
E ight years he served ; and war -cloud dark
With lightning spark for al l to mark
Hung thundering over al l our seas .
Our land to please , her fears to ease ,James Madison hard duty found .
Soon came war ’s sound with death and wound .
For freedom on the seas we fought .
By courage taught ; with l ife , peace bought .
Monroe next ruled ; our land was blest .
Great grew the West ; as honored gues tC ame La Fayette the land t o see
He helped to free,— for you and me !
T h e younger Adams next held sway
Then one grown gray in war ’s fierce wayThe sturdy Jackson whose command
Smote treason ’s h and in erring land .
Van Buren next was nation ’s guide ;Then one who died while yet untried
In that great offi ce,Harri son .
S oon se t his sun , his duty done .
T hen Tyler served ; next , James K . Polk :
When war awoke with deadly stroke .
But welcome peace (the story ’s old !Gave land of gold
,of wealth untold .
Next dying in his wel l won fame,
Brave Taylor came , of honored name .
T hen Fillmore served ; next , Franklin Pierce .
Alas for Pierce ! when stri fe was fierceHe ruled ; and then Buchanan came .
Next, greatest name and purest fameS ince Washington , our Lincoln earned .
He right had l earned and wrong he spurned .
By fearful deed,— the nation ’s woe .
C rime laid him low . Next, Johnson know .
T hen came the unboasting soldier Grant,S o free from cant and empty rant .
35
Next Hayes the exalted office fil l ed ,T hen votes willed (who soon were thril led
Once more with tal e of crime ’s wild thrust ! :To give the trust to Garfield j ust .
Then Arthur President became ,This rol l of fame nex t bears the name
Of Cleveland , by sharp contest tried .
We bade preside as nation ’s gu ide ,Next term , the younger Harr ison .
Twice Cleveland won ; h is se rvice doneMcKinley took the helm of state
When dark and great war ’s cloud and fate
Broke peace with Spain . A tale of crime
Now mars our rhyme . O mournful t ime !
A gain a President was slain .
In shame and pa lm— foul murder ’s stain ,His grave was made where once he dwel t .
He j ustice deal t . Then Roosevel tA scholar bold in hunter
‘
s craft ,A fee of
“graft,” preceded Taft .
T hen Wilson of New Jersey cam’
e ,Of col lege fame and high acclaim .
36
Governors of Wisconsin
Before Wisconsin was a state
Twice Dodge the bold had governed well .T wo o thers held the office grea t ,To put the tale in rhyme we tel lThat Dodge came first and fourth : between
Came Doty , second ; Tal lmadge , third :
And then Wisconsin ’s name is seen
In l ist of states . You ’ve often heard‘
That Dewey , first,the peopl e chose ,
Then Farwell,Barstow
,Bashford cam e .
N ext Randall ’s name the record shows :
Then Harvey j ustly known to fame .
Who where dark Southern river flows
Found death in service for the state .
O n Salomon the office fel l,
While stil l we mourned brave Harvey ’s fate .
T h e name of Lewis next we tell .
Then Fairchild thrice the peopl e chose .
H e lost an arm in Southern fight .Read Washburn , Tay lor , names
’mid those
Who held the office . Then we write
Both Ludington and Smi th . Next read
T hat Rusk bore rul e for seven ful l years .
Then Hoard , and Peck , and Upham h eed .
N ext S cofield came . La Follette hears
The Senate ’s call ,,
and so resigns
T o Davidson the honored trust .
These names our history tel l s in l ines'O f praise or blame ; to al l be j ust .
Then came McGovern ; may we tell ,W hen he has done , that he did well .
37
Wisconsin SongTUNE : “AMERICA .
”
Wisconsin , favored state ,In Union true and great
With East and West ;One people , happy , free ,With North and South are we ,With dwellers by the sea;A na t ion blest .
T hey came from far and nearWho hold Wisconsin dear
Nor farther roam ;From states grown great and strong,From realm s of fame and song,They came in eage r throngAnd here found home .
With strength of sturdy arm
They wrought the field and farm ,
Buil t town and school .
Then heard from Southern s trand ,War ’s thunder shake the land
And fought at j ust command
For righteous rule .
With cheerful heart and voice
Their children now rej oiceIn happy song .
We love lands east and west ,Broad plain and mounta in crest,But love Wisconsin best
Her praise prolong !
Fair land of oak and p ine ,O f prairie , lake and mine ,
O ur chosen state ;United would we be ,Our nation serve and thee ,In loyal duty free
God make thee great !
38
Green Lak e School SongTune : Dixie .
There ’s but one Green Lake in the whole
countree ,And th at is the place that pleases me
Best of al l , best of all , best of al l ,Our Green Lake !
Wisconsin state our town is found in ,Good old s tate to g e t
'
arou nd in ,B est of al l , best of al l , best of all ,
Wisconsin !
Chorusfor first stanza
I ’m glad I ’m in Wisconsin ,
Hurrah , hurrah !
Wisconsin grand is my fair land ,Our good old state Wisconsin
Green Lake , Green Lake .
In our good st ate Wisconsin !
Green Lake , Green Lake ,In our good state Wisconsin .
II .
We daily cl imb with a hearty will
To our tip - top school house on the hil l,
On the hill , on the hil l , on the hil l
In Green Lake .
Let the sun shine h o t or the north wind blowWe ’l l push ou r way through the heat or the snow
Up the hill , up the hill , up the hil lIn Green Lake .
Ch orusfor second stanza
Wisconsin ’s in the Union ,Hurrah , hurrah !
The Union grand is my fair land ;I ’m glad I ’m in the Union .
Hurrah , hurrah ,I ’m glad I ’m in the Union .
Hurrah , Hurrah ,I ’m glad I ’m in the Union .
39
III .
And when in the world our way we take
We’
l l do as we did in old Green Lake ,Climb the hill , cl imb the hil l , cl imb the hil l
With brave wil l !
Never loaf in‘
the heat nor balk in the snow
But with God ’s good help we will forward go ;Push along , push along, push along ,
With a song !
Chorus for th ird stanza
The best is al l before us ,Hurrah
,hurrah !
The whole world grand is our fair l and
With bright skies bending o ’er us .
Hurrah , hurrah !
The best is all before us ;Hurrah
,hurrah ,
The best is al l before us !
40
Convention HymnThe faith the fathers held we keep ,And ours the task their hands laid down
The fields they sowed we til l and reap ;Bear summer ’s heat and winter ’s frown .
But what the faith that once they taught ,Their guide in darkness, strength in storm?
This , l e t the word he unforgot ,God ’s changeless truth in changing form .
What task was theirs? The outward deed
That love impelled . Can ours be l ess?
Learn well and share their hearts ’ great creed ,Their eager j oy to serve and bless !
Dedication Hymn
TUNE : MENDEE RAS
His feet shal l press th is threshold ,His face give l ight wi thin ;He maketh here His blest foldAnd cal l eth wanderers in .
A sk ’st thou “Of whom this story ?”
Christ Jesus this i s He“
Who cometh with the lowly ;Look , contrite heart, and see !
T h ough earth and heaven are tell ing
Thy wonders , Lord , and praise ,We need Thy nearer dwell ingIn walls ou r hands m ay raise .
Fil l then this house with glory ,Teach Thou ou r eyes to see
Thy presence with the lowly
In temple buil t for Thee !42
Endeavor Consecration Hymn
Where I may serve Thee best, 0 Master ,Keep me or send .
Life ’s days are passing fast and faster ,Soon labor here must end .
Joy is i t, blessed Lord, to serve Thee
Where Thou dost call :Mountain or pla in or forest pl ease me
Things either great or small .
CHORUS
Turn my life from self and sadness,
Choose paths for m e
Thy service , Lord , is j oy and gladnessHappy my walk with Thee .
In brightest sunshine cal l to serve Thee ;Call Thou in storm ;
Bid me to homes of those who need Thee
Of known or unknown form ;Cal l Thou to cities busy thronging
,
Or desert lone :
Send me , with peace , to strife and wronging,Or to the sad heart ’s moan .
CHORUS
Blessed the loving hand that saved me ,Hand pierced and torn .
Blessed the tender heart that owned me
Sinner condemned,forlorn .
Thy loving kindness , i t hath won me ,Love all Thine own .
And, Master , when in j oy I meet Thee
Let me not come alone
CHO RU S
43
The Pledge in Song
Tune : Ariel , Meribah o r Brem en .
T his sacramental pledg e I tak e ,C Master , for Thy love
’s dear sake ;For strength I trust in Thee .
T h y truth I’ll read in each day ’s l ight ;
C ompanion on Thy path of rightI ’l l strive , my Lord , to be .
My need shal l seek Thy help in prayer
T h y church be mine in constant care ;I ’l l g o where
’er sh e call s .
Her worship , praise and words of grace
Shal l find me seeking Thy loved faceWithin her hallowed walls .
T h e k now ’st h ow frail I am , O _
L ord ,
Gird me with courage as a sword,
Teach Thou my hands to fight
Then through my l i fe l ’l l fai thful be,
With true endeavor serving Thee
In trial or del ight .
W hen they whose fellowsh ip is mineS hall meet for prayer and song d ivine
In honor , Lord , O f Thee ,Their j oyous comradeship I ’l l seek ,
S ome word of truth my l ips shal l speak ;AMEN ; so l e t i t bel
44
A Lak eside Walk in Winter Wind
The pulses speed the eager feet .
Each bound reveal s a gleamed surprise .
Look , look ! Behold these doubled Sk ies !
The blue above,with cloudlets fleet ;
The darker sk y beneath that frowns
With secrets of a sil ent world .
(A sk not what ships, once tempest -whirl ed ,Lie hidden there . ! See j ewel ed crownsOf flashing l ight and changing form
In maze magn ificent proclaim
The sovereign sway . the potent name
Of leaping leagues o f l ake and storm .
