A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 18

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 960

USA > Connecticut > Windham County > A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II > Part 18

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There was another Willimantic pupil who had an ambition to go to college,

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and started out in the "classical course" in high school; but the languages and higher mathematics were too much for him, as also was English spelling; so he fell by the wayside after junior year, and got a job.

Among other studies he essayed French. The verb "chanter" was soon encountered, and one day he was sent to the blackboard to write out the "pres- ent indicative." After considerable labor he produced the following :

Ge shanta

No shantons

Tu shantas

Voo shanties

Il shanta

On shantons

Principal Welch came along on his tour of inspection, and perceiving the abso- lutely hopeless structure, quietly remarked : "Well, Smith, you've got up quite a shanty there, haven't you ?"

This same pupil enjoyed the distinction of often misspelling twenty-one words out of twenty, for at the Friday afternoon exercise in written spelling, . he would misspell every one of the twenty words and then spell his own name wrong.

HE KNEW HOW IT MADE HIM FEEL

The activity of Edward F. Casey of Willimantic in Knights of Columbus circles, and his keen interest in the cause of his native Ireland, recalls an answer which he made to a sudden question many years ago. The writer then lived on Church Street, and was in conversation on various topics with a friend who was calling one evening. Somehow a question arose as to the meaning of the phrase "Erin go bragh." Neither of us could tell.

"I'll call up Ed Casey," said the writer, "he's a loyal son of 'the old sod' and he'll know."

So Casey was called on the 'phone and the following conversation ensued.

"Say, Ed, a friend calling here asked the meaning of 'Erin go bragh' and of course you can tell us-what does it mean ?"

"Oh, er, 'Erin go bragh?' Why, yes, I know what that means. It's-er, well, it's-er, why, I ought to know that. Let me see, 'Erin go bragh,'-oh, yes, it means-er-well, that's funny, you'll have to call up Father Mulville for that ; he can tell you. I thought I knew, but I don't just seem to recall it exactly; well, anyway, I don't know just what it means, but I know how it makes me feel !"

So we called up Father F. X. Mulville, then curate at St. Joseph's, and he said it meant "Ireland forever." .

A BEAUTIFUL INSTANCE OF FATHERLY AFFECTION

Philo P. Bennett of Hartford, known throughout the state as for many years representing the Bradstreet's commercial agency, and by which company he is still retained in an "emeritus" relation, was a Tolland County boy, but related to the Windham County Bennetts. His father, the late Ira Bennett of . Rockville exemplified a remarkable instance of personal devotion in the days when it was considered by many of his dearest friends that he was in imminent danger of eternal damnation unless he made open profession of Christ. Ira Bennett was a man of exemplary character, never a professor of religion or a member of the church; a good moral man, kindly, benevolent, a square dealer in business, but this was not enough, according to the then prevailing evan-

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gelical theology. There was a "revival" in Rockville, under the lead of the Rev. E. P. Hammond, and Philo, then in the early twenties, made up his mind to take a stand for Christ; but he had the highest respect and affection for his father, and would not act without consulting him. So one Sunday morning, after breakfast, Philo told his father he wished to see him alone. They went into "the parlor," a room rarely used in those days except for "company." There Philo told his father of his intention. The elder Bennett listened atten- tively and then with quiet earnestness said, "Well, Philo, it's all right; I approve of your decision. I have never seen the matter in that light; I may be mis- taken ; I may be lost, but I have acted according to my light. However, that is not to influence you ; and whatever happens to me, I want you to be saved."

A COMMENDABLE RECORD

Fred C. Deming, engineer for the Windham Silk Company at Willimantic, has an unbroken record of attendance upon his duties to start the engine on time every morning for thirty years, barring a very few days of absence enforced by illness ; but when well and able to go, never late. He started with the W. G. and A. R. Morrison Machine Company in 1890 on the same site. He has also kept the engine in order all this time without expense of outside repairs except once when it became necessary to have the makers overhaul it at a cost of about $300. Certainly a remarkable record of faithfulness and economy.

FINAL TRIUMPH OF MIND OVER MATTER

In these days when so much is said of the influence of mind over matter, an instance of the influence of matter over mind, albeit mind finally triumphed, may not be amiss.

