Norton County Pioneers
Alas! 'twas but
a few short years, it seems,
There trod me
only beast and savage band
When in my idle
days, and in my dreams
I hungered for
the touch of white man's hand;
And then you
came, a gallant sturdy crew,
Who builded
homes upon my barren plain,
And there, your
wives, so brave and strong and true
Bore untold
hardships - shared your loss and pain.
I did not
welcome you with wine or feast -
I did not want
you here, you might have thought -
I knew you were
not savages or beast,
I felt your
purpose, knew the goal you sought
I knew you did
not come to find, but make,
And so I let my
hidden treasures lie
'Till by your
labor you should earn and take
It from my
burdened bosom, by and by.
You, all
undaunted by my barren plain,
By pests or
dangers, drouth or winter drear,
You, great of
muscle, courage, heart and brain,
Took up the
burden of the pioneer.
You brought no
evil or dishonesty;
The flag of
right you planted and unfurled.
You gave the
best of all your life to me
And made of me
the Garden of the World.
You opened up
my boundless treasure store,
My bosom
yielded to your earnest quest;
The tempting
harvest that your labors bore
Brought mankind
flocking to the "Golden West."
All were not
loyal, strong and clean as you,
Inspired by
purpose lofty and sincere,
Yet I am
measured not by what they do,
But by the
labors of my pioneer.
- Caroline Coler.