USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > The history of Columbia county, Wisconsin, containing an account of its settlement > Part 82
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* Valentine and John.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
auction, which was accordingly done, it bringing the handsome sum of $65. The second and third copies were also put up, bringing $10 and $5, respectively. Another instance of the kind is probably not on record. The question might naturally arise, where the patrons of the paper were to come from-a paper published in the woods, with owls, squirrels and rabbits for neigh- bors. The editor had faith in the future of the village, and, until it should become a large and prosperous village, it was expected to be printed at pecuniary loss, though many copies would be taken by parties interested in the welfare of the place, and sent away to those who were likely to be attracted thither. For many months, mails were only received once, twice or three times a week, at the village of Newport, two miles distant, and to this place the editor was compelled to go for his postal matter. Notwithstanding all these difficulties, the Mirror was always a readable paper. It continued to exist for nearly three years, when a suspension took place for a time, and it was then revived by H. A. Holly, with Alanson Holly as editor. In due course of time. it was sold to T. O. Thompson, who in turn sold to Davis, Wright & Davis, Mr. Wright remain- ing with it but a short time, when D. I. & E. B. Davis became proprietors. In January, 1872, it passed into the hands of Frank O. Wesner, who continued it until July, 1876. Mr. Wesner was in a measure successful, devoting attention principally to local matters. When he retired, W. M. Cole became proprietor. and continued to publish until October, 1876, when the office was destroyed by fire. No attempt was made to revive it. .
The Kilbourn City Guard was issued by Wesley Moran, for the first time, November 15, 1876; it was continued with varying success until April 30, 1879, when it was suspended. The size was a seven-column folio ; price, $2; politics, Republican. It was edited with ability during its brief existence.
The Reporter .- On the 3d of June, 1875, F. A. Brown, a Columbia County pioneer, issued the first number of the Poynette Reporter, a six-column folio, neutral in politics. The " home side " was printed at the office of the Western Advance, a small temperance weekly, published for a time at Portage by E. W. Stevens. The Reporter survived one year. Mr. Brown came to Columbia County in 1849, and lived here about twenty-seven years. He is now publishing the Monroe County Democrat, at Sparta, Wis.
COMMON SCHOOLS.
The educational system of the State embraces common schools, normal schools and the State University.
Towns are generally divided into a number of school districts, in each of which the school affairs are in charge of a district school board, consisting of three members, each holding office for three years, one being elected at each annual school meeting. The officers of this board are Director, Treasurer and Clerk. The Clerk reports to the Town Clerk, and the Town Clerk to the County Superintendent. Some towns have what is called the township system, with one school board for the whole town.
The schools in cities are generally under the control of a Board of Education, and in charge of a city Superintendent of schools.
In most of the cities and in some of the villages, the schools are graded, the highest grade being called the high school.
The schools of the State are principally supported by local taxation, district and county. The remainder of their support, about one-thirteenth, comes from the income of the State school fund, which amounts at present to about 40 cents for each child of school age. Some of the high schools under certain regulations receive special aid from the State.
From lack of normal schools, academies and colleges within her boundaries or near them, Columbia County has no reason to boast of her educational advantages, except such as are furnished by her high, graded and common schools. Of the latter she has good reason to be proud. The ample provision made by the State for common schools has been liberally supple- mented by the tax-payers of this county. The need of the influence and inspiration derived
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
from institutions of higher culture is greatly felt, but the want is being rapidly outgrown by reason of the increased facilities for getting to and from places of higher learning.
The early schools of Columbia County were, like all others in a new country, small in their beginnings. Previous to 1850, Eliza Haight taught a private school at "the portage," as did also Delos Brown in the year just mentioned. The first district formed in the vicinity of Cam- bria was in 1848; a schoolhouse was built in the same year, and a public school taught by Miss Betsy Griffin. In 1852, Julia Landt taught in the town of Newport, near Kilbourn, for $1.25 per week, and "board around; " and Frances Howard taught the same school for $2.50 per week, and boarded herself.
