"Wal, strangers from the East think they know when it's goin' to rain and when it ain't; but us fellers who've lived in Kansas thirty years never know whether it'll rain in five minutes or whether it won't rain in three months." The Ottawa Assembly was one of the best in the Chautauqua system. The people of the city built for its use a large tabernacle and halls for classes. Beside the park flows the River Marais du Cygne, "the Swamp of the Swan," celebrated in one of Whittier's poems; and on a bank overlooking the river was erected a Hall of Philosophy, copying the old Hall at Chautauqua, except that its columns were lighter and ornamented, improving its appearance. We followed the Chautauqua programs as far as possible, having many of the same speakers on our platform and Professor Sherwin to lead the music, succeeded later by Dr. H. R. Palmer. The teacher-training work, then called the Normal Class, was maintained thoroughly, with adult, intermediate, and children's classes,--all wearing badges and following banners. The C. L. S. C., with all its usages of camp fires, Recognition Day, vigil, procession and arches, was kept prominent. We established a Chautauqua Boys' Club, and Girls' Club also. We could not conduct a summer school, as the meeting lasted only a fortnight, but we had lecture courses of high character upon literature. Kansas contained more old soldiers in its population than any other State in the Union, and the Grand Army Day at Ottawa was an event of State-wide interest. Some distinguished veterans spoke on these occasions, among them General John A. Logan, Major William McKinley, and General John B. Gordon of the Confederate Army; also Private A. J. Palmer of New York, whose "Company D, the Die-No-Mores," roused enthusiasm to its summit. One element in Ottawa's success was the steadfast loyalty of the city,--a place then of seven or eight thousand people, which enjoyed a special prohibitory law some years earlier than the rest of the State. Almost every family had its tent in Forest Park and lived there day and night during the fortnight of the meetings. Another cause of its prosperity was its able, broad, and continuous management. Its President for many years was the Rev. Duncan C. Milner, a Chautauquan from his boots up to his head, and laboring with untiring energy in its behalf.