Tho toilers of the troubled sea
Fl ing foaming fury on the sands ;A haquick the winter ’s frosted hands
Seize waters , dashing wild and free ,A nd change their captive drops to stone !
T h e fierce assailants of the shore
Beat charge again , with ang ry roar ,But thunders die in sobbing moan .
The treacherous winds that , far at sea ,Commanded strife ’gainst ship and coast,A nd armed the huge embattled host ,Lead shoreward to the strife , then flee .
The vanquished waters in defeat
Burst high toward skies and icy day ;The torrents fal l in shining spray
On crystal turrets that repeat
From seams of ice , an em ’rald
’
s flaws ,In strength renewed of winds ’ wild rush ,The blows of blocks in crash and crush ,
Like grinding of a monster ’s j aws .
What builders toil upon the shore
Unwearied al l the restless night,
Unseen by stars or morning light?
Whose was the deft, inventive lore ,Constructive skil l and grand designThat buil t these arched and massive hal ls,These palaces and terraced wall s
Upreared in beauty all divine?
And thus , the lake and land between ,
I j ourney for this winter day ;I dream no t of the distant May .
Let then these dunes bear scanty green ;My joy is now the pageantry
That diamonded these ancient sands ,Reveals the work of unseen hands
And walled a thousand miles o f sea
Two Rivers, February,1 903.
46
Wisconsin Spring
Spring is a long continued fight’Twixt winter and the summer ,There comes
,perchance , a day
’
s del ight
And next an Alaskan hummer .
Amid ou r mixed and varied weathers ,Half-frozen rain, and w ind , and snow .
The robin wishes for more feathers ;Indeed he may , for aught I know .
Wish for a “merry widow ” hat
To serve as shelter , h ouse or home ,Save that beneath so vast a domeHe wouldn ’t know “where he was at l”
But fields shal l drink their cups of snow .
The A rctic winds shall cease to blow ;In mighty wrestle summer throw
The tyrant winter ; next how soon
In long clear days at highest noon
Will each one say with sweat on phiz“Whew , what a change ! How hot it is ! ”
4 7
The Wind of Yesterday
Thingsflew that had no wings
Just yesterday .
The farmers traded land ,
Mixed with a lo t of sand ,Just yesterday .
The cheerful man who sing s
Of spring and such -l ike things
Was sil ent yesterday .
The man whose hat the wind blew O ff
This morning has a dreadful cough .
He g o t i t yesterday
W hile running for his blamed old hatHe could n ’
t see“where he was at ,
”
Just yesterday .
Bu t g ot his m on t h al l fil l ed w i th dus t
That came with tearing blast and gust ;He almost fel t that he would “bust”
Just yesterday .
He couldn ’t s ing —and would n ’t prav ,
Just yesterday .
The rooster, used“
to al l the weathers ,Is looking new to find his feathers ;
He los t them y esterday .
This morning women groan and say :“Behold the work of yesterday !
Bring broom and pan . Oh no . oh no .
Was ever woman troubled so?
They ’re no t enough . Just get the h oe .
”
D ousman, 1 906 , M arch 22 .
Have You a Rhyme for Pesh tigo?Peshtigo , Peshtigo !
How the nimble trochees flow
Seeking rhyme for Peshtigo ,For the dacty l Pesh t igo !“Mesh” I know ,
"m esh ” I know
Is this rhyme for Peshtigo?
No ; i t i s a sonant sin
Not to have the t - sound in
And these “meshes ” lack the "tSurely that ’s a grie f t o me .
I may dive or swim o r cl imb
For that longed- for triple rhyme ,For that most elus ive chime
But must ask your help for I'
m
Meshed I know . meshed I know,
Hunting rhymes for Pesht igo .
T ry once more : Refreshed I go
With two rhymes for Pesht igo !
My Neighbor’
s Ch ick ens
T h e fo l low ing verses exp resses no grievance of my own .
I cou ld not ask fo r more considerate neighbors, But al lgardeners are not so fortunate , and it is for their sake andat t h e suggestion of one of them that these l ines werew ritten .
Sometimes I say“The dickens !
There are my n eighbor ’s chickens !"
My neighbor I like well
But - l e t me grievance tell
I do not l ike his chickens .Save when he bids me to a roastAnd plays the part of kindly host .
50
My garden is most dear to me
From carro t bed to apple tree
And so my patience s ick ens
When I behold the chickens
In i t and scratching merrily .
Dark gloom grows darker , thick ens ,In looking at those chickens .
A certain scientific man
O nce called the hen “A fe eble bird .
It is , I’m sure , o n no such plan
M y neighbor’s hens are bu il t ; the word
“Feeble"to them does not apply .
I wish Professor would stand by
And see those hens make mulching fly
O r l et him watch them as they ea tMy cauliflower choice and sweet ,Or gorge themsel ves ‘
on berries fine
T h e way they always do wi th mine .
They ru n on their destructive fee t
From stalk to stalk , from vine to vine ,O r scratch as if they dug a mine .
And so , my neighbor, won’t you , pl ease .
My cares dispel , my t roubl es ease ,By keeping al l your hens at home ?IS oon ,
soon the very earth w il l freezeAnd then the fowls at l arge may roam .
S o I ’ll not need the pen of Dick ens‘
T o tel l my horror of your chickens !
5 1
To Mr. Camagie’
s Spelling Reform
Association
There was a man who had the ague ,He thought i t was a dreadful plagu e .
His home was in a town named Prague ,His name was Robert Al len Sprague .
The school ma ’am said to Johnny Bright“The word ‘potatoes ’ — spel l i t right .
Now “dough ”on j ust the day be fore
Had sent John shamefaced from the floor,But he had learned h is l esson well ,“P - O
” his tongue began to tell ,O -u -
g-h ” — that ’s “po
” I ’m sure ,
(How good it is to k now a cure
For spell ing bad ! ! and“a” in “eight”
H i g h”as sure as fate ,
With “t” prefixed i t must spel l “ta .
I ’m sure that ’s j us t as clear as day ;And “beaux ” that teaches me righ t wel l
The last part of my word to spel l .
And now I ’l l drop my crooked verseAnd turn to prose or something worse .
This is the way my mind is bent
To spel l the product esculent :P - O u -
g -h-t -e i g -h t e -a-u -x,
P o t a t o e s !
A man came in while clerk was out
And spel led a name ; of that no doubt“P -h -t - h ” and “
o-l-o .
”
The clerk perplexed thought Read that slow .
P -h - t - h ,
” and “0-1 “
g-n .
” “y
-rr” and “h .
"A Russian surely ” thought the clerk
With visions of a bomb or dirk .
The stranger then appeared in view“I beg your pardon , sir, wil l you
Pronounce your name? I ’m sure that few
52
T o this hotel have ever come
With n ame I could not frame to someS yl labicated utterance clear
But yours I can ’t prononce , I fear .
“My name ,” the stranger prompt repl ied ,
Is simply ‘ Turner ;’ I ’ve defied
T h e spell ing book s to show I ’m wrong .
Add now ,in mingled prose and song
Let ’s show according to wh at plan ,
His name was spell ed by this bad man
T h e“t” he sounded as in “phthisic ,
”
A nd colonel ” gave him “0 l-O ,
”
“G-n you find in "sign,
” “allig n ,
"Y -r -r- h ” i s seen in “myrrh .
T h e gasping clerk said “Th ank you ,sir !
I ’l l give you number n ig n ty-migu
And serve you nei ther beer nor w ig hA nd h ope your wronged and mispelled name
Wil l guide you in to sen se and fame .
”
A Suggested Ending for One of James
Wh itcomb Riley’
s Poems
Nobody on the old farm now but mother,an ’ me , an
John ;B u t I guess that state of things ain ’t going to keep
right on
For we all go to ch urch in the morning , and John inthe evening , too .
They need me to sing,” h e says, and that, I suppose ,
is true ;A nd the girl that plays the organ — Well
, all theneighbors say
John ’s horse don ’t head for home any more but always
the other way !
53
Carpet Beating
Thump, thump ! This rug’s the worst one yet .
A fool would swear, a child would fret .
But What ’s the sense of al l complaining?“It ’s h O t “It ’s cold ;
” ’Twil l soon be raining ;The dust is l ike a cloud ;
” “I fear
Those microbes ever coming near .
At no one time can al l those things
Be true , and so the wise man sings“Thump on , thump on ! Keep time , keep time ;Your blows should make a kind of rhyme .
Thump , thump , for there’s a near by pump
W i th water plenty , i f a lump
Form in the doorway o f the throat .
So then,thump on ! Throw off your coat .
Thump,thump , and think how school boy s
j ump .
Whack , whack, thump, thump , whack , whack .
thump , thump .
”
D on ’t say that th is i s woman’s work
You lazy,good- for-noth ing Sh i rk .
A white man , you can bet your l ife ,Is not ashamed to help his wife .
A Mohawk might be or a Sioux ;But surely , friend, not I nor you .
And yet there is a kind of pleasure
In cleansing beat and rhythmic measure .
The work must needs be done , and I
May have the fun and make thing s fly .
So thump and whack . and whack and thump ,Don ’t whine , don
’t growl , don’t be a gump .
For much that’
s good,as I shal l te ll ,
Is in your task , so do i t well .
Here ’s carpet-beater ’s j oy . You ’
ve guessed i t?
54
Thank God for friends whose feet have pressed(This
“i t” means carpet , not the j oy,You keen-wit girl , you high school boy
A nd so we ’l l make our carpet-beatingA right good chance for hearty greeting
To al l who step upon our floors ,To all who come within ou r doors .
Yet last I’
l l say , with rev’ren t meaning
Thank heaven and man for vacuum cleaning
The Steam Thresher
Whistle ’s cal l and the men ’s prompt stir,
“Chuh , chuh , chuh , bh urr-urr -urr .
