ADDRESSES OF MAJOR LACEY 345 



But their identity is now lost, and I think I can only 

 point out the one planted by Philip Meyers. 



The poet, George W. Seevers, wrote some verses to 

 commemorate the planting of his tree on the east side of 

 the park. Unfortunately, it had to be cut down a couple 

 of years ago, because of decay. I remember a part of 

 one of Mr. Seevers 's verses: 



I have a monument reared by my own hands, 

 In the town of renowned Oskaloosa it stands 

 In the form of a White Elm tree. 



In Padua beyond the sea the students and noted men 

 of the city have been commemorated by almost a regi- 

 ment of marble statues. The example will be followed 

 here in time. 



Here has been the center of not only the activities of 

 the city but of the county as well. When I was a boy 

 occasionally a man excessively well dressed and decorat- 

 ed with jewelry would spend a few days at one of the 

 hotels and when curiosity was excited by his unusual 

 display some one would ask, "Who is that?" And the 

 old reply would be, "I don 't know, but I think he is one 

 of the men who is proposing to lay the public square out 

 into town lots." 



In fact, in those days the square always looked like it 

 might be improved in appearance by such treatment. 



It was into this old square that Lieutenant-Governor 

 Enoch W. Eastman marched one day carrying his axe on 

 his shoulder, and when asked what it meant answered 

 that he had ' ' shouldered his axe and left his old political 

 party. ' ' 



Those were stirring times and others followed his ex- 

 ample, and the saying that a man had "shouldered his 

 axe" became a by-word of the day. 



It was here that political and business gatherings have 

 been wont to assemble during the three score and ten 