The first year of public schools reported was in 1849, when the average wages paid male teachers were $11.75 a month; female, $5.39. The average value of the schoolhouses for each town in the State was $575, which for the eleven towns reported of Columbia County, would give an aggregate of $6,223.25; and, if the forty-one districts in these towns that reported had each a schoolhouse, the average value would be about $150.
Just thirty years after this, in 1879, the county contained 146 "regular " school districts, with schoolhouses valued on the average at over $500 each. There were also seventy-three "parts" of districts, and forty "joint " districts. The average wages paid male teachers were $37.07 per month, and female teachers, $20.87. The whole number of children of school age in the county is 8,550, of whom 6,370 have attended school. Outside of school age, which is from four to twenty years, eighty-three have also attended public schools. To teach all these, 272 different teachers have been employed during the year 1879, only 163 of whom could be teach- ing during the same term. The total amount of money received by the county for school pur- poses, from all sources, was very nearly $46,000, of which there has been paid out for teachers' wages alone the sum of $32,167. The total expense of the common schools of Columbia County for 1879 was very nearly $58,000, or about $9 for each one of those attending school.
Through the agency of teachers' associations and institutes, the more advanced ideas and methods of modern teaching are disseminated throughout the county, and many good teachers are found in the common schools even at the present low rate of wages. This year (1880) is also witnessing an increased activity in the building of new schoolhouses, and the repairing of old ones, and the introducing of modern and improved styles of school furniture and apparatus.
Exclusive of the high schools in the cities of Portage and Columbus, there is a free high school at Lodi. This was established as a graded school in September, 1864, with A. J. Riley as Principal at a salary of $850. In 1869, a high-school building was built, and for five years Mr. Yocum was Principal. He was followed in 1874 by A. A. Miller, and subsequently, in 1877, by W. E. Todd, who is still Principal and has done much to give the school its present excellent reputation. On the 29th of March, 1878, the building was burned down and a new one afterward erected at a cost of about $8,000. There are six departments, employing as many teachers, with an attendance of 275 pupils, seventy-five of whom are in the high-school department.
In the village of Kilbourn there is a graded school of five departments. employing six teachers, with an attendance of 384 pupils. The schoolhouse was built in 1869 at a cost of $16,000, and the annual running expenses for 1879 were about $2,750.
At Cambria, a school of two departments was organized in 1859, and enlarged to three departments in 1869. In 1867, the total enrollment of scholars was 311, and again in 1879 the number was 253. The total expense yearly of running the school is $1,125. In the list of Principals are the names of Henry Rust, J. J. Lloyd, Orson Kellogg, D. A. Strong, Kennedy Scott and Zed. Merrill. There is also a school of two departments and three teachers at Poynette, which was first organized in the fall of 1862, with Miles T. Alverson as Principal. The total expense that year was $400. The number of children enrolled in the district was 127, and the attendance in both departments 103. The total attendance in 1880 is about 140, and the annual expense of running the school over $1,000. To within a year two teachers only have been employed. Besides these there are schools of two departments at Wyocena, Pardeeville,
.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
Rio, Fall River and Randolph, all of which tend to draw in the larger scholars from the sur- rounding country districts.
The supervision of schools was in the care of town Superintendents until the elose of 1861, when the county superintendency was adopted. The first to fill the office of County Superin- tendent of Schools of Columbia County was D. W. Rosenkrans, of Columbus, six years, 1862- 67 ; then Levi Bath, of Columbus, two years, 1868-69 ; J. J. Lloyd, of Cambria, two years, 1870-'71 ; L. J. Burlingame, of West Point, three years, 1872-74 ; Kennedy Scott, five years, 1875-79, and the incumbent, Henry Neill, of Caledonia, elected for the term of 1880-81.
