St.Thomas

At time of Oddfellow's Grand Lodge meeting, 1884.

Oddfellows once they had to trudge
O'er rough stage roads to the Grand Lodge,
But now they town of metal seek
And find it on the Kettle Creek ;
For industry it here prevails
As it was built by the steel rails ;
And here the wide expanded bridges
Do connect the distant ridges.
No more need to stay at home, as
There's lots of railroads to St. Thomas.
You pluckily did boldly venture,
Now you are great railroad centre ;
Your city now it hath high hopes
From its great railway work shops,
And higher yet it still will rise,
This seat of so much enterprise.
When young man longs for wedded mate,
He seeks Alma girl graduate.

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poem by James McIntyre
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The Joys of Prairie Farmers

We let Ontario farmers sing
About the joys the woods do bring,
But we, in regions of North-West
Do think prairie farms the best,
For those poor men who swing the axe
On their strength 'tis a heavy tax ;
For several years they naught can grow,
While from the first we plow and sow,
And while we plow we dont get thumps
By running it against the stumps ;
And where wild buffalo now doth feed
There very soon we'll sow the seed ;
Where Indian wigwams now do stand
Will be the site of cities grand,
And where the deer and wolf doth roam
Millions will build each happy home,
So quick as if by magic wand
They will arise o'er the whole land ;
But this one fact we wont deny
Ontario, she can supply,

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poem by James McIntyre
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A Christmas Tree

To night the children meet with glee
To view the fruits on Christmas Tree,
And when its beauties we behold
We're very sorry we are old.
The children all they have good cause
To feel grateful to old Santa Claus,
And to each teacher, and each friend,
Who did these handsome presents send.
To us it is a pleasant treat,
With so many friends here to meet,
You've well conducted public school
Where master doth judicious rule ;
The union it doth give its strength,
Gives section breadth, as well as length.
Nissouri here should build a Hall,
For exhibitions in the Fall;
Its claims they cannot be ignored,
For first in township stands Thamesford.
This village keeps up with the age,
For it hath a good daily stage

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poem by James McIntyre
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Welcome to the Prince of Wales

Lines written when the Prince of Wales
was about embarking for Canada, May, 1860.

In his long voyage o'er the sea,
To where doth grow the maple tree,
May he be blest with pleasant gales-
The coming man, the Prince of Wales.

The Maple grows but in good soil,
Where nature doth reward for toil.
The farmer, splitting his fence rails,
He welcome bids the Prince of Wales.

In the woods the axe is ringing,
And the yeoman merry singing ;
The song resounds o'er hills and dales -
Our future king, the Prince of Wales.
'Round the brow of our future chief
We'll weave a wreath of maple leaf,
For o'er broad Canada prevails

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poem by James McIntyre
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Campbells Block

You may look but look in vain
For stores with such immense pane ;
All other shops they do surpass
With their enormous lights of glass.

One night by chance through them we gazed
But we did quickly stand amazed ;
Three moons they did beauteous glow,
And gleams so lovely they did throw.

But a still more wond'rous story
Mid day showed three suns in glory ;
At the sight we scarce could gaze,
So full of brilliancy the rays.

We had to curtain off the glory ;
If you don't believe this wondrous story
Ask Editon of the Tribune
About this tale of sun and moon.

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poem by James McIntyre
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Oddfellowship in Woodstock

Well tell a tale, it shall be brief
It is of rise of Maple Leaf,
From noble Olive Branch it sprung,
And its good deeds shall yet be sung ;
This Encampment, though in its youth,
Glories in friendship, love, and truth
Of all our lodges yet the chief
May be this youthful Maple Leaf ;
Built of good timber, it doth launch
Well worthy of the Olive Branch,
And though it only is a shoot
We hope that it will take deep root,
And soon be vigorous Maple tree
In Canada so broad and free.
And may its usefulness ne'er cease
Sprung from the Olive Branch of peace,
But comfort brothers in distress,
Widows and orphans it will bless,
And console them in their grief,
Protected by the Maple Leaf.

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poem by James McIntyre
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Ode on the Mammoth Cheese

We have seen the Queen of cheese,
Laying quietly at your ease,
Gently fanned by evening breeze --
Thy fair form no flies dare seize.

All gaily dressed soon you'll go
To the great Provincial Show,
To be admired by many a beau
In the city of Toronto.

Cows numerous as a swarm of bees --
Or as the leaves upon the trees --
It did require to make thee please,
And stand unrivalled Queen of Cheese.

May you not receive a scar as
We have heard that Mr. Harris
Intends to send you off as far as
The great World's show at Paris.

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poem by James McIntyre
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Musings on the North West

Domestic cattle quiet will graze where now the Buffalos roam,
and in spots now covered o'er with Indian Wigwams,
where white men never trod, cities will occupy their
sites with busy trade, and millions throng from Eastern
lands to take possession of the great North-West; then
Winnipeg, perchance, may be the capital of the Domin-
ion. In the days fortold, when this indeed shall be the
'Greater Britain,' with Ontario's towns for work shops
for this vast Prairie land.

' And poets will arise and high their lays will soar,
Worthy of the muse of a Burns or a Moore,'
A Shakespeare and a Milton, the great and the wise
Will sing of the glories of our Northern skies ;
Of its lakes and rivers, and its mountains grand,
Of its fertile plains and great prairie land.
A fit theme for song this empire gigantic
Whose arms stretch from Pacific to Atlantic.

poem by James McIntyre
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T.D Mkee

While referring to past glories of Ireland, perhaps we might refer to that great Irish Historian,
the late Honourable T. D. McKee, of whom we have written a poem in the earlier portion of this work,
and we will give you an anecdote of him while here, showing his ready wit while he was rising from
the supper table around which was a number of guests assembled, all eyes being naturally turned on
him as the great centre of attraction, but the chair, being new, stuck to him ; he instantly exclaimed, I
wish the Montreal people were as anxious to retain me in my seat as you are in Ingersoll. He being a
member for Montreal, wrote a fine poem on the St. Lawrence, where in Cartier describes to the King,
on his return to Europe, the great river.

' He told them of a river whose mighty torrent gave
A freshness for a hundred leagues to oceans briney wave.'

poem by James McIntyre
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Lines on the Credit Valley Trip

The Credit Valley Railway company having placed a car at the disposal
of the Ingersoll corporation, the Council kindly asked us to accompany
them to Toronto, a short time after the opening of the road.

Whene'er we take a tour abroad,
We love to travel o'er new road,
Where scenery to us is new
And landscape pleasing to the view.
When invited for to rally,
And take a trip on Credit Valley,
We resolved for to afford
A day with Council and School Board,
For to view the rural charms
Of hills and dales and fertile farms.
With joy we saw the sunbeams gleam
On Grand River, beauteous stream,
And those perpendicular walls
Of rock, like old baronial halls.
We saw the great lake ebb and flow,
And Queen City of Ontario,

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poem by James McIntyre
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