March 6, 1891 A Historical Birthday Sketch!

My dear daughter Belle,
There are things I wish to tell,
As your birthday comes this week,
Of this event I wish to speak.
On the sixth of March I say,
To commemorate the day
In the house where we did live
Near Wellsboro, God did give
To us a baby girl
With many a golden curl,
So many years away
I omit to name the day,
So young she does appear
If I write the date in here
A mistake it would be said
As to years gone o'er her head
Had been made.
So we now will trace her flight,
As our Robin in the night
Reached the place, where N. Wardner
With much grace
Gave us all a resting place
In his home
Where with many comforts blest
Our wee birdie in its nest
Found repose.
Soon after break of day
We journeyed on our way
To our charge.
With infant eight weeks old
This trip it must be told
To Boylston made.
From this scenic place we go
To a town named Mexico;
A place quite near the lake
Where to fishing we did take
With our friends.
Here Cecil had his birth
And your flight about the earth
Shared awhile.
Then to Thurman we all went
A year and a half was spent
In that place.
Here where mountains raised their heads
And my early years had sped
On their way. Where our Arthur saw the light
From this place we took our flight
To the home of Willie's birth
In a place of spiritual dearth
Called Pitcairn.
Southward then we made our way,
First at Arthur Allen's stay.
Then to Barry Brook a call
Using the house of Reuben Paul
Near Wife's home.
At Steven's Point, the place of Ray's birth
Next stopping place here on earth.
In Willow we'd the Catskills grand,
For five years we made our stand.
To Eagle Harbor then we went
To our house a boy was sent,
The last to join our tribe,
Now aspiring to be a scribe.
Five years in Warrensburg we stay,
Then to Stony Creek away
While Belle to Willow went
And a year in teaching spent
In that place.
Then in Willow Hollow teach
Houghton Sem. next did reach
On her way. To Ann Arbor still at work
Studying hard, No time to shirk.
Did it pay?
Two years at Hadley we spent.
To Brooklyn Hospital wife was sent
Then we to Chambers went
While Belle with her B.A.
From Houghton teaching came away
To our home. And there
While I did preach
She in a school did teach
As before.
Four of our boys in Houghton stay
Till called by Warwork far away
From their school
They left to work.
Cecil and Will in lumber camp
Did toil about
Till wintry weather drove them out.
In ammunitions plant with more
Arthur and Will increased the store
Until the call to Arms was sent
And will to Philadelphia went.
From teaching in Emporium High,
To Phila. Soon our bird did fly
While in Thayer's College Belle did greet
With the sights in city Willie meet.
While in Rich Valley you should see
Our dear Belle Robin work with me
The digger use with handle broke
In hardened soil where weeds did choke
Pick up potatoes — in wagon . . . ill.
Assist to draw them up the hill.
At household work she did her share
And from her mother lifted care.
In training camp our boys we see
Cecil — Camp Upton, Arthur — Camp Lee.
From Camp Decatur at Great Lake,
The deadly Flu our Will did take
(All mettle clad) was homeward hurried
And with great honors
Here was buried.
A call to Washington for Belle did come
While we at Houghton made our home.
Our Robin there could find no rest
So in Baltimore she made her nest.
This life sketch of Belle's flights
Here end
As birthday present now I send
So close this scribble with a bang
And forward on to Mrs. Lang.



With love and prayers,
Your Papa.

65 and
Still alive. March 6, 1920