”
Bundled grain in the pitchfork ’s gripTossed to the curved knives ’ slash and rip .
“Chuh , chuh , chuh . bh u rr-urr urr,
T h e engine’
s gasp and the thresher ’s whirr .Steel toothed cy l inder ’s countless knocks
,
Throbb ing sieve and the full gra in -box .
Measured bulk of the ripened grain
(Harvest toil hath not been in va in ! ,Rye , or oats , or the hard -brown , wheat ,Hurries the tread of the carriers ’ feet .
Ceaseless stream of the beaten straw
Poured to the blower ’s greedy maw,Caught in the long p i pe ’s blast and gust ,Borne to the stack in a storm of dust .
Honor inventive sk il l and thought ;Honor the hands that have shaped and wrought ;Honor the farmer ’s toil and vim !
Praise L o rd of al l in our threshers ’ hymn !
55
On a Bill for The Doane Owl
(A Col lege Paper !
How to make "The Owl ” much better?
Loose the bird from every fe tter
Of the chain of debt , and l e t herWing her course al l unimpeded,Money is the thing that ’s needed .
Be my admonition heeded .
Other ways are mere i l lusion,Ending only in confusion ,P ut away such vain delusion .
Toil and trade your purses fil l .
Pay you then that “l ittl e b il l ,
(Overdue?! with right good will .
If you heed this needed preaching
And the plaintive “Owl ’s ” beseeching,
Soon that bird will cease her screechi ng !
And in gentl e note s and lowTel l you where alumni go,Bring you word o f j oy o r woe .
Here’
s the cash for my subscription .
Let me the collector ’s grip shunA nd al l things of description !
Aid the students’ enterpriseT i l l the ir pockets and their eyes
Both bulge ou t in great surprise .
Then they ’l l treat “The Owl” right well ;Write much bette r; and ,— don
’t tell ,They may even learn to spell !
56
For the Young Folk s at Hill Crest
Go , g o ,
Drifts of snow ;0 fall , brown leaves ,From the old oak trees ;Blow , south wind , blow !
I want the Hill Crest lawn to show
A happy girl , a laughing boy ,They ’re always fil led with glee and j oy .
Now who ’s that girl and who’
s that boy?
That girl with bonnie , cheerful face ?
Why , that’s Miss Grace !
The boy ? Well , well ! Now give me time !
He has a name not meant for rhyme !
They cal l him T ompie . He’
s al l right !
He ’l l come when June ’s blue skies arebright !
Visions Given by a Voice
The reader turned the centuries back ;We breathed the new world ’s atmosphere ;Saw huntsmen on the wild boar ’s track ;Heard Norsk winds whistl e loud and clear ;With Shakespeare walked by Avon ’s stream ;Saw Mil ton , blind for freedom
’s sake
Heard B unyan tel l his wondrous dream
Heard thunders rol l on Leman ’s l ake .
The Song of the Needle
Great Homer sang Achill es ’ wrath
And also traced the crooked pa thThat brought Ulysses to his home
T hrough treacherous seas and billows ’ foam .
In Latin verse good Vergil told
The story of his hero bold .
Ital ian Dante bids us know
The horrors of the world below ;And English Mil ton wrote on themesBeyond our ken, above our dreams.
Pope bantered one who he cal l ed fairAbout a cut-off lock of hair .
“The sofa ,” Cowper said .
“I sing ;And ,
“my barbaric yaw p I fl ing
O ’er al l the world ,” Walt W hitman wrote .
A nd now may I attempt a note ?
May I the honored needle praise ,A nd tel l i ts use in humble lays ;I who have held i t in disdain
And said “To sew is always pain ?
Repentant now, on duty bent
I take the humble instrument
And make its usefulness my own
Without a sigh , complaint or groan .
And so, with neither fear nor dread
I ’l l wri te my song in l ines of thread !1 907, Ap ril, 1 1 th .
59
The Academy’
s Soldier
Inspired by the spl endid enthusiasm of PrincipalRochester Academy :
Is this the new word : We must teach boys to fight?
Have we taught them to do things bu t not to do rightL eft them weak in their powers of choice and decisi
Compelled them to learn mathematic precision
Without appl ication to duty or l i fe?
A n d,knowing ful l wel l the world ’s contest and stri
Have we fail ed to teach boys who are foes , who are fr
Wha t enemy wars and wh at Captain defends?Have we sent out young soldiers unarmed and untrainT o a strugg l e wherein al l is lost or is gained?
60
A Scene Depicted on the Sh ield Made by
Hephaestus for Ach illes
Il iad xvii i . 593— 606 .
Unmarried youths and maidens for whose sake
Their ardent wooers to the parents gave
Of cattl e numerous gifts ; these al l there danced
With hands close clasped upon each others’ wrists .
The maidens finest of fine l inen wore .
The young men also were in linen c lad ,Close -fit t ing garments made with oil to gl eamOn pol ished surface of the wel l wove cloth .
Wreaths beauti ful the maidens wore ; the youths
Had knives th ev used at sacrifice or feast .
These gilded were , these knives of peaceful use ,By silvered baldric from the shoulder hung .
Youths , maids , ran l ightly on their wel l -trained
feet ;As craftsman seated at ceramic artSets po tter ’s wheel awhirl between his palms ,A trial making of i ts speed and worth ;They form ed swift circles in the mazy dance .
At one time youths,at other graceful maids
Haste into ranks athwart each others ’ course .
D elighted to their hearts ’ content a throng
Stood round about the love -inspiring dance
Wherein two gymnas ts led lik e whirl ing wheels .Now touching earth with feet and now with hands .
6 1
A Parable of Hope
B eneath the ice and fold of snow
Imprisoned , yet in endless flow .
The clear , pure waters come and go .
The winter ’s touch hath power to bind
As death may hide the h eart and mind,
Yet stream and soul their own shal l find .
At evening time there sh al l be l ight
For us alone the solemn night .
Beyond the evening,dawn ’s delight .
Be these thy parables div in eFor comfort of th at grief of thine ;The eve grows dark that dawns may shine .
For those se t free as is the l ight
The eve and morning blend in sight
Where home and heaven their j oys unite !
Believe
I walked upon the wave -wet sand ,D ividing l ine ’twixt lake and land
,
And heard the whitened bil lows break
Then said a voice like His who spake
T o John of old by Patmos ’ sea ,“Bel ieve on me .
” “Bel ieve on me .
”
To My Neighbors at Hill Crest
Shal l I do dear Sam a wrongIf I write no l ittl e song
Tell ing how he pleases Grace .
Brings t h e l ight to T om p ie’s face ,
Shares their play or runs a race ,Merry al l about the place?
No ; I’d do the duck no wrong
If I failed to make the song .
He'
l l not care for verse or rhyme .
But this p l easant summer-time
I have seen m y l i ttle neighbors ,Happy in their kindly labors
Making Sam and others glad .
So I say ,
“God bless the lad ;Bless the lassie ;
” and I know
That the love to Sam they showMakes their own hearts richer, truer ;Makes the sky seem brighter , bluer ;Makes them to us al l a j oy
(I mean duck , and girl , and boy ! .
So I ’d surely do a wrong
If I did not say in song
To loved T om pie and Miss Grace
(Merry al l about the place !That thei r duck ’
s importan t , quite ,With his new-grown feathers whit e ;But the more important thingIs their love ; of this I sing !
1 909 S ummer.
63
To Mr. H . B . Lowe
On the Eighty-fourth Anniversary of His Birth
S on ,daughter, daughter
’s child and lov ing w i feHave privilege this day we may no t share .
Nearest t h y heart are they , part of thy l ife .
Chief joy by right is theirs . but they wil l bear
The kindly meant intrusion of t h y friends
Who bring their heart fel t wishes fo r t h y joy .
We claim as ours one on whom W orth attends ;High worth wi th cheer as Of a happy boy :High worth of character and i t s crown o f years
Thus claim we thee as ours,thou ci t izen ,
Once soldier, always patrio t . W h o hears
Thy name and does not see thee w i th the menW h o saved our Union and endangered flag .
Whose courage did not fail nor ardor lag?
Our land is hol ier, for it caught thy blood
In battle that was part of sad defeat
Fought where high hills guard Rappah anock’s flood
And stil l the fame of Washing ton repea t :That blushed in blood at foul Secession ’s rage
At Slavery , rel ic of a darkened age .
What years those were of battle ! Live , l ive on .
Give us the spirit of the mighty deeds
Of which thou wast a part ; of heroes gone .
Be inspiration : for our land stil l needs
The service of the story and t h e song
That celebrate high triumph over wrong .
Th e Manse,
Nineteen Th irteen , M ay fifth .
In Memory of Professor Joseph Emerson
Whom t h e Be lo it boys cal led ! eus.
Again these happy summer days I read
That ever- l iving tale o f Il ium
A trides Agamemnon , king of men .
By impious deed brings evil on the cam p
And rouses wrath in wronged Achill es ’ breastFor whose dear sak e Thetis to ! eus appeal s .
But when that magic name I dwell upon
I see a nobler ! eus who with us walked .
Companion ye t supreme . O towering hight ,Of l iving scu lpture fashioned by t h e touch
That Grecian cul ture gives a Christian soul .Thou art my ! eus , my potent Jupiter !In honor of t h y stately maj esty ,Of form and bearing and profoundest thought ,With warmth of heart that clothed these al l
w ith l ife ,I offer this poor tribute to thy fame .
A flower to bloom upon thy tomb and die .
Christmas Spirit
O ne time a t l east in e very yearEach man ’s a Christian , h as no fear
O f being thought unduly good
When saying “I ’ve done all I couldTo make al l hearts about me glad
,
To cheer each girl and merry lad .
T o see that none in town shal l l ack
For roast in pan and flour in sack .
