Poems of James McIntyre Part 9

And on its banks in warrior pride The brave Tec.u.mseh fought and died, And it has now historic claims The famous battle of the Thames.

Now soon the waters meet and pair With the wavelets of St. Clair, As maids when wed do lose their names, No longer it is called the Thames.

Rejoicing on its way it smiles, Kissing the sh.o.r.es of Thousand Isles, Mingling with St. Lawrance motion, It soon is blended with the ocean.

LONDON FLOOD, JULY 11th, 1883.

From the long continuous rains O'erflowing were the swamps and drains, For each day had its heavy shower, Torrents fell for many an hour; At London where two branches join It seem'd two furies did combine, For to spread far both death and woe, With their wild, raging overflow; E'en houses did on waters float, As though each had been built for boat, And where was wealth and joy and bloom, Soon naught but inmates of the tomb; Flood o'erflowed both vale and ridges, And swept railroads, dams and bridges, A mother climbed in tree to save Her infant from a watery grave, But on the house you saw its blood Where it was crushed 'gainst tree by flood; Where cottages 'mong gardens stood 'Tis covered o'er with vile drift wood, O'er flowers and bushes you may travel For they are buried under gravel, Or you may walk o'er barren sand, The crops washed out and fertile land; Two funerals we at once did see Of one family who lost three; No longer river's deep and wide But gently flows to distant tide.

DISASTER TO STEAMER VICTORIA AT LONDON.

At London Thames is a broad stream, Which was the scene of a sad theme, A fragile steamer there did play, O'ercrowded on a Queen's Birthday, While all on board was bright and gay, But soon 'neath the cold waters lay, Naught but forms of lifeless clay, Which made, alas! sad month of May.

LINES ON WOODSTOCK.

English Woodstock had a palace Where the Queen in jealous malice Slew romance's fairest flower, Fair Rosamond in secret bower; Our Woodstock pleasing county town, This brings it both wealth and renown, To your strong castle some are sent To give them leisure to repent.

A charming vista you do view Gazing on each street and avenue, Mansions and lawn embowered 'mong trees Where wealthy owners live at ease, And through the air there sweetly floats Harmonious Woodstock organ notes, And men employment secure In factory for furniture; Old Oxford is a seat of knowledge, Woodstock has a fine new college, And farm implement work shops, So farmers easy reap their crops; The old court house is a disgrace, Grand structure soon will take its place.

INGERSOLL.

Ex-Mayor Thomas Brown may be considered the father of the town, he projected the first roads and bridges.

The Thames and tributary rills, Here they do drive numerous mills, Enabling millers to compete To pay high price for oats and wheat.

Here streams do drive many a wheel For to grind both flour and oatmeal, And town will extend its boundaries With its enterprising foundries.

For fine pianos town is famed And highest rank for them is claimed, And brighter days for it yet dawns With its grand mansions and fine lawns, And it has now the t.i.tle grand The capital of dairyland.

EMBRO.

O'er various counties of the north, When cruel order did go forth, For to destroy many a home, So that the wild deer free might roam; The men of Sutherland and Ross, The broad Atlantic they did cross, Each seeking for a fertile farm, These rolling lands for them had charm; They ne'er desired again to roam, Each happy in his woodland home, Where middle branch of Thames doth flow They built the village of Embro, And it the hill tops now doth crown Like its grand namesake Edina Town, And good flour mills you here do find And oats also they here do grind.

BEACHVILLE.

Of Beachville, village of the plain, We now will sing a short refrain, For here the Thames doth pleasant flow, And charm to landscape doth bestow; Though river here it is not deep, Yet banks slope graceful up the steep, And from the summit of the hills You look down on the famed lime kilns, And 'tis full worthy poet's rhyme The whiteness of your pure white lime, Your glory never shall be gone While you have quarries of this stone, In influence you yet will wax With mills for flour and also flax.

STRATFORD.

Our Canadian county Perth, Commemorates great bard of earth, Stratford and Avon both are here, And they enshrine the name Shakespeare.

For here in Stratford every ward Is named from dramas of great bard, Here you may roam o'er Romeo, Or glance on Juliet bestow.

And it is a railway centre, Many a train doth here enter, And railroad shops do men employ, And gives them work and wealth and joy.

LINES ON THAMESFORD.

The middle branch of Thames doth flow O'er pebble bed and it doth glow And sparkle like silver in the sun, As it through pasture lands doth run.

In dam is ample water stored, To drive flour mills in Thamesford, Besides the power of the stream, Saw mills and flax are drove by steam.

Our mind it doth with pleasure fill, To see fine brick church on each hill, And that substantial one of stone Owned by congregation of St. John.

THE VALE OF THAMES.

In vale of Thames oft' times are seen The cattle graze 'mong sweetest green, Or there contented with their fate The gentle cows do ruminate.

And enjoy a double pleasure In re-chewing hidden treasure, The cow is a kindly creature, Kind and pleasant in each feature.

About her is a homely charm, And her the dog should not alarm, But let all safe guard her from harm, The gentlest creature on the farm.

DAIRY AND CHEESE ODES.

As cheese making first began in this county and it has already become the chief industry of many counties, it is no insignificant theme. About the middle of this century Canada was a great importer of cheese, and now cheese is the princ.i.p.al article of export from the Province of Ontario, and this Province will soon export no less than ten millions of dollars worth of cheese per annum. Mr. Ranney was doing a thriving business in the dairy line, manufacturing cheese after the century was half gone on the dairy plan from the products of his own cows, and one decade later Mr. Farrington introduced the factory system. Both of these gentlemen have departed this life but Canada is enjoying the fruits of their labors, and about eight hundred cheese factories are in operation in this Province of Ontario.

RANNEY, 1856, DAIRY SYSTEM.

Ranney began with just two cows, Which he in winter fed on browse, And now he hath got mighty herds Numerous as flock of birds, May he long live our hearts to cheer This great and useful pioneer.

FARRINGTON, 1866, FACTORY SYSTEM.

The farmers they now all make rich Since Farrington went to Norwich, And the system first there began Of making cheese on factory plan; He came from Herkimer county, To Canada he was a bounty; Norwich village moved but slow, Till railways made it quickly grow, And industries here now take root, The towns.h.i.+p's famous for its fruit.

Among the earliest champions of the Factory System of making cheese were Messrs. Chadwick, Ca.s.swell and Ballantyne. The North Oxford Company were awarded the highest honor at the Centennial Exhibition. Messrs. J. L.

Grant & Co. have a fine large cold storage warehouse on the G.T.R., and the C.P.R. have erected one on their line, which is leased by Mr. Riley.

Ingersoll being the great dairy centre of Ontario it was deemed requisite to have those facilities for preserving the cheese in the hot season. The following is a list of the most prominent cheese factories in this district and the salesmen thereof:

Dereham and West Oxford--W. Nancekivell.

Harris Street--T. R. Mayberry.

W. Oxford--G. Galloway.

N. Oxford--D. J. Dunda.s.s.

Maple Leaf--Thomas Caddy.

W. Zorra--John Blair.

Burnside--H. George.

Gore--H. C. Hopkins.