Mrs. Julia B. Stannard's Address

ín making the presentation to the Washtenaw Pioneer aud Historical Sooiety of the saddlebags used by her late father, Judge Samuel W. Dexter, Mrs.Julia B. Stannard used the following words at the pioueer meeting in Chelsea last week : Mr. President, Ladies, aud Gentlemen, pioneers of Washtenaw county: I rejoice to be with you at another annual meeting of old time friends, these are the happy days; as we jonrney toward the setting sim of life, today, we think and speak of the past, with all its pleasaut memories. At this annual meeting these lines of the poet seem appropriatu : "We' re growiugold," they teil us, Every year: "We're more alone," they teil us, Every ye;ir: "We can win no new affeetlou, We bare ouly recollectlon, Deeper sorrow and flejection, Every year." Too true- llfe's shores are staiiting, Every year; And are we seaward driftlng, Every year; Old places, cbsinping, fret us, The living more forget us, Ei'ery year. But the truer life life draws nigher, Every year; And its moi-Dingstar climbs hlgher, Kvery year; Karth's hold on us grows slighter. And its weary burdens ligliter. And the dawmimmortal brighter, Every year. It is an honor aiíd apleasure tome to present to the Pioneer and Historical Society of Washtenaw county, a relio of olden times. I arn commissioned by niy mother, Mrs. Miüioent Dexter,who sends kiuiiest greetings to friends of oldeu times, to transfer to your kind care and keeping, tbe saddle bags wihch were nsed by my father, Samuel V. Dester, to oarry tbe inail between Ann Arbor aud Dexter, in the year 1827, and for soine time after that date. As I look at this family keepsake, I think of the loviug messages which were there carried, f rom the dear old New England liomes, to those brave pioneers, and the answers to those letters, telling of the new homes in Michigan, and of life in a new country. Th spirit of cheerful self-denial exhibited by the men aud womeu of those times, should ever be au inspiration to self forgetfulness. The postage upon letters was twenty-five cents, if the distance was over three huudred miles, bnt my father, thinking that was too much for the new settlers to pay, always return ed one-half of it. And now,Mr. President, I present to your society this relie of sixty-nine years ago.