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
The following. are the towns, cities and villages in Columbia County entitled each to one representative upon the County Board :
Towns .- Arlington, Caledonia, Columbus, Courtland, Dekorra, Fort Winnebago, Fountain Prairie, Hampden, Leeds, Lewiston, Lodi, Lowville, Marcellon, Newport, Otsego, Pacific, Ran- dolph, Scott, Springvale, West Point and Wyocena-21.
Cities .- Columbus, First Ward, Second Ward, Third Ward; Portage, First Ward, Second Ward, Third Ward, Fourth Ward, Fifth Ward-8.
l'illages .- Cambria, Kilbourn City, Lodi, Randolph (West Ward)-4.
The following are the names of the members of the Board of County Commissioners and Board of Supervisors for the years mentioned :
County Commissioners .*- 1846-Solomon Leach, J. Q. Adams, John Langdon. t
1847-R. F. Veeder, N. Griffin, J. D. McCall.
1848-J. Q. Adams, J. J. Guppey, G. M. Bartholomew.
1849-J. C. Carr, LaFayette Hill, John O. Jones.
Board of Supervisors .- 1849-A. A. Brayton, S. Brayton, O. Kincaid, J. O. Jones, W. T. Whirry, W. K. Custar, L. Warner, J. Williams, W. W. Patton, Linus Blair, Edwin Sylves- ter, M. C. Bartholomew, Bishop Johnson-13.
1850-Jeremiah Drake, J. Kerr, J. Hewett, J. Seavey, J. Whitney, E. Cook, B. Johnson, D. Bisbee, J. O. Jones, J. Williams, A. A. Brayton, O. Kincaid, O. C. Howe, I. Polley, T. Dalziel, E. Lee-16.
1851-Joseph Kerr, J. Q. Adams, D. S. Bushnell, G. M. Bartholomew, F. C. Curtis, Thomas Dalziel, J. H. Guptil, J. O. Jones, A. C. Ketchum, O. Kincaid, Elijah Lee, J. W. Rhoades, J. Rood, T. C. Smith, R. H. Mead, Jesse Van Ness, J. Whitney-17.
1852-Joseph Kerr, J. Q. Adams, G. M. Bartholomew, M. F. Cass, William W. Drake, J. M. Forrest, F. Folsom, Elijah Lee, R. H. Mead, John Pate, M. W. Patton, D. Vandercook, Jesse Van Ness, D. White, C. J. Chapin, R. Closs, F. C. Curtis, F. E. Whiton-18.
1853-Jesse Van Ness, W. G. Simons, W. H. Young, W. W. Drake, J. C. Carr, G. D. Mead, J. F. Hand, D. White, J. S. Richmond, C. H. Moore, H. Converse, J. O. Jones. R. H. Mead, Benjamin Williams, W. Wiley, E. Williams, Abram Dates, Samuel Reeder, J. Christy, E. Lee-20.
1854-F. C. Curtis, M. Barden, John Hagan, E. A. Tolles, George Wall, H. Converse, J. O. Jones, R. H. Mead, F. Folsom, D. White, J. S. Richmond, Peter Van Ness, M. C. Bar- tholomew, John Derr, J. A. Bowen, E. F. Lewis, J. C. Carr, E. A. McDowell, Benjamin Dow, W. T. Whirry, W. H. Young-21.
1855-M. W. Patton, Nathan Hazen, Thomas Robertson, N. Griffin, J. Drake, S. Cook, John Hagan, J. Walton, J. Montgomery, I. C. Sargent, F. C. Curtis, M. C. Bartholomew, Jacob Jacobia, J. Seavey, Ed. Dawes, F. Folsom, Benjamin Dow, Andrew Dunn, J. N. Hardy, John O. Jones, S. W. Walker, S. H. Briggs-22.
1856-F. C. Curtis, A. N. Smith, Thomas Robertson. W. W. Drake, F. G. Randall, Daniel White, J. C. Carr, J. Devlin, Ed. Fairbanks, J. Ewing, Jr., S. Dutton, M. F. Cass, E.