Now that ’s the generous way to ac t .But let me tell an important fact :I t ’s Often easier to be kindThan j ust ; and j ustice is not bl ind
A s som e have pictured : he has ey es
Who ’s wisely j ust and j ustly wise .
S o then be generous as we must
If l ike our Master we would be .
To be l ike Him both kind and j u st ;T o heal the h urt and wrong we see
Is worth our try ing al l the year .
You can be both so don ’t you fear
Learn this l esson from my song
Keep Christmas spirit al l year long .
67
Our Summer School of Only Three
Resp ectfu l ly inscribed to Mr . and M rs, Henry P op e , of Chicago and GI will w ri te you a record in rhyme for our girl ;I will sing you a story in song for our boy .
That is easy ; for Margaret truly is Pearl .
And our Henry at home and at Green Lak e is joy .
A nd. there ’s one dear as each t o the o ther , I ’m sureThat ’s our own brother Will iam ; for blues perfec t cur
One was reading in Homer of Troj ans and Greeks
Of Achilles and Hec tor, Ulysses and ! eus .
And one read “B lack Beau ty ,” a sermon th a t seeksAll our horses t o guard from neglect and abuse .
And between us and Sly apples hung on a tree
Near enough , one would think , t o hear“Beauty ’s ” w
Did our Margaret sometim es put thoughts into rhym e
If she did need I say that a song is no crime ?
Oh,the stories of circus , golf ,fish ing and p lay
That were told on the cal ig raph day after day !
Now we ’re ready for long winter's work and good cheeAnd for al l that w il l make this a happy school year .
Green L ak e M an se, 1 91 2 .
Mary Leavitt
On the south side of Scotland ’s famous
Clyde near where that stream , there scarcely
larger than a good-sized brook , ceases to be
afl ec t ed by the tide , stands the ancient Scottish borough which its people cal l Rug len .
But if you wish to find it on the map or in
the encyclopoedia look for“Rutherglen ,
” the
only form of the name in print . Once within
its municipal l imits i t incl uded Glasgow, of
which it i s now practically a suburb or a
part .
In Rutherglen there was dwel ling in 1 828
a young man John Nelson whose ancestors
had been shepherds in the Highlands,the re
gion that h as produced so much of mighty
manhood and w omanhood . His wife Mar
garet Correns was a wom an of rare del icacy
of character as wel l as strength o f character .
She was of a family that had come from the
Gal loway region of Scotland .
In August of 1 828, as the second day thereof
was at i ts beg inning, their first -born was
given to these parents , and to h er they gave
the blessed Bible name of Mary . As soon as
sh e could learn anything sh e was taught to
O bey'God and h er parents . These were no t
members of what they probably regarded ast h e somewhat lax and worldly Established
Church of Scotl and but of the Relief Church ,a body which in asserting the right of a con
g regat ion to choose its own minister had
been compel led to separate from the Estab
69
lish m en t . Under the evangelical and some
what austere discipl ine of the Rel ief Kirk , now
part of the United Free Church of Scotland ,Mary was early taught that the chief reason
for l iving is that we may “glorify God and
enj oy Him forever .
” Strong teaching to give
a ch ild , you may say . Yes , i t takes strong
teaching to make men and women strong :
and i t does i t .
In the home the character of Mary'
s
mother was impressed , naturally in a special
degree , upon her eldes t child But the
parting between them came al l too soon , for
on a summer ’s day , a l i ttl e more than a month
before Mary was fourteen years old , the
mother could no longer care even for the
baby Joseph,a part of whose l ife - story is told
on one of the pages O f this book . Seventy
years after the event , a nephew of Mrs . Nel
son , the late W il l iam Ross , Of Butler , M issouri , recal led a circumstance of her i l lness .
He remembered cry ing because he saw that
her long and beautiful hair h ad been cut off.
Though sh e w as then in a state of del irium
or on the verge of i t , sh e would comfort him
and said : “Dinna gree t” (don’t cry ! . But
there was reason for tears . On the 2nd of
July,1 842, the mother was taken from her
children . Mary took , so far as such a child
could , her mother’s place . There were then
two sisters , Margaret and Eli zabeth ; and
four brothers , John , James , William and
Joseph . Another boy, Robert , had died in
infancy .
Soon the Rug len home was broken up for
ever . T o i t h ad come from New York City ,Mrs. M ary Wilson , a sister of the dead
mother . The father decided t o remove t o
70
America . The aunt helped prepare the chil
dren for the voyage and did not end her ser
vice for them with their arrival hi ther .
Blessed be her memory for her deeds of love
even though they were sometimes done in
harsh ways . God grant that sh e may find in
Paradise a tenderness that her training taught
her no t to give .
It was in November that Mr . Nelson with
his children and sister ih - l aw sailed in the
packet- sh ip Sheridan from Liverpool for NewYork . The seven weeks ’ voyage that brought
them thither was to Mary a time of sea
sickness and misery . At New York they
stayed for the winter .
In the s pring of 1 843, perhaps in May , Mr .
Nelson with Mrs . Wilson and another sister
of his late wife , and their mother, started for
Fairplay,Wisconsin , wh i ther they had been
invited by a friend , Mr . George Arnott , one
o f the mul ti tudinous “prospectors” in theGalena l ead region . Bringing the children
our emigrants went v ia the Erie canal to
Buffalo and the Great Lakes to Chicago , then
a stuck - in -the mud village that was no t to be
compared in prosperity and wealth with Gal ena . At Chicago Mr . Nelson , l ike many ah
other,received the od er of a lo t i f he would
only stay and build and , also l ike many an
other , he declined t h e offer . T o Galena he
and his company pressed on , the older peopl e
riding in wagons , and the children alternat elv
riding and walking . When in June , 1 904,
on ou r way to the Doane College commence
ment at which two of her grandchildren were
to be graduated , we were gliding in a Pullman
westward from Chicago, our mother spoke
of the contrast between the two j ourneys ,
71
and recalled the beauty of the prairies and
their flowers in that far-off earl y summer .
Yet sh e missed the r icher fragrance of the
Scottish blossoms . though she rej oiced
in America ’s clearer and more brill iant
skies .
From Galena Mr . Nelson went to Fairplay,
a now almost non -existent mining village in
Grant county . where he made his home until
his death in 1 860.
Miss Nelson ’s first m arriag e was in 1 846 to
George Bennett Davidson, a native of the
parish of Keith , Banffshire , Scotl and . He
was a writer of some local repute,and h is
name is to be found in Poole ’s Index .
” He
was a miner and smel ter,and was much ih
t erest ed in politics . He would read aloud on
winter evenings from th e Congressional
Globe , the predecessor of the pres ent“Congressional Record .
” Thereby ou r
mother became much disgusted with the
tone and manner of the Southern leaders ofthat day . Perhaps , also , this education prepared her t o becom e , as sh e did , an advocate
of woman su ffrage . Mr . Davidson was on e
of those w h o supported Van Buren and
Adams in the famous Free Soil campaign of
1 848 .
Into this newly made home came the sor
row that is suggested by Tennyson ’s l ine“I wept l ike a child fo r the babe that was
dead before i t was born .
The second child was the wri ter of this
sk etch ; the third a girl -babe wh o met an
accidental death j ust as her father was
starting on t h e j ourney from-which he never
returned . Mr . Davidson died in the South
Pass of the Rocky Mountains while on his
72
had fought in the war that won the indep endence of the United States . That he had beenborn in Canada was almost an accident ; in
cast ofmind and in mechanical ingenuity and
otherwise , he was a true son ofNew England .
Not unstable in disposition or habi t, he yet had
found home in New Hampshire and Cal i
forn ia; in Boston and Chicago . A previous
marriage had left him with a daughter w h o
was stil l a child .
The newly constituted family was soon es
tabl ish ed on a hil l farm in Grant county ,W isconsin ; a farm
’
w h ence one could almost
see the Mississipp i as it sweeps past the magn ificen t , bluff-walled amphitheater wherein
Dubuqu e , Iowa , is buil t . While coming
thence one February day , and when near h is
home with a load of lumber , Mr . Leav itt
was accidentally kil led by being thrown
from his wagon as it sl ipped on an icy road
and was overturned . The cries ot h er chil
dren brought M rs. Leavitt to the spo t where
her husband l ay dead . She was no t crushedunder the fearful blow but endured as seeing
Him w h o i s invisible . Her younger son was
then no t four years o ld , and soon there was
born a daughter wh o never saw her father ’s
face .
Then came years of hard work upon the
unde veloped and unproductive farm . But
notwithstanding her unremitting toil Mrs .
Leavitt never became so much absorbed in
making a l iving as to forget the greater
du ty of making a l ife or, rather of mak ing
l ives . That abundant l ife which Jesus came
to give , as He Himsel f said , was in some
measure her own , and sh e wou ld have others
blessed wi th it . Yet in the deep things of
74
rel igion she had the reserve that is t h e
usual accompaniment of a reverent and
humble mind . She had reasons for the faith
that was in her, but was not given to argu
ment or disputation . She was loved by al l
her neighbors nearly all of which were
Roman Cathol ics . The four miles of u p -hill
and-down tha t lay between home and their
church did no t keep the Leavitt family from
publ ic worship and Sabbath school . In the
mother the pastor found one of his most
faithful helpers and the school an efficient
teacher . She was steadfast in the cause of
temperance and was once a member o f the
order o f Good Templars . She bel ieved in
walk ing circumspectly and would not have
playing cards in her house . Ye t sh e was
will ing tha t her children should go occa
sionally to the circus though sh e l et others
go along to take care o f them . She did not
j udge h arsh ly'
t h ose whose convictions and
practi ces were different from her own ,but
on the contrary found among them some o f
her best friends . Thou'
gh women did n o t
vot e then in school meetings , sh e was influ
en t ial in having a new district formed . B e
fore this was done she had been the teach e r
of her own children . She was a dutiful citi
zen , and stood for the publ ic wel fare as
against private greed in the proposed closing
of a good road and t h e substituting for i t of
an exceedingly bad One . Under her personal
care one of the best orchards in the town
grew up on her farm . So sh e l ived , faithful ly
useful ly .
