SUMMER MEETING. 37 



As the president has stated that he was somewhat disappointed 

 when the heavens were lowering before him, I was also dis- 

 appointed when I thought, "Now, my little speech will not fit 

 the occasion. I cannot say the earth is smiling." We cannot 

 meet in the grove, and I cannot speak of the blooming flowers, 

 the singing birds, etc., and I thought, "What can I say?" I 

 thought I could refer to our magnificent system of waterworks, 

 but you cannot see them through these walls of brick ani mor- 

 tar. 



It needs no words of mine to convince you that the people of 

 Lake City are glad to see you. And I speak in behalf of the 

 mayor and the city council when I say the "freedom of the 

 city" is granted you. You are welcome to all our households. 

 We have many objects of interest here, not the least of which, in 

 the views of some, may be Rest Island. I do not suppose any 

 of you will visit it because of the remedies there applied, but 

 you can visit it because of the beautiful scenery. You can step 

 into the borders of our sister state across the river, and you 

 will there see the rock where the Indian maiden threw herself 

 into the lake. I am told the foot- prints where she set her feet 

 are still to be found. I do not know this to be so. 



The people of Lake City welcome you; the mayor and com- 

 mon council welcome you and bid you a glad and free welcome 

 to our homes and households. To-day our homes are yours. 

 You have only to take possession. 



Response to the address of welcome, by Prof. C. D. Smith, 

 of the State Agricultural College: 



Mr. Chairman, gentlemen and ladies: I am almost too fall 

 for utterance. I appreciate your most hearty welcome. When 

 your quondam mayor stood in the doorway, I thought dinner 

 was to be very late, and I felt as the Methodist minister did 

 when he was visiting at a farm house, and as he was waiting, 

 thinking dinner would be brought on, he asked a little boy, 

 "Johnny, when will your dinner be ready?" The little fellow 

 answered, "As soon as you are gone." 



Perhaps you called on me because you thought you would 

 hear nothing about horticulture; perhaps it was you thought 

 I would be brief. I am interested in an undertaking in which 

 you all are interested, the agricultural school. While you are 

 cultivating the berries and small fruits, and the whole line of 

 horticultural products, we are trying to cultivate a still larger 

 product whose fruitage is more important than all the horti- 

 cultural fruits of the state combined. 



