Distrustful of myself, how much I fear
A lack of skill! but while my Muse is near,
To tune my harp, to guide my hand and fling
Her own inspired notes on Music's airy wing,
Which now, a pent-up fire within my soul,
Groans to be free, I'll bid the numbers roll.

The man of selfish mood, though great in lore,
Who looking so superficially o'er

The rest of nature, sees no charms at all,
Sees nothing here in thee; yea and will call
Thee a gloomy, desolate wild, and haste
Himself away as from some lonely waste,
Some desert place, dreary, barren and dry,
Where dread simoons are fiercely sweeping by.
But firmly now thy fascinating charms
Hold me, as some fond lover holds in arms
His maid, and as the captive one, meanwhile
Her face aglow with mingled blush and smile,
Betrays the love she scarcely dare make known,
So now thy captivating power I own.

But seldom sung has been thy worthy name,
For little known has been thy hidden fame,
Save by the savage tribes who dearly loved,
While o'er thy bright elysian fields they roved,
In head-long chase or wild nomadic tour,
(Free as the air they breathed) to drink thy pure,
Romantic beauties in.

Ah well they knew,

Though wild themselves, and sometimes cruel too,

Thy charms; and much they grieved to leave behind

Their native plains, in distant fields to find

A future and uncertain dwelling-place,

And yield these charms to men of paler face.

How oft, while pensively I wend along
Over thy vast domain, a mingled throng

Of images and strange conjectures roll
Through all the hidden chambers of my soul;
And oft, involuntarily, I've thought,

Did God give thee this form, when He from naught

Commanded all the Universe? or has

Some mighty freak of wild Old Nature, as

By magic art she tried her skillful hand,

Since vast creation's dawn, changed all this land

From ruder state to all the charming grace

Which rests serenely on thy smiling face?
While thus I've mused, as often have I said,
"Sure this was once the proud Old Ocean's bed.
At length her billows, starting as by fear,
Grandly receding left their impress here."

And oft when wandering out at evening time,
And in the west the restless sun, sublime,

Was hiding fast his gloriously bright

And wondrous form, and lingering floods of light Fell o'er the earth, while here and there were seen Behind eclipsing hills, in each ravine

And shallow place, shadows to fall,

Like wide-strewn fragments of a tattered pall;
While hills and mounds all luminous were made,
Causing a mingled view of light and shade,
I've said, "How emblematic this of human life,
With all its quiet and its fearful strife
That ends in victory, its toil and rest,
Afflictions which convulse the throbbing breast,
And that most holy calm which afterward
Comes o'er the soul, while sweet a voice is heard
Exclaiming, 'Peace! Be still!' and even when
At length the last great struggle comes, ah!, then
To feel that we can say, 'No evil will

I know or fear, for Thou art with me still,'

And more, Thy rod and staff they comfort me.
And now, O Grave where is thy victory?
O Death where is thy sting?'

This is the light

And shade of mortal life, its day and night;
And thus 'tis seen that this our world, to those
Alone who make it so hath fears and woes

Of constant stay-anticipated grief,

Or real ill from which there's no relief;

For hath not Inspiration said aright,

"To righteous men, arising, comes a light

In darkness?" then all at once their fears have fled,
And having nothing now that they can dread,
By faith's great light, cheerful they look above,
And then beyond, and feel a warmer love
For Him whose people must be tried, a trust
More strong in Him whose ways are ever just.
They feel a purer heart, the silver tried,

Evil o'ercome, afflictions sanctified;

They have a brighter and happier soul,

The darkness flees, and quickly o'er them roll
Bright beaming waves of bliss; and when shall fall
The gloom of death, a light transcending all
Bursts forth, refulgent-eternal-Ah! See!
It is the light of Immortality.

facts:

IOWA AT THE WORLD'S FAIR.

O Miss Delia Hutchinson who for three months and more had charge of the registry desk in the Iowa building THE RECORD is indebted for the following

The Iowa building was the most favorably located of all the State buildings and was the most attractive by reason of its interior decorations all made of cereals and grasses-the products of the State. Similar decorations were found in Iowa's pavilion in the agricultural hall.