It happened in Mansfield; but as Mansfield was once a part of Windham (set off 1702) and as the instance is a part of human experience, it fits in with Windham County all right.

A group of Willimantic boys were roaming the fields on a Saturday after- noon in early spring, and came to an old bridge. They hung around to watch the tumbling, roaring brook, and to catch a glimpse of the "speckled beauties" which now and then would dash and flash through the sunlit waters.

One boy climbed over the bridge rail and seated himself on the end of a big log which projected over the water. The other boys were scattered along the banks. The log-end was rotten, and suddenly dropped with its burden into the rapidly-running stream. The boy luckily landed on his feet, the water reach- ing only just above his knees. But the sudden shock, the cold, cold water and the swift current threatening his stability, gave him such a fright that he yelled lustily, "Help, help, I'm drowning, I'm drowning. Help me!" But the other boys, realizing that he was in no danger and only scared, just lay down and rolled and screamed with laughter. Their ridicule soon brought the victim to his senses and he scrambled out. All but one of the five boys are still living, the scared boy very successful in his chosen calling.

A GOOD SWIG

Mr. Eugene Lincoln tells of a tiresome old rounder who lived near Ken- nedy's Corners in Chaplin and was always begging for a drink.

One day in his eagerness he got hold of a bottle of turpentine and took a

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

"good swig" before he noticed the quality. Then, with a big spitting and sputtering, he cried out, "Say, boys, what's your well ?"

ORIGINAL COMPOSITION

At Natchaug High School a happy-go-lucky freshman who had not been suspected of literary talent and whose English in daily conversation was wholly colloquial, rose in class and read an English "composition" which was really so excellent that the boys and girls applauded it. The teacher had asked for something "original." "Very good, Burton, very good, indeed; was it wholly original ?" said she. "I dunno, ma'am, 'twas all I could think on."

STORIES OF "WICKED TIM"

"Wicked Tim" was a sort of man of all work and his range of activities included rough mason work, cleaning up yards and cleaning out vaults in and around Willimantic. One morning he stood on the steps of my father's flour store at the foot of Railroad Street, where Foley & Henry now are-a great, big bluff Irishman-and a Catholic funeral procession was slowly passing down Main Street. I said to Tim, with the irreverence of a "sassy" boy : "Well, Tim, I suppose that fellow's going to purgatory." And Tim replied in char- acteristic brogue, "Oi I suppose so, I don' know anything about that." "Well, Tim, isn't that what the priest tells you?" said I. "Well Oi rickon Oi know as much about it as he does !"

That "Tim," in spite of his shortcomings, had a keen sense of the value and necessity of law and order, and his own accountability thereto, was shown one day in his conduct towards a local constable. Tim was making a characteristic disturbance down on Jackson Street, and a constable was sent for. The con- stable was of small stature, hardly two-thirds as big as Tim. He arrested Tim and with hand on his arm started up Union Street towards the old "lock-up" on North Street, near Tanner's (now Johnson's) livery stable. Tim was still feeling unruly, and finally held back. "Come right along, Tim, or I'll use ye ha'sh," said the constable. Regarding the diminutive officer for a moment with an amused smile (as among the tagging boys I well recall it), Tim said, "All. right, I'll go along wid yez, though I needn't."

HIGH COST OF LIVING FORESHADOWED

This same "wicked Tim" had a tremendous physical vitality and lived to old age in spite of the fact that for many years he was an habitué of the local police court, and spent a considerable portion of his time recuperating at Brooklyn jail. One morning the writer met him on Valley Street, and Tim exclaimed, "Oim glad to see ye, Mr. Lincoln, Oim always glad to see ye, because I knew your father so well. Where is your father now?" "Why, Tim," said I in surprise, "my father's been dead for several years." "Oi know all about that," said Tim, "but where is he now?" "In heaven, I hope," was the reply. "Well, I hope so too, and I belave he is in hiven, for he was a good man, always kindly to me. I well remember him wid his kindly eye, when I would go up before him in the police court, wid a bit of a jag on, and he'd say, 'Well, Tim, an' you're here agin,' an' I'd say, 'yis, your honor,' and he'd say, 'Well, Tim, I'll have to fine ye agin; it'll be $1 and costs.' Yis, Mr. Lincoln, $1 and costs; that's all it was. Arrah," with a heavy sigh, "he was a good man and them was good old days, only $1 and costs ; and today, Mr. Lincoln, it's $7 and costs!"

