ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



179 



ADDRESS. 



By Lieut. Gov. Northcott, Greenville, III. 



Mr. Presient, Members of the Dairy Association, Ladies and 

 Gentlemen. 



I hardly know just what subject to discuss. None of you 

 who know me would expect an intelligent discussion of the dairy 

 interest by me. I haven't, unfortunately, been in town during 

 your session, or I expect I would be a first-class dairyman by this 

 time. 



It reminds me of a story of Joe Blackburn. He lived in 

 Kentucky, and, by the way, have you ever heard the toast : 



Here's to old Kentucky, with her deep and classic shades, 



Filled with the youth and fairness of her dark-eyed maids ; 



Whose homes are filled with colonels. 



And whose kernels are filled with corn. 



Blackburn said when a young man he had occasion to run for 

 the legislature. It was hard to get a crowd together with no 

 railroad and no easy way of getting around. He heard of a 

 hanging that w^as going to take place at a county seat and he 

 asked the sheriff if he couldn't address the people who were at 

 the execution. So Joe got ready, and asked the man if he had 

 any dying request to make, and he said he hoped they would 

 hang him first and let Joe Blackburn talk afterwards. 



I don't know just what to discuss. Of course it is unnec- 

 essary to welcome you after you have been here for three days, 

 for that has been done. I will tell you of a story on the Mayor, 

 he talks so much about Greenville and they got tired of hearing 

 him. He attended a meeting in East St. Louis and talked what 

 a big place Greenville was. They say Ed had a dream the night 

 before. He dreamt he was dead and in the other world and 

 the man was showing him about. Ed looked around and said, 