* The first officer named in each year, in this Board, and in the Board of Supervisors, was Chairman.
+ Did not qualify.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
Dawes, C. S. Tompkins, William Weir, G. G. Marvin, M. W. Patton, N. White, W. M. Blair, T. Tirrill, N. Goodall, Josiah Arnold-22.
1857-Peter Van Ness, J. Austin, Alexander McDonald, W. W. Drake, R. H. Mead, Daniel White, S. M. Smith, A. Sweany, E. Fairbanks, S. A. Wheeler, W. G. Simons, W. T. Bradley, Samuel Dunn, J. H. Bonney, Ed. Dawes, Frank Folsom, J. P. McGregor, William Weir, R. T. Graves, M. Barden, J. O. Jones, H. Converse-22.
1858-J. C. Carr, J. Austin, J. Williams, Thomas Robertson, W. M. Griswold, D. White, A. Sweany, Henry Lull, S. Dunn, W. T. Bradley, J. B. Dwinnell, J. Devine, J. H. Bonney, S. Blood, F. G. Smythe, Francis Wood, L. G. Bever, S. E. Dana, G. N. Richmond, R. S. Stoyell, R. T. Graves, M. Barden, Evan Meredith, J. Pound, H. W. Roblier-25.
1859-J. C. Carr, J. T. Hillyer, Thomas Robertson, J. D. Jones, William M. Griswold, W. Waugh, L. Sweany, W. K. Custar, W. N. Baker, James Devine, J. F. Hand, C. L. Brown, M. M. Williams, J. Bowman, J. L. Burk, F. Wood, P. Sheehan, John Graham, A. M. Craig, J. Collins, A. Warren, M. Barden, E. Meredith, Ira Polley, N. B. Ellis-25.
1860-W. N. Baker, J. T. Hillyer, W. Stevenson, W. Bump, Thomas Silsbee, D. White, J. Q. Adams, O. S. Smith, Ed. Fairbanks, James Devine, Delos Bundy, C. L. Brown, S. A. Knapp, J. W. King, C. S. Tompkins, Henry Emder, S. E. Dana, A. P. Bennett, H. W. Emery, A. Weir, Abram Warren, M. Barden, R. B. Sanderson, N. Coapman, Ira Polley-25.
1861-W. N. Baker, H. J. Sill, W. Stevenson, S. Harvey, A. G. Cook, Hugh Jamieson, O. S. Smith, E. H. Wood, J. H. Sutton, L. A. Squire, L. D. Dean, J. F. Hand, S. A. Knapp, J. W. King, J. L. Burk, Andrew Weir, Ed. O'Keeffe, John Graham, S. S. Brannan, G. H. Osborn, G. G. Marvin, J. O. Jones, M. Barden, George Yule, E. B. Blaisdell-25.
1862-Levi W. Barden, C. L. Brown, Marcus Barden.
1863-Levi W. Barden, C. L. Brown, Marcus Barden.
1864-W. W. Drake, G. M. Bartholomew, M. Barden.
1865-W. W. Drake, G. M. Bartholomew, M. Barden.
1866-W. W. Drake, E. F. Lewis, M. Barden.
1867-Marcus Barden, E. F. Lewis, W. W. Drake.
1868-E. F. Lewis, W. W. Drake, M. Barden.
1869-G. M. Bartholomew, Ira H. Ford, J. Meredith.
1870-A. J. Turner. H. McFarlane, Alexander Prentice, A. G. Cook, A. W. Ingalsbe, H. B. Rust, E. O. Jones, H. Jamieson, Abram Dates, W. H. Proctor, S. Hasev, L. A. Squire, E. F. Lewis, Joel Pruyn, W. H. Young, Hiram Albee, George Smith, D. B. Kuney, J. L. Burk, B. F. Flower, Thomas Dalton, S. S. Brannan, E. Arthur, W. W. Corning, S. S. Tor- bert, S. M. Smith, M. Barden, J. R. Rowlands, Jr., F. O. Sisson, E. B. Blaisdell-30.