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

SOME OF ORIGEN BENNETT'S NEIGHBORS

In. Origen Bennett's day one of the local characters of Chaplin was the quaint and peripatetic Allen Geer, who called at the Bennett home late one afternoon plainly intending to spend the night. The good housewife objected, because he was coming so often of late, so Origen took his guest to the barn and, preparing an inviting place on the hay, declared it to be even better than his own bed for comfort. "Well, Origen, I'll swap with ye!" said the guest.

Another of Origen's neighbors was prone to pray long and loud in public places and many were sick and tired of it, and longed for some way to check him. So one day Uncle Origen said to him, in the presence of a few friends, "Say, Friend William, you know, prayer is a gift, and it is well not to pray in public unless you are sure you have the gift. Unless you can really feel the divine thrill right up and down your spinal column, it is better to say your long prayers in the privacy of your closet; for the Lord Almighty will stand for a good deal that the people won't!"

NOWHERE ELSE TO GO

Of a certain Methodist convert at the Willimantic Church, it was said that about the only Methodist "doctrine" which he consistently practiced was that of "falling from grace." He would hold out for several months and sometimes for a year or two; but were it not for the revival seasons he would probably not have returned to the "mercy seat" as often as he did.

On one occasion, after an absence of several months, he again appeared at the altar, and was among those who offered prayer. He began in fervent tone, "Oh, Lord, we come to Thee because we have nowhere else to go," and he never quite understood the suppressed titter in the audience.

They used to say that another Willimantic man of less godly pretensions appeared at his home on one occasion at 2 A. M., and found himself locked out. He made a rumpus and his wife appeared at an upper window, demanding "What do you mean by coming home at this hour ?" "All the other places are shut up, my dear," was his sufficient explanation.

NOT A SAFE COMPARISON

In spite of the abundance of food on the prosperous Windham County far- mer's table, with the custom to help yourself when only the home folks were present, it was a part of the family training not to take more on your plate than you could eat. It was also poor manners to leave anything. If a child did that, the mother or father would be apt to remark, "Your eyes are bigger'n your belly." A certain father, remembering his own youth, but who in later years had attained unusual abdominal proportions, once made that famous remark to one of his own children. "Well," quietly responded his wife, "Your mother couldn't say that of you now!"

WILLIMANTIC TROLLEY OPENINGS

The first day the Willimantic-Norwich trolley was opened, a young son of a prominent Willimantic merchant, himself now an active member of his father's firm, begged a quarter of his sire to ride on the new trolley, at 5 cents per trip. He started at the Willimantic end with glee, got off at South Windham, the one-fare limit; took the next car back; then again to South Windham; then

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

back home; then again to South Windham-only to wake up to the fact that he was in South Windham, and his quarter gone! The three-mile walk home served to dampen his ardor somewhat-but it could not efface the blessed mem- ory of the wonderful experience.

On one of the first trips of the line to South Coventry, the conductor was a well-known Coventry lad, and on West Main Street one afternoon, a lady pas- senger hailed the motorman. As she boarded the car, she smiled benignantly at the conductor and said, "I want to git off at Mariar's." - The conductor knew "Maria," and gave the signal for the proper stop, some two miles up the line.

PERSONAL REFORM WORK

Many years ago good old Deacon Williams of Colchester, Conn., was greatly exercised about the evils of intemperance. He always spoke in Thursday eve- ning prayer meeting, with characteristic voice pitched in high key. One night he was especially disturbed by the increasing dissipation among the young men in town. He appealed for personal action. "We must do something, my fellow church members," he cried in shrill accents, "about the growing evil of intemperance here in Colchester. We ought to make it a personal duty. This very night, while we pray here, some of our best young men are carousing in saloons, going down to destruction. Let us go right from this meeting, deter- mined to do our duty. If any of us, as we go home tonight, shall meet a young man coming out from a saloon, let us be fearless in the sight of God, and go right up to him and say, young man, turn around, turn around, you're going the wrong way!"