It was in the early part of this period of
her l ife , indeed the year after her husband’s
death,that M rs. Leavitt lost her father . No t
75
long thereafter the home that had been hiswas broken up . So by an inheritance of responsibil i ty , and no t l ess by her own warmthof affection and force of ch aracter , M rs.
Leavitt ’s house became the headquarters of
her father ’s family and kindred . Here they
and their children , in times of transition ,
found something more than welcome . Nor
was such kindness as this l imited to those of
her own blood .
From this l i t tl e home of large hospital ity
there went t o a soldier ’s service and a
soldier ’s death M rs. Leavitt ’s youngest
brother,Joseph Nelson , the on e who as a babe
was left motherless in Rutherglen This
home his Older broth er Wil l iam , so l ately
added to t h e silent maj ority , also considered
as h is, and t o i t he return ed from the l iving
d eath of Libby prison , of Danvil le,Ander
sonvill e and Florence . A cousin also who,
to these men and their sis t er was l ike a
brother,went from M rs. Leavitt ’s home , and
t o h is younger brother i ts doors were always
opened as to one who had a right there ,The sister ’s tears and prayers of that time
are among the traditions and memories of
her children . She wept when Lincoln wasslain
,and rej oiced when the war and slavery
,
th e foul cause of i t , came t o an end together .
M rs. Leavitt, wh o was a fine reader and
lover of books , and had used well the l imited
opportunities of educa t ion that came t o her,
especially th e study of the Bibl e , was de
t erm in ed that her children should have , i f
they wished i t , a training beyond that of the
common schools . So sh e aided the going toBeloit College of her eldest son , and after
h e had gone to Crete ,Nebraska , to be teacher
76
as well as student in Doane College , sh e re
m oved to Crete where sh e became matron of
Doane College , a posi tion wh ich sh e fi l led for
s ix teen y ears . None find i t so difficult t o lov ecol l ege s tuden t s as those do w h o h ave t o feedthem , and the fact that Mrs . Leav i tt didboth is ev idence that her affec tion was foundedupon principle and no t upon impulse .
In August , 1 897, she came to T wo Rivers,W isconsm , to ma k e a home wi th her daug ht er and the elder of her two son s . There as
everywhere sh e made warm friends ; there as
everywhere sh e wrought efiec t ive ly and
wisely . One thing at T w o Rivers sh e did
no t l ike : The moan ing ,so constantly heard ,
of the w aters of our great inland sea. But
there sh e found those w h o in love became ash er own ch ildren .
In 1 901 , Mrs . Leav i tt removed to Dousman ,a place in the beau t i ful lak e region o f Wis
consin She was there a t a t ime in terestingin the development of the church and the
community ; the time when the W isconsin
Farm School for boys was removed thi ther .
T o th is ins ti tut ion she could render no specialservice , but her hear t wen t ou t in sympathyto the boys , so many of them motherless . At
Dousman,as e verywhere , sympa thy and
friendship w ere the words written by h er
k indly deeds u pon t h e hearts o f h er ne igh
bors , and sh e found the t ime of her abidingthere one of happiness. Moreover at Dousmansh e had a new experience : meeting that mostworthy woman , Madam Carol ine El izabeth
Merrick ,of New Orleans , Louisiana , author of“Old Times in D ixie Land ,
” a book o f power
and wise radical ism . D uring the war for the
Union , her husband, Edwin Thomas Mer
77
rick , a native of Massachusetts , was Chief
J ustice of the Supreme Court of h is adopt
ed state . Madam Merrick was at Dous
m an with the family of her son , Edwin T .
Merrick . The new things to Mrs . Leavitt in
these friendships was the point of view thatt hey gave her of t h e war for the Union .
Here were friends who w ere loyal citizens
and had been Confedera tes,a woman who h ad
been mistress of slaves and was glad of
emancipation ; and was, m oreover, an ad
m irer of Frances Willard , a member of t h e
Woman ’s Christian Temperance Union and a
bel iever in woman suffrage ! True hearts
soon learn to understand each o ther .
In 1 905 M rs. Leavitt ’s household removed
to Green Lak e , Wisconsin , where friendship
toward h er and her own in return was al
most a touchstone of character . She had the
j oy of see ing young people whom she l ovedpass through high school , and a whol e or part
of the course inRipon Col lege A w in ter, t h at
o f 1 910— 1 1 , passed at Hol lywood . Cali fornia,
probably prolong ed her l ife . She was guest
there of M rs. and Mr . Will iam Nelson Kil
bourn , eldest son and daughter- ln law of
M rs. Leavitt ’s youngest sister ; on her return .
guest of h er brother at Sal t Lake City ; of
her niece,M rs . Arthur Parmalee
,at Denver ;
o f her son Edw in , at Crete , Nebrask a .
Th ere her granddaughter sti l l mourned thedeath of a l i ttl e child , the first grea t-grandc hild of Mrs . Leavi tt ’s own blood . But her
step -daughter ’s grandchild had been with
his mother, in the Green Lak e h ome and
was , in affection , her very own .
Though every place was m ade a home to
t h e venerable mother, she longed l ike a
78
child for her own home . There with re
newed interest sh e took up once more theround of duty lessened by her fail ing
strength . S t i l l she rendered to the sick andto others such service as she could give . She
was prepared in mind and heart fo r changes .
It did n o t startle nor alarm her wh en a
friend , Mr . Edward D ike w h o sat at her
t able on t h e las t Lord ’s day of his l ife , was
suddenly taken away . Nor was there dis
t ress or fear when her son was unexpectedlysummoned to the funeral of a friend of al
most her own age , Mr . Alonzo Cragin , of
J opl in ,Missouri . She mourned indeed for h is
wife wh o , for the lifetime o fa generation , h ad
b een sister rather than merely friend ; fortheir children wh o were loved almost as her
o wn . Many a summer vacation h ad found
them on the hil ls of the o ld Gran t countyfarm .
Before the son ’s return M rs . Leavitt had
reached the eighty -fourth anniversary ofher birth . Almost from that very time her
strength manifes t ly fail ed . Her times of
rest became more prolonged ; her movements
l ess active ; her calls and visi ts fewer . Yet
in one way sh e kept e ither her mind or herm uscl es busy . She stil l fel t responsibil i ty ,sti l l desired to serve , stil l tried to make all
about her happy . Thus autumn passed into
winter . Even in January sh e stil l was able
on i ts first Lord’
s day to prepare her sick
d aughter ’s break fast and to take i t up stairs .
But that day she received the communion ofthe Lord ’s supper in her own home inst ead
o f in the church .
She strove , though not compla ining ly ,against the l imitation of her activity . She
79
made ready to attend the annual business
meeting of the church , bu t th e ah
normal action of her hear t forbade her doing
so However, a few days thereafter, sh e was
able to g o out once more , and cal led on a
sick neighbor, a soldier’s widow
,M rs. Davis ;
at‘
the home o f a veteran crippled in battle ,Mr . H . B . Lowe
,and that of stil l another,
Mr . David Wilson , whose niece was an
especial ly valued friend o f her ow n . O nly a
few days more was sh e able even to g o about
the house . It was characteris t ic , that thelast time she le ft h e r own room it was to
prevent the need of wak ing her daughterw h o , in care of the m other , had been deprived
of sleep the night before . Almost her only
complaint w as “Oh , I’m so usel ess .
”
S oon'
sh e wis h ed that her son Edwin be
sent for,and he promptly came . She knew
that the end was no t far off.
“We have
had a happy hom e toge ther ,” she said in
one of the last days of h er l ife . We w h o
write these words thank al l wh o have hel pedmake i t so ; they are many , very many . We
add ou r thanks fo r the kindness done her and
us during her decl i ne and since her death .
The ending was no t in pain bu t in weakness . O n Wednesday morning , February
1 9th ,she seemed to fol low the read ing of
psalm a part of which sh e had re
peat ed some days before . The day passedwith no increase of hope to those w h o caredfor her . The daughter and younger brother
re t irod for needed rest . The mother lay
quietly,som etimes as i f in sleep . After sh e
cea~ ed to speak to those who watched , she
stretched her hands upward saying ,
“Come ,
come ; now , now .
” At the appointed time ,
80
l ived to see women vo te on equal terms with
men in nin e states of the Union , to say
nothing of t h e school suffrage in many other
states . Yet she hersel f voted but once forschool superin tenden t
,and but once in a
school meeting . She was no t impetuous nor
aggressive . She saw improvement in thelegal status of women in n eariy all the world .
She saw al l l ands Opened to Christian missions .She made no brea k with her early rel igious
associations and training , but was prepared
by them to receive new l ight from God ’s
holy works as wel l as from His holy word .
So sh e experienced the modification of harshtheologies and the lessening o f sectarian
rival ry . The fiery rev ival i sm of the days Ofher young womanhood, with its extravagantand unreal confessions of personal guil t, and
i ts tendency to false j udgment of character,seemed to her the dross o f t h e process by
which native ore was turned into useful metal .She had a very great antipathy to any thingthat
,in connection with rel igion, made much
o f form . She resented al l ecclesiastical pretension and distrus ted priests . She abborri (1such titles as "His Re verence ,” “His Grace
and “His Hol iness .
On the other hand sh e seemed to feel that
the rel igion that lacks c ap tion is l ikely tolack motive
,and i t was r ight motive that ,
with searching of heart sh e always looked
for . She did not l ike the hymn
Oh . to be nothing , nothingOn l y to lie at His feetA broken and emp tied vesselFo r t h e Master ’
s use made meet
82
bu t she lik ed even less the spiri t satirized inthe l ines
Oh , to be something , someth ing ,
Each one to sit on a throne ;With a cu ltured and lofty natu reAnd an exq uisite city tone .