1871-William M. Griswold, H. McFarlane, J. G. Staudenmayer, E. O. Jones, W. W. Drake, G. M. Bennett, John McKenzie, Charles Sweany, H. C. Field, Samuel Hasey, D. B. Kuney, L. A. Squire, E. B. Craig, Joel Pruyn, Samuel Dunn, H. Albee, George Smith, J. L. Burk, Stephen Calverly, L. G. Bever, John Gates, Daniel Wells, W. W. Corning, C. Wheeler, G. G. Marvin, M. Barden, J. R. Rowlands, J. L. Farr, E. B. Blaisdell, S. M. Smith-30.
1872-A. J. Turner, H. McFarlane, J. G. Staudenmayer, E. O. Jones, I. Smith, E. E. Chapin, G. M. Bennett, J. Mckenzie, Charles Sweany, H. C. Field, C. S. Tompkins, D. B. Kuney, L. A. Squire, Albert Sharf, A. Eaton, John Foote, Samuel Dunn, Hiram Albee, George Smith, J. Boutwell, J. L. Porter, L. Prehn, James Fyfe, B. Doherty, W. W. Corning, John Chamberlin, M. Barden, J. R. Rowlands, J. L. Farr, C. J. Pardee, S. M. Smith-31.
1873-A. J. Turner, H. McFarlane, J. G. Staudenmayer, E. O. Jones, J. J. Sutton, E. E. Chapin, G. M. Bennett, J. Mckenzie, Abram Dates, H. C. Field, Samuel Hasey, P. G. Stroud, W. C. Kleinert, Albert Sharf, A. Eaton, J. Foote, Samuel Dunn, Hiram Albee, I. W. York, J. Boutwell, S. Calverly, Louis Prehn, S. S. Brannan, B. Doherty, J. Collins, W. T. Whirry, M. Barden, J. R. Rowlands, J. L. Farr, Charles Spear, J. Stolker-31.
1874-A. J. Turner, H. McFarlane, J. G. Staudenmayer, R. J. Rowlands, Paul Miller, W. M. Griswold, C. L. Dering, H. A. Whitney, G. M. Bennett, J. Mckenzie, Charles Sweany,
1
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIAA COUNTY.
H. C. Field, John Derr, M. Griffin, W. C. Kleinert, Alber: Sharf, A. Eaton, John Foote, Samuel Dunn, Hiram Albee, A. Chamberlin, J. Boutwell, Edward Smith, Peter Mahon, Will- iam Meacher, Evan Arthur, W. W. Corning .* Samuel Clark, Marcus Barden, J. R. Rowlands, J. A. Parr, C. J. Pardee, W. T. Whirryt-33.
1875-A. J. Turner, Hiram Albee, Evan Arthur, Alan Bogue, Stephen Calverly, Samuel Clark, John Derr, John Foote, Michael Griffin, Alfred Hasey, J. C. Hoppin, D. M. Hall, Evan O. Jones, Hugh Jamieson, J. R. Jones, W. C. Kleinert, Matthew Lowth, John W. Lee, I. G. Loomis, Peter Mahon, William Meacher, W. H. Proctor, Charles J. Pardee, F. G. Randall, J. G. Standenmayer, Charles Sweany, Albert Sharf, John Sawyer, Joseph Stalker, Mathias Traut, James Wilson, Jr., I. W. York, George Yule-33.