HIS FIRST AND ONLY COMPOSITION

The late Frank Fletcher Webb of Willimantic, a native of Scotland, was for many years one of the leading business men of Willimantic, vice president of Windham National Bank, and because of his "level-headed" qualities he became a valued counsellor to many for miles around. The beginnings of his academic education, which also ended at Mr. Corbin's private school in Franklin Hall, are indicated by the following self-explanatory document, which is pub- lished in the belief that it will afford encouragement to certain high school pupils who may be similarly afflicted in these later days :

Willimantic, Sept. 12, '68.

Mr. Corbin.

Sir: Two weeks ago I heard the unwelcome intelligence that a part of the Scholars would be required to hand in a Composition. . It was the first time in my life that such an order had been given out where I had attended School, at first it did not trouble me much, as I hoped to be able to evade the unpleas- ant task, but as the days passed by I found there was no escape for me. As it is my first attempt at writing a Composition and hoping in your kindness it may be the last, I will close.

Yours,

FRANK F. WEBB.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

KNOWLEDGE, PREACHING AND PRAYER

A certain dear old lady who lived in Thompson had a son who went out into the world and became more of a man than his mother realized. He came back to visit her and she said that he and she "sot down and had a good talk together, and I du declare he knowed more'n I knowed he knowed."

At another time, this same good lady said: "The smartest preaching I ever heered was preacht into the Presby'teran meetin' house by Rev. Andrew Dun- nin', and he took for his text, 'Don't du nothing to nobody that you don't want nobody to du to you'; them's jest his words; an' he spoke powerful strong."

Another worthy resident of Thompson who was "gifted in prayer" with a form of expression all his own, once prayed "for the Israel of God all over the known world and for the preachers thereof; oh, Lord, bless the inhabitants of the uninhabited islands of the sea, where the lion's whelp never was heard, and where Thine eye never penetrated."

Down at "Kennedy's Corners" in Chaplin, some forty-five years ago, a certain family "got religion" of the exhortative sort, and the prayers of the head of the house were of the ancient Phillistine sort; also so lugubrious that the boys of the neighborhood, imitating his drawling tones, declared that his frequent lamentation as he grew old, and in supplication before the throne of Grace, sounded like this: "Oh, Lord, thou knowest that thy servant draws near to the end of life-er, with one foot in the grave-er, an' the other all but-er; and oh Lord, when we pass over Jordan, may we come out on the good (c)side-er."

THE CHARACTER OF SISTER L-

The following minute is copied from the records of one of the churches in Windham County, under date January 31, 1831 :

"Certain reports having been circulated against the character of Sister L., and she being present at this meeting was called upon to make answer to the same, whereupon she said that it was true that she had unfortunately been overtaken by the too free use of spirit vous liquors on the occasion of the ordina- tion of Bro. G., for which she was very sorry and hoped to be forgiven by the brothers, as it was a very accidental thing, but it appearing very evident that she had fallen into like error on former occasions it was deemed expedient to appoint a committee consisting of C. L. T. and E. W. to make further inquiries and report at our next meeting."

Nothing further is found on the records with reference to this case.

OSSA ON PELION

An amusing story is told of a certain Thanksgiving dinner in the family of the late Governor Cleveland of Hampton. It appears that a certain young relative of the family, lately married, was bidden to the dinner with his bride, and the bridegroom was invited to carve the turkey, a post of honor, but to the bashful young benedict a post of quite as much embarrassment as honor. He had no experience for the ordeal, but to refuse the governor's bidding was out of the question. The turkey was no doubt unusually tough-skinned, and for a time the young guest could make no headway. The head of the table was broad, and beside the carver was seated his bride. In some way the carving fork became entangled in the turkey, and in an impatient effort to extricate it,

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the young guest landed the turkey plump in the bride's lap! With rare pres- ence of mind he turned to the young lady with a look of mingled impatience and surprise and with dignity said, "I would thank you to pass that back and let it alone!" This witty sally in considerable measure relieved the situation for all concerned, and the turkey was placed in position again, when the groom resumed his struggle. Beside the turkey platter was a huge plum pudding, which somewhat impeded the carving service, so the young guest finally took the pudding and carefully set it in his chair behind him. Then he renewed his attack on the tough carcass, but with practically no headway. Suddenly he turned to the host, flushed with embarrassment, and exclaimed: "Well, your excellency, I give it up; won't you please take the job"-and he sat down in the plum pudding !