Al l affectation of cul ture and of nicety of
p hrasing was abhorrent to our mother’s sin
cere soul . Yet the cul ture t h at is the knowledge of the bes t she sough t to secure , and
much o f the rare English of the Bibl e she
knew by heart , and in devotion used its ven
c rable u tterances . Her memory kept much
o f the Assembly ’s shorter catechism and some-of the quaint versions of the Psalms used in
the Scottish churches . These treasures of
the heart and mind were , to her, perennial
fountains of blessing .
In publ ic matters sh e took a true citizen ’s
duty in the making of two states . In one of
them she helped in the upbuilding Of DoaneC ol lege . She saw the rescue of Kansas from
the grasp o f Border Ruffian ism ; the election
o f Abraham Lincoln to the presidency ; the
abol ition of sl avery , and the successful issue
of the war for the Union . She was inclined
to take the side of the under dog in the fight ,and always sympathized with the wronged and
oppressed . Anything sly, mean , false , nu
derh anded or cruel kindled in her the fire of
moral indignation . S h e could no t abide the
cruel ties sometimes practiced upon animals .
She was interested in and read with attention
of great doings and of great public works : the
building of the Great Eastern , now almost
forgotten ; the construction of the Pacific
railways , and once or twice , though not in
h er last i llness , she expressed a wish to
83
l ive unt il the completion of the Panama.
canal . She neither feared death nor longedfor it .
But it was not the apparent or even t h e
real greatness of things that commandedMrs . Leavitt ’s deepest interest . Conscience .in the form of dil igence and thoroughness ,ruled al l her j udgments and work . She was
will ing to make al lowance for immaturi tyand inexperience , but not for carel essness
and neglect . The closet was to be as clean
and as orderly as the sitting - room . T h e
humblest t ask of k itchen and of laundry mustbe wel l done . All this was without self-cone
sc iousness,but in accord with habi t that grewout of the truth taught in the text T h ou
art a God that seeth .
” Yet sh e was not i h
flexibl e . She never became too old to learn ,.
and was always ready to do team work : to co
operate with others . Nor did she demand th eplace of l eadership . For her it was enough
to be helper, and her help was given withou t
grudging or complaint .
No one was more competen t to give a j us tcharacterization o f Mrs . Leavitt than her
brother. Will iam Nelson , o f Sal t Lake City
wh o w rote :“Your mother l ived a long , full l ife and ‘
was ripe for the end . She has had toil someyears and happy years . She was loved deeplyand returned that love in ful l measure . S h e
was unyielding in principl e and steadfast ih '
affection . She was a woman of unusual forceof character
,and influen t ial over those with
whom she came in contact . Her sympath ies
were wide and he r heart was warm . S h e
was firm in friendship and j udgment, and ou tSpoken and determined in mind . The influ»
84
ence sh e exerted throughout her l ife was al
ways for good, and her desire always was to(help those that were in need of help . Her
loss wil l sweep away your anchorage
everything will be different with you hence
for th .
”
As nearly as it could be true o f a character
o f such decision and sincerity , as nearly as it
ought to be said tru ly of any one , Mrs .
Leavitt h ad no enemies . She could lbe angry ,but not know ingly unjust . She could not
abide pretence , idleness , frivol ity , vanity
and snobbishness . She stood appalled before
hatred and malignity . It is doubtful that
sh e quite understood the pharisaism that
sometimes l eads the insolent and the coarse
t o think th at they only are honest in action
and in speech ; or the emptiness of heart and
mind that leads to strivings for what is often
thought of as social pro-eminence . M ortgag~
ing a home to buy an automobil e would have
seemed to her l ike an act of insanity . Of an
o ffender in any of the ways thus indicated , She
m ight have said with the prophet Isaiah :“He feedeth on ashes ; a deceived heart hath
‘ turned him aside ; and he can not del iver his
s oul , nor say : Is there no t a l ie in my right
hand?” Inabil ity t o see one ’s faul t , and un
w il l ingness to confess it , seemed to her as tot h e prophet to be among the mos t hopeless of
moral conditions . But to his w ords sh e
would have added : “Though he can no t
del iver himself , yet there is One who is able
to del iver h im .
” The prophets and Paul
s h e honored , but the Lord Chris t she worsh iped and glorified . W hat pleased her best
in one of the l ater Scottish stories was the
b idding given by h is aunt to a young minis
85
ter : Speak aye a g ude word for Jesus
Christ . ” This word , by her l ife , she spoke
whom we called mothe r . Hers is not one o f“the names that time wil l consign to eter
nity ,” but i t i s that of one of the “unknown
good who rest in God ’s stil l memory folded
desp fi’
Rose of Buzic
Written for the “Great West”
B Y GEORGE BENNETT DAVIDSON
0 sweet is the primrose which blooms by the mountain .
And swee t are the vines tha t encircl e the tree ;And sweet are cowsl ips that grow by the fountain .
But sweeter the maiden,the rose o f Enzio .
How fair are the l il ies , how sweet are the roses .
How lovely the daisies where hums the gay bee ;B u t fairer , more lovely and dearer than ei therIs charming young Jess ie , th e rose o f E nzie .
She ’s fair and she,
’s lovely as May ’s dewy morning ;
She ’s handsome as Venus in grand maj esty ;
N O heart so unspotted , no features so charming
As those of young Jessie , the rose Of Enzie .
’T i s pleasant to walk ’mid the green shading bushes
Where carol the birds in the hight of their glee ;B ut ple asanter far to walk with young Jessie
And bask in the smil es of the rose of En zie .
Run on ,winding ri l ls , through the groves and the meado
Run on, t il l you meet in the depth of the sea;B u t guide me , O fortune , wherever I ramble ,To meet with young Jessie , the rose of En z ie .
Galena, I llinois .
86
Mrs . Margaret Sanderson
In Rug len o f ancient Scottish story,there
stands near the edge o f a steep h il l an old
stone house . Up the hill Q ueen Mary of un
happy memory once rode after the battl e
that forever ended her reign over Scotland .
But we are to tell neither the history of
Rutherglen nor the story o f Queen Mary .
However, in g iving the ske tch o f any li fe i t
is wel l to se t for th its early environment,
and for thirteen years B uglen w as the home
of the subj ect of ou r narrative , a longer time
than sh e spent elsewhere in al l her l ife , with
the exception of Pulaski , Il l inois .
In the Old stone house , whose wall s hadthey been then standing . might have heard
the heavy brea thing of Queen Mary ’s horse
as h is rider fled from the field of Langside,
there was born , 1 829, December 1 3th , to John
and Margaret !Correns! Nelson , a second
daughter and second child to whom was given
the mother ’s name . Ecclesiastical ly ,— and
that is a great matter in Scotland,— the
family did not belong to the establ ished
church,but to a body that had separated
from it on the asser t ion that a congregation
has a righ t to choose its own minister . It
may be tha t unconsciously the foundationwas thus laid of the education that in later
years made M rs. Sanderson almost a pioneer
of Congregational ism in Southern Ill inois .
87
For Margaret Nelson and her bro thers and
sisters , the year 1 842 was an eventful one .
On July 2nd of that year , the mother, a
woman of rare excel lence and of superior
abil ity , was taken by death from her family ,and in November the husband and father
started with his children for America . A
seven weeks ’ voyage brought them to New
York on Christmas eve . The story of theirfather ’s migration has been elsew here told .
In the division of family labor that fol
lowed the mother'
s death , there was assigned
to Margare t as her special duty the care of
the younger brothers , both of whom grew up
to be volunteers in the war for the Union .
Joseph,the youngest son in the family , was
kill ed by a rebel bul le t in 1 864, June 1 5 th , atKenesaw Mountain , Georgia .
In a general way i t may be said that young
Margaret ’s l i fe al ternated between Fairpl ay
and Galena . In the latter place sh e attended
a select school ” taught by s isters, Miss
Abby and Miss Jane Cook , wh o , being earn
est members of the Presbyterian church , re _
garded their work as a kind o f rel ig ious mis
s ion . Thus prepared , Miss Nelson became a
teacher though she did not continue in that
vocation . 1 851 , November 3oth , sh e was
married at Fairplay to Israel Sanderson , then
of Galena . Of this marriage were born three
Sons , Edward, who , in his young manhoodwas acc idental ly drowned in Nevada ; Walter ,who died in 1 888 , and Arthur who died at
Pulaski in 1 875 , but three months after the
drowning of his elder brother . A daug h
ter Abby , Mrs . Arthur Holbrook , is now
a resident of Mounds, Ill inois . To her
it was given to be the mother ’s companion in
88
achieved in newspaper work , though his first
independent venture therein ,“The Express”
of Canton , Missouri was ,financial ly a failure .
In Galena, Ill inois , he became intimately ac
quain ted with some of the leading newspaper
men of what was then the Northwest . There ,t oO , he became the warm friend of George B .
Davidson to whose memory he paid tributein verse . In the art thus suggested Mr .
Sanderson had some sk il l . He at one t ime
contemplated publ ishing a poem upon Indian
legends and customs, the material for which
he may have gathered in Minnesota where
he spent some time working at his trade .
The manuscrip t he , in a moment of despondency
,unwisely destroyed . Among the poems
remembered by the wri ter is one wherein he
expresses the indignation of a j ust man to
ward a priest w h o had refused Cathol ic burial
to the body of a poor boy wh o , through no
faul t of his own , died without the due rites
of the so-cal l ed “church .
”
From Galena Mr . Sanderson removed to
Monroe,Wisconsin . where he became asso
c iated with the late Rev . John Walworth in
the publ ication of“The Monroe Sentinel , ”
In 1 855 Mr . Sanderson started the “Richland
County Observer ,” the first paper in the
county and brought it to a sound financial con
dition Having d isposed of this paper he spentsome time in Central Il l inois .