1876-A. J. Turner, Alan Bogue, William Black, M. W. Patton, Matthew Lowth, J. R. Decker, A. Hasey, N. C. Bissell, John W. Lee, A. Hastie, Charles Sweany, O. W. Field, John Derr, P. G. Stroud, W. C. Kleinert, Peter Tennison, James Wilson, A. Eaton, F. C. Curtis, O. D. Coleman, I. W. York, T. Thompson, Edward Smith, Peter Mahon, S. S. Brannan, S. S. Johnson, I. G. Loomis, John Sanderson, John Sawyer, John R. Jones, John Evans, C. J. Par- dee, Joseph Stalker-33.
1877-J. R. Decker, Alan Bogue, Charles McLeish, John Davis, Matthew Lowth, A. Hasey, A. G. Cook, John W. Lee, A. Hastie, Charles Sweany, W. H. Proctor, Thomas San- derson, P. G. Stroud, W. C. Kleinert, Albert Sharf, James Wilson, Addison Eaton, F. C. Cur- tis, O. D. Coleman, I. W. York, Thornton Thompson, J. L. Porter, Jacob Bauer, Ll. Breese, M. Waterhouse, C. C. Britt, N. H. Wood, John Sanderson, D. C. Merrill, John D. Jones, A. Vanderpoel, Stephen Calverly, Joseph Stalker-33.
1878-J. R. Decker, Alan Bogue, Robert Whitelaw, J. J. Edwards, J. W. Leffingwell, A. Hasey, C. L. Dering, John J. Lloyd, A. Hastie, Charles Sweany, M. C. Hobart, J. Montgom- ery, P. G. Stroud, L. L. Phinney, John H. Clark, Charles Goodall, Addison Eaton, F. C. Cur- tis, Asa Smith, I. W. York, Samuel Sampson, Henry Jennings, Jacob Bauer, William Meacher, E. C. Maine, C. C. Britt, N. H. Wood, J. B. Smith, D. C. Merrill, John D. Jones, J. A. Parr, Stephen Calverly, G. C. Foster-33.
1879-J. R. Decker, Alan Bogue, Robert Whitelaw, E. W. Lloyd, J. W. Leffingwell, A. Hasey, Hobart R. Cook, D. D. Morris, J. R. Hastie, Charles Sweany, M. C. Hobart, Edward Fairbanks, P. G. Stroud, L. L. Phinney, John H. Clark, Charles Goodall, Addison Eaton, John W. Palmer, Asa Smith, I. W. York, Hans H. Tongen, Edward Smith, Jacob Bauer, George Shackell, Sr., Evan Arthur, R. C. Rockwood, C. Collipp, J. B. Smith, John Sawyer, John Leatherman, Julius A. Parr, M. G. Tucker, G. C. Foster-33.
1880-Alan Bogue, C. F. Mohr, Evan W. Loyd, J. W. Leffingwell, M. Burnham, Alfred Hasey, H. A. Whitney, D. D. Morris, J. R. Hastie, Charles Sweaney, Spencer Randall, H. R. Clark, William C. Kleinert, John H. Clark, James Wilson, Addison Eaton, James Price, P. G. Stroud, Asa Smith, I. W. York, H. Phillips, Andrew Weir, John Brickwell, George Shackell, Evan Arthur, M. T. Alverson, C. C. Collipp, Thomas Williams, Marcus Barden, John Leather- man, William H. Cook, R. C. Falkner, G. C. Foster,-33. Chairman not yet elected for 1880.
AUTHORS AND ARTISTS.
HATTIE TYNG GRISWOLD
was born in Boston on the 26th of January, 1842. She is the daughter of the Rev. Dudley Tyng, a Universalist divine, now deceased. At the age of eleven years she came with her parents to Wisconsin, and when fourteen years old began to attract attention as one marked with literary ability by her short stories and poems in the Madison State Journal. She also . wrote for the Knickerbocker Magazine and the Home Journal, New York publications of note, and the Louisville Courier-Journal. In 1878, Mrs. Griswold collected many of her poems
* Resigned and Charles C. Dow appointed.
+ W. T. Whirry, deceased, and J. Stalker appointed.
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and published them, with others not before given in printer's ink, in a neat little volume entitled " Apple Blossoms."