In the educational exhibit in which Iowa's record for literacy would lead one to expect special features of excellence there was a great lack of general presentation, resulting as is said from the State's meagre appropriation. The long continued uncertainty as to opportunity for display of educational work prevented teachers from supplying the State's deficiency from private funds. The Iowa Register contains over 60,000 names of which number not less than 50,000 are names of residents of the State.

No special exercises were held in the building except in observance of dedication of the building October 22, 1892of the opening of the building May 1, 1893, and of press day August 4th, 1893.

Upon the first occasion the program consisted of a prayer by Rev. Dr. Green, of Cedar Rapids.

Presentation to the Governor by Hon. J. O. Crosby, president of Iowa commission. Reception address and tender to the United States commission by Governor Boies.

Response of Director General Davis. Poem written by Maj. S. H. M. Byers read by Mrs. Lucia Gale Barber. tion by Hon. E. P. Seeds.

Ora

Music throughout the exercises was rendered by Phinney's Iowa State Band. The "Star Spangled Banner" was sung by Mrs. Norton, the audience joining in the chorus with band accompanying. Exercises closed with doxology and benediction.

Upon the second occasion after a brief address by President Crosby, of the Iowa commission, Hon. W. M. McFarland, Secretary of State, made the formal opening address.

Upon the third occasion Hon. J. W. Jarnagin, of Montezuma, commissioner of the sixth district, delivered an address of welcome, responded to by Hon. Lafayette Young, of Des Moines, president of the Iowa Press Association.

EARLY IOWA POLITICS.*

At the

OWA as a territory, and the first eight years of her statehood, was rock-rootedly Democratic. expiration of that time the birth of the new "Re

publican" party, which took the place of the old Whig party (of which Henry Clay had always been the prominent type), the Kansas-Nebraska agitation, the nomination by the Democratic party of an exceedingly weak ticket, and by the Republicans of a very strong one, resulted in the complete overthrow of Democracy in the state, and the election of James W. Grimes, of Burlington, as governor.

Gov. Grimes had many advantages. He had served several terms in the legislature, stood with the foremost at the Iowa bar, was a good debater and very much in earnest and conscientious in his advocacy and defense of the tenets of the new party, and was, in fact, one of the brainiest and solidest

*Old Settler" in Dubuque Herald.

men that has ever represented his party in the State. Later he was elected United States Senator, and in that capacity voted against the impeachment of President Johnson.

The Democratic convention which nominated a candidate for governor at that election, came together without any settled policy as to a candidate. Several very good men were brought forward, but none of them succeeded in getting a nomination. Finally, and as a last resort, and mainly to beat "the other fellows," the convention tumbled over to and nominated Curtis Bates, of Des Moines.

Mr. Bates, though negatively a good man, had no physical or mental force, and made no canvass, or but a very inefficient one, and though often challenged by his aggressive competitor to a joint debate, always and persistently declined meeting that gentleman on the stump. A few appointments were made for him which he filled as best he could, with Mr. Grimes following closely after him. Finally, it is said that Bates having an appointment to "lecture" at Cedar Rapids one evening, learned at supper time that Grimes had caught up with him, was in town, and in fact was going to follow him in speaking, when he hurriedly skipped the town. Poor Bates! He was a good fellow and no one blamed him.

The convention had imposed upon him without his knowledge or consent, a task for which he had no liking, and to which he was not adapted. But I have inadvertently gone away ahead of the hounds.

The first governor, a Democrat, was Ansel Briggs, of Jackson county. He was a good man, of good common sense, conservative and honest, and gave the State a good administration. With him Elisha Cutler, of Van Buren county, was elected Secretary of State; Joseph T. Fales, of Des Moines county, Auditor of State, and Morgan Reno, of Johnson county, Treasurer. The governor, under the first constitution of the State, served four years; the State officers then, ' as now, for two years.

At the end of the first biennial period the Democrats nomi