Mr . Sanderson started at Lancaster,in
1 859, the“Grant County Witness” which
he soon removed t o Plattevil l e where
it is stil l publ ished . In these papers Mr .
Sanderson strongly advocated the principlesof t h e then recently formed Republ ican party .
He also worked strongly for the cause of
90
temperance . After disposing of the “Wit
ness” he engaged in mercantile business fora time , but finally settl ed down at Pulaski
,
Il l inois as a fruit grower . There in his home
his ag ed mother died in 1 873, and there he
himsel f passed away on the 7th of June , 1 887.
For a great part of his l ife M r . Sanderson
labored under the burden of poor condition
of health and this i t wasthat impel led many
of the changes of home and occupation .
While not able alway s to give approval to
her h usband’
s judgm en t in these matters,ye t
Mrs . Sanderson was the faithful Sharer of al l
his toils and undertak ings . She recognized
his abil i ties , which were of unusual order i n
many lines of effort, and honored his fidel ity
and conscientiousness . Wherever they l ived
they won a high place in the esteem of the
community .
Mrs . Sanderson seemed to be gentle , and
was gent le . None the less sh e had decisionand power . She wrote verses rather to express her feel ings and convictions than to
please cri tics who would demand technical
correctness of form . She loved flowers,and
made and k ep t warm fr iendships . She en
dured great sorrow with a strong , brave
heart ; sustained by strong rel igious convic
tion and hope . Her last dee p sorrow was
the death, February 22, 1 910, of the only son
of her younger brother, Will iam Nelson ,editor of “The Salt Lake Tribune .
” T o thi s
brother she was for years almost l ike a
mother,and his sorrow was her sorrow . Her
sympathy was more deeply heart-fel t because
sh e hersel f, as already noted , had lost three
sons . But all her grief is past now, and we
bel ieve that love and life do not turn to dust .
91
These words are written in a home that for
two summers , 1 907 and 1 909, enj oyed the
benediction of her presence . It seems lonely
w i thout her .
JOHN NELSON DAVIDSON .
T h e Manse ,‘
Green Lake , Wisconsin .
Our Wee Pet
B Y MARGARET SANDERSO N .
Wee pet , wee pet ,Come here to me;Sweet pet , sweet pet .
S i t on my knee ;Brown eyes , brown eyes ,Look into mine ;Bright eyes , bright ey es .
Oh,how they shine !
Soft arms , soft arms ,Fold round my neck ;One kiss , one kiss ,Now we will take .
D ear one , dear one , you , you , I love ;N one l ike , none l ike ,my l ittl e dove .
92
failed a friend, that had in i t the nobleness
and none of the servi l ity of a clansman’s
loyal ty to his chief ; ability that wi thout aidfrom patron , sect, cl ique or faction , or th e
use of any underhanded meth od , broughthim into prominence ; a love held in check
upon the l ips bu t overflowing in generous
deedsz— these are the qualities by which al l
who knew him wil l hold him in abiding
memory . He was a determined enemy of
cant , affectation , pretence , falsehood , greed,fraud
,sham and uncl eanness ; and , though
neither suspicious nor ready t o find faul t, was
quick to detect those things . He seemed to
hold an It h uriel ’s spear by which he could
compel Satan to throw off disguise , a weapon
which h e found exceedingly use ful in his pro
longed confiict with the Mormon hierarchy .
that foulest of a foul brood . It seemed as i f
the blood of the Covenanters was in hisveins , their spirit in his heart . He showed
that their better qual i ties could exist apartfrom their grimness
,which
“
was fO ‘
e ign to
h is nature and repel lant to h is choice , and
apart from their theology,which he did no t
bel ieve .
It was to be expected that such a man ,
twenty - two years of age on July 1 , 1 861 ,would become a volunteer soldier in the war
for the Union . His serv ice was in the 10th
Wisconsin . A le tter written from “Paint
Rock Creek,Ala . , May 1 2, tel l s of h is
first fight“Dear Sister : You may think me negl i
gent in not having wri t ten to you for so long .
But when you know the reason you wil l not
think so . I’
l l tell you how i t happened :Three week s ago (April 2l st ! , I was detailed
94
w i th a squad of fi fteen men to guard a rail
road bridge on the Memphis and Charleston
road . Our troops h ad possession of the road ,and were stationed al l along so that i t was
necessary to k eep the road open through al lits length (i t ends at Stevenson , Alabama ! , to
keep up our communications . While at the
bridge I had no chance to send letters . In
fact I had not taken my things with me,not
expecting to be gone more than two days .
We had a good time at the bridge , the guard
duty being l ight, and we were at l iberty to
scout around as much as we pleased . The
only obj ection we had was there was no
regular time to get rations,and we were
frequently entirely out . But of course we
could no t be expected to starve , so we
foraged, and found that chickens , duck s ,geese
,
etc . , went p re t ty w e ll .“We heard frequently that there was a
p lot in contemplation to burn the bridge ,so we kept a good lookout , and I gave orders
to the sen tinels to say noth ing to any
one after dark , bu t i f they saw any one
coming around to shoot him down . This
may seem hard to you , but in the situa
tion we were there was no safety for usin any other course . There we were , many
m iles from assistance , in the enemy’s coun
try where they were at l iberty to collect h un
dreds to bring against sixteen of us in all .
On April 27, we were up at a station two miles
from the bridge on a fo raging expedition ,
and while we were there O ur regiment passed
along . Just as they were passing a se t of
wheels got loose and came near making asmash -up . As i t was the train was stopped
before any one was seriously hurt ; but the
95
track was damaged some . In consequence a
detail o f twen ty men, under a l ieutenant ,
was l ef t there to repair i t . S o , you see ,
there was re inforcement within two miles of
us in case we should be attacked . That
same night the l ieutenant brought h is men
down as he heard that we were to be at
tacked . But the night passed off quietl y
and in the morning they went back to the
station . The next evening,however, I got
news through the agency of a Neg ro , that the
enemy intended certainly to attempt to burnthe bridge that night . So I sent up to the
l ieutenant for reinforcements,and eight men
and a sergeant cam e down . So that madeour force twenty-five . I had made my ar
rangements before they came , and had theforce nearly equal ly divided at each end ofthe bridge . The bridge is high , and the
only approach to i t is on the track , which isvery high grade there . The bridge i s sided
up and has a tin roof. You wil l see that wehad a good position for defense.
“The sentinels were posted advantageouslyto command a g ood lookout , and sure enougha few minutes after ten o ’clock the enemy
was seen swarming through the woods ,making for the bridge . On the west end
the sentinel came in and gave the alarm and
we collected at the entrance . We let them
come up to less than twenty yards , and then
poured in a vol l ey with good aim . It took
them completely by surprise , and knocked
some of them over , besides . But t h ev re
covered quickly , and sent in a tremendous
vol l ey of buckshot and ball , wounding fourof our men . Our men then fel l back , and I
was afraid that the enemy might make a rush
96
tongue and chewed them , but it was hard toget moisture in my mouth .
“Seven of my men were wounded in t h e
fight , two of them rather se verely but no t
dangerously . None was kil led . In the morn
ing we found on e of the enemy dead on t h e
ground . He was buried in the afternoon .
He was shot through the center of th e
breast and also through the heart . About
half a mile from the bridge we found one of
them lying wounded,shot through the body .
He told us that there were 250in his squad
on the west end of the bridge , and we learnedfrom citizens that there were 1 50on the east
end . The wounded man also told us that on
the west end there were six kill ed and a
good many wounded . We could get no ao
count o f their loss at the east end, but a
squad o f Ohio boys w h o came there in the
morning tracked them by their blood for five
miles . You see th ere were about four hun
dred‘
of them against us tw enty - five . They
went off reporting that there were five hun
dred o f us . I t was a great shame to themthat they could do nothing with such great
odds in their favor — 1 6 to 1 . But they are
of no account . They have no nerve at all ,and can ’t stand fire . In the m orning our
boys picked u p several nice revolvers and
some fine shot-guns which the enemy had
lef t . I suppose they belonged to wounded
men wh o dropped them when shot .“We g o t great praise from Gen . Mitchel l
and all our superior officers when they heard
o f i t . The General cal led for the names of
those engaged in the figh t in order, as he said ,to promo te the sergeants and m ention h onorably the privates . So you may expect to
98
hear o f your cold -blooded brother being a
l ieutenant, or something of that sort, in the
course of t ime ,“After the fight there was no more dis
t urbance at the bridge , and yesterday we
were withdrawn and our places suppl ied by
Co . A of our regiment .“My health continues to be of the best . My
name has never yet found its way to the doc
tor ’s books , and I hope i t never may . Joe
also has good health . The weather here is
very warm in the day time and cool at night .
The water is warm , and we have a good
place to go in swimming .
“This is the first day I have had a chanceto write fo r three weeks . and th is is the first
le tter I have written . I will write to Joe and
Nelson and Fanny soon . Did you get my
letter from Shelbyvil le?“You wil l hear from me again soon . I
don ’t get to see any papers here at al l .
Yours affectionately ,WILLIAM NELSON .
”
What wonder such an exploit cal led forth
from Gen . Mitchel l a congratulatory order in
which he said :“The coolness , determinat ion
and bravery displayed by the non-commis
sioned offi cers and soldiers on this occasion
are worthy of the highest commendation .
Attacked in the night time by an overwhelm
ing force , ten times their number , this hand
ful o f brave and determined men sternly re
fused the summons to surrender , sustained
the enemy’
s attack for more than two hours ,and final ly drove him from the field with a
severe loss of kil led and wounded .
“Sergeants Nel son andMak imson are recom
99
mended to the regimental and brigade commanders , and to the governor of their s tatefor promot ion , and the soldiers wh o foughtunder them so heroically wil l not h e forgot
ten .