" These poems illustrate this fact, that a born singer must sing, no matter how or where ; no matter what coveted boons of culture fortune may withhold, or how niggardly fate may be of outward advantage. Mrs. Griswold is a student of nature and sings the emotions of common humanity. Hers is a healthful, hopeful, songful book for everybody who has soul enough to love a singing bird and sense to appreciate truth. The sun is called the sun, not Phoebus, in this book, and home here is home, and heart, simply heart. The author seems to love the unpretending household phrase of the land, and she knows no disdain for any soul of humanity, who is sincere and earnest and truth-seeking."
One of the Apple Blossoms is
" UNACHIEVED.
" I am sad for the poems which have been but dreamed, For the books which have never been writ, For the pictures which never on canvas have gleamed, For the thought which no language would fit.
" I am sad for the songs that have burdened the brain Of the singer, but could not find birth : For the melodies struggling, and struggling in vain, To break on the world with their worth.
" } am sad for the work which has never been wrought By the hands which were pinioned and pent ;
I lament that the deed could not equal the thought, Nor the action the spirit's intent.
" Alas ! for the deeds which have never been done, So heroic, and grand, and sublime ; Alas ! for the battles which have not been won, In this contest with life and with time.
" Alas ! for the possible loves in the heart Of the man who loves never at all ; For the sadness and sorrow of lives set apart, Who might have found joy in love's thrall.
" Ah, me ! for the idols we make to our souls, And who live not, save in our ideal ; Alas ! for the sorrow that over us rolls, When our dreams are dispersed by the real.
" Every life has two strands : the life that we see, And the other, that which might have been ; The being we are, aud the one we might be- Who shall say where they end or begin ?
" And who, that there is not success in defeat, And a failure in every success ; That the battle-field held may not be a retreat, And the wrong that we suffer, redress ?"
An intelligent critic pronounced Mrs. Griswold's book one of rare merit. He says an undertone of sadness, a refrain of grief and pathos, runs through all her poems; but their les- son is always of patience and resignation and hope, rather than despondency or despair. Their sadness is that of life and of a woman's heart, when it has known "a sorrow's crown of sor- rows," such as is portrayed in
" THREE KISSES. " I have three kisses in my life So sweet and sacred unto me, That now, till death-dews on them rest, My lips shall ever kissless be.
"One kiss was given in childhood s hour, By one who never gave another; Through life and death, I still shall feel That last kiss of my mother.
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HISTORY OF COLUMBIA COUNTY.
" The next kiss burned by lips for years ; For years my wild heart reeled in bliss At every memory of that hour, When my lips felt young love's first kiss.
" The last kiss of the sacred three Had all the woe which e'er can move The heart of woman ; it was pressed Upon the dead lips of my love.
" When lips have felt the dying kiss, And felt the kiss of burning love, And kissed the dead, then nevermore ln kissing should they think to move."
One of this poet's gifted friends truly says of her: "She writes out of the fullness of a rich nature. She has thrilled at the heroism and self-sacrifice of Father Marquette, and has told tenderly a mother's sorrow over ' A little one quietly sleeping.'" "Apple Blossoms " has reached its second volume.
SARAH DYER HOBART
is the daughter of Wayne B. Dyer, and was born at Otsego, in Columbia County, in 1846. She commenced her literary career at the age of eighteen, writing for the local newspapers. She has written a number of poems of acknowledged merit, among them, "The Record of Company B," "The Legend of St. Freda " and "Hector's Recompense." As a regular prose contributor to the Toledo Blade she wrote over the nom de plume of " Floyd Bentley." Her superior talents as a musician have won for her a reputation reaching beyond local confines, and of late years she has turned her attention almost exclusively to the divine art of melody. The follow- ing is
"THE RECORD OF COMPANY B.
" At the open door of the cottage, With a book upon her knee, A fair-haired child sat reading The record of Company B.
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