”
In T h waites’s
“Story of W isconsin . we
read “Buel l ’s report mak es honorable men
tion of Sergeant Wil l iam Nelson , of Com
pany I of the Tenth , who, with a detail of
twenty- two ! twenty- four! men . for two hours
held Pain t Rock railroad bridge near Huntsvill e , against a force of nearly three hundredConfederate cavalry , ‘repulsing them in the
most signal manner . ’ This example Buel l
continues,‘is worth y of imitation by higher
officers and larger commands .
’
The commission of captain by brevet that
ultimately came to Sergeant Nelson , wasmade to date from April 28, 1 862.
No doubt there are in this letter from
Paint Rock , expressions that i ts writer
would l ater have omitted or modified . He
was no t a m an to d iscred it valor, even that of
an enemy . But his standard was an exacting
one .
Children excepted in the mother ’s case ,there was upon earth no one dearer each to
the other than this brother and this sister .
For her sake he had delayed his enl istment .“But at last I determined that I could
stand it no longer , and could not keep from
enlisting . The publ ic interest
seemed to me to ! have louder cal ls to al l
abl e-bodied citizens than any private interestcould have .
” Thus he wrote four days later
(1 862, May in a letter that reveals his
tenderness of heart toward stil l another
sister
100
The dy ing of their brother Joseph , on t h e
field of battle (1 864 , June 1 5 th ! , has already
been told . The third soldier of that house
hold,the cousin Joseph Ross , had been hon ~
orably discharged with his regiment ,November 3d , and w ith his brother, Walter ,had re-enl isted in Hancock ’s veteran reserve
corps . A single fact will il lustrate th e
sweep of war among the neighbors andfriends that were theirs in common . In the
l ittle congregation, the nucleus of which wasthe stil l smal ler church of which their
father in l ife had been , and of which the
sister continued to be , a member , there was
not one man or boy w h o might reasonablv
have been expected to render army servicew h o did no t enl ist . Nine funeral services by
the pastor are recalled , and there were prob
ably others ; funerals of sold iers .
Twenty - s ix is a good age at which to facenew condit ious, espec ially if one has been earn
ing h is own l iving ever since h e was thirteen .
In the summer or early autumn of 1 865 , Mr .
Nelson , in partnership wi th the late D . B ,
Pries t and J . M . Rusk , afterwards governo r,bought “The Northwestern Times ” of
Viroqua .Wisconsin , and changed its name to
the “Vernon Coun ty Censor ” In 1 872, Mr .
Nelson was el ected to the state senate of
Wisconsin,and in the session that fol lowed
he was one of those w h o determinedly and
successfully opposed the re -elect ion o f“Mat Carpente r to the Un ited States sen
a te . It was no t i n the spiri t of faul t - find ing
with the body of which he was a member
that,April 21 , 1 872, he thus wrote t o M rs.
Leav i tt“I had rather a good time in Madison the
102
past winter , and after the feel ing of misery
at the enforced idleness wore away,I en
j oyed mysel f pretty well . A pity that he
had not had more of enforced idleness . He
knew no other kind . A sadly significant ex
pression occurs in the same le tter “I think
that if ch ildren do no t learn to enj oy them
selves while they are young,they wil l neve r
be able to in their after l ives .
He had become , in 1 869, the sole proprietor
of the “Censor ,"but so ld i t in January , 1 874 .
and became editor of the La Crosse “Repub
l ican and Leader .
” In March ,1 876 , he was ap
pointed Un ited S tates marshal for Utah , and to
him fel l certain pecul iarly t rying duties i n
connectionwith the trial and execution ofJohn
D . L ee , Mormon commandant at the Moun
tain Meadow massacre . Mr . Nelson’
s office
was , at that time , on e o f grea t personal
danger , a fact which his friends appreciated
much more than he did h im sel f .
In May, 1 881 , he becam e a member o f the
editorial staff of the “The Sal t Lake Tri
bune ,” the lead ing daily between the Moun
tains and the S ierras , and a strong anti -M or
m on paper . Of this for the last twelve years
of his l i fe he was editor in chief . During
the thirty- two years o f his connec t ion wi ththe “Tribune ,
” he was laid off but three
weeks by illness and took only one week of an
almost req uired vacation .
His marriage was at Viroqua , 1 866 , August
22, to Mary E lizabeth Fretwell , whose fa ther
On March 4t h , t h e day of Co lone l Nelson ’
s arrivalat Salt Lake C i ty . seven of t h e most hardened convictsin t h e p enitent iary made an assau lt on t h e warden
'
B erg h sr, whom they mortal l y w ounded . They thensucceeded in mak ing their escap e , but were afterwardsretaken .
— History of Utah , 0. F . Whitney .
103
g ave his l ife in the war for the Union . There
were born four daughters and one son who fol
lowed h is father ’s example and became a
volunteer soldier . His service was in the
Phil ippines . This son , Will iam Nelson , Jr .,
died at New Orleans . 1 910, February 22nd .
Th en , as was written by an intimate friend ,the father “closed his l ips and said nothing ,but those who knew him , knew how much he
was suffering .
“While I have not had an intimate ac
quaintance with Colonel Nelson ,” said Gov
ernor Spry , of Utah , on the occasion of his
death ,“I l ived a neighbor to him for som e
time and I have , on numerous occasions , hado pportunity to observe his tender devotion to
wife and children . His gentle , lovable , fath
erly attentions to the members of his family
on the street and at publ ic functions, has
often impressed me .
”
I t was fitting that such a man should bemade a member of the first
‘
sch ool board of
S al t Lake City , a body which he served as
president from 1 892 until 1 895 .
“During
Colonel Nel son ’s adm inis tration , as I remem
b er,” says Judge Robert N . Baskin, ex mayor
o f Sal t Lake City , “thirteen of our modern
school buildings were constructed . Colonel
Nelson did more to raise our school system to
its present high standard of efficiency than
any other member who ever served on theboardfi
'
“His work has made his name a householdword in al l this intermountain region ,
” wrote
Judge C . C . Goodwin , the friend whose words
about Colonel Nelson ’s sorrow for his son
have been quoted .
“He was devoted to the
laws ; to right, as God g ave him to see the
104
federate leader who asked him to give up thebridge . And so through a long and honorable
l ife he returned the same reply to auv and
all who demanded that he surrender princi
ples to which he gave the best that was inh im , and for wh ich he was w il l ing to die .
“Death could not find such a man unpre
p ared and did no t .
”
What is al l this but the fruition in l i fe of
the truth early taught this boy of m ingl edGalloway and Highland blood ' “Man ’s chie f
end i s to glori fy God and to en j oy Him for
e ver?”
The subj oined resolut ions of the Presbyterian Synod o f Utah are evidence of Col .
Nelson ’s work and character :WHEREAS , Our great newspapers are
sources of immense power and influence ,some for good and others no t so good ; and
WHEREAS , There has been one such paperin Utah , that has always taken the side of the
mission teacher and the mission preacher int heir hard and oft ~times discouraging work ;and
WHEREAS,There are two men who stand
ou t prominently as editors in Utah for the
past thirty years in this splendid work of
m aking Utah a truly American state ; therefore , be i tResolved , That i t is with pecul iar pleasure
that we , as members of the Synod of Utah ,record our appreciation of the constant and
Splendid work of Judge C . C . Goodwin , of
t h e Sal t Lake Evening Telegram and Wil l iamNelson
,of the Salt Lake Tribune .
There has never been a cause advocated
by the men of thi s synod for thirty years
106
p ast , that these editors have not backed up
with the power of their pen .
There has never been a cause of righteous
ness in Utah which these men have not de
fended .
There has never been a calumny heaped
upon the heads of any of our Christian peo
ple that these men have not refuted .
T h e great broad principles which underly
this republ ic have had in them ardent advo
c ates .
As members of this synod , we rej oice in
many changes for the better in Utah , whicht hese men have helped in bringing about .
We rej oice that they are both of such un
fail ing service to the highest interests of this
c ommonweal th .
We rej oice tha t the “Bow of each of these
men abides in i ts strength ,” and we offer to
our Heavenly Father sincere gratitude fortheir services in the cause of right and our
earnest supplications for the continued physi
cal and spiritual heal th of these two splendid
c i ti zens .A . G . FRANK ,
GE O . W . MARTIN ,W . E . PATTEN ,
Committee on Resolutions .
Adopted unanimously by the Synod of
Utah Saturday , October 1 1 , 1 91 3, Mt . Pleas
ant , Utah .
WILDMAN MURPHY ,
Stated Clerk .
107
On a March
September 1 4, 1 863.
DEAR SIS TER MARYWe left our camp at Anderson Station
,
September 2nd . We have had tolerably easy
marches , and have lain here three days . W e
h ave crossed two very high , tedious moun
tains this side of the Tennessee river T h e
first was Raccoon and the latter Lookout
We crossed the last September loth . That
night we lay by our arms . In the morning it
was generally understood that the enemy
were near . Negley ’s divis ion was the only
force with us , and that was a short distance
ahead . The rebels were said to have
to B ut we advanced about three
miles , where Negley had Skirmished with
them the day before . We went only three
miles as I said, then we b ivouck ed . In the
afternoon early we were drawn up in battle
order and advanced into the thick brush from
a cross road . We formed to the left of Neg
ley ’s forces, as the rebs were flanking him in
that direction . We advanced some distance ,our Skirmishers in front , bu t at l as t stopped ,and lay there some three hours . During this
t ime stray bal l s whizzed among us some , but
no one was hit . Soon the enemy began t o
work to our l ef t and we began to fal l back ,for i f he should g et by our le ft flank , he
could easily destroy our train . We retired
some two miles,fal l ing from position to posi
tion several times, our troops cutting up t h e
enemy pre tty bad ly when they attempted t o
press too closely . I t was late in the night be
fore all was still . There was not much can
nonading at any time . In the morning re
inforcem en ts came up, and we took up posi
108
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