THE AGGRESSIVE MINORITY

"Civic life is a matter of leadership," once declared the Rev. Charles Allen Dinsmore, in a sermon on political responsibility. "A majority of citizens are never active in politics, in fact, comparatively few are; but they will follow leaders-one way or the other."

Dr. Cyrus Northrop, for many years president of the State University of Minnesota, and now living in retirement at Minneapolis as "emeritus," was professor of rhetoric at Yale College in my time, and in recitation would often make illuminating comments on current political conditions. One day he said impressively :

"Young men, you are going out into practical life to become citizens under a form of government where they say the majority rules, as a government of the people. But you won't get very far before you will discover that the actual ruling is usually done by an aggressive minority, who know what they want, band themselves together and go out after it, usually with success, because of the indifference or divisions of the majority.

"Sometimes, too often, this minority is sinister in its purpose, and will work for selfish or corrupt ends. In times of crisis, leaders will develop who stand for some great reform, and if sufficiently aroused, the people will sustain such reform sufficiently to carry it. But in ordinary times, keep your eye on that aggressive minority if you wish to render good service for the public welfare. The old adage has it, 'Eternal vigilance is the price of safety,' and if you expect public safety, you must be willing to pay the price."

TWO VIEWS OF A FUNERAL

It appears that two brothers of a Windham County family, long prominent in Connecticut politics, some years ago became estranged by some difference really trivial but involving personal pride, and for several years they would not speak to each other, but instead grew more bitter each toward the other, each alleging that the other was in the wrong and should be the one to apologize. Finally a mutual friend went to one of them and proposed a reconciliation. "It doesn't look well for you and Edward to be estranged in this way," said the mutual friend. "Don't you think you ought to go and see him ?" "Go and see him?" was the reply, "Why, I wouldn't even go to his funeral!" The mutual friend was discouraged, but after a time made up his mind to go and see Edward, the other brother. "So you tried to get Henry to make up with me, did you ?" said Edward, "well, what did he say?" "I asked him to come

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and see you, and he said he would not even come to your funeral," was the friend's frank acknowledgment. "Is that so!" exclaimed Edward, in a nettled tone. "Well, you may tell him that I would be d-d glad to go to his funeral !" The mutual friend was quick to see the humor involved in a comparison of the replies of the two brothers, and he forthwith returned to Henry with an account of his meeting with Edward, and the latter's counter message. The incident led to a realization of the foolishness of the whole matter by both of the brothers, and after a few months reconciliation was effected.

SOMETIMES WE JEST SETS

A commercial traveler from Philadelphia came to one of the northern towns of Windham County' one winter's day to make a certain sale, and found he must stay over night in the village-the village consisting of the country store, the schoolhouse, the church, and eight or ten dwelling houses. The nearest approach to a "movie" where he could pass the evening to counteract as far as possible the feeling of utter loneliness, was the country store. It was a bitter cold night, and he found a dozen farmers of the neighborhood seated on a low bench or on boxes and barrels, drawn close around the big base-burning coal stove, whose open ash pit at the front was an inviting cuspidor for the most of them who were tobacco-chewers or pipe-smokers.

The commercial traveler listened to the varying discussions of the evening, which ranged in subjects from the last season's crops and the now-prevailing price of staples to be sold, to national affairs before the Congress at Washington, but these discussions were often punctuated by long silences during which the smoke became denser and the shooting tobacco juice at the oft-missed mark was quite audible. Finally, the stranger broke out, "I don't see how you men stand it here all winter ; don't you do anything else evenings?" "Oh no," drawled out one of the leading philosophers, "we talks things over, and then sets and thinks; and sometimes we jest sets."

HAULING IN BIRCH FOR SPOOLS

In the days when spools were made for the Willimantic thread in the mill now used for storage purposes opposite foot of Jackson Street, and especially in a winter when there was good sledding for farmers, there were some inter- esting sights on pleasant Saturdays. Ox-teams, horse teams, ox and horse, and sometimes cow and horse hitched tandem, lean horses, chunk horses, sleds of every description and nondescript, the country districts, laden with white birches of suitable size and length. It was not an uncommon sight to see the piles of birch reach one-third the height of the mill when piled on the low- lying lot along the west side of the spool shot. The farmers were usually good- natured about it and sometimes you could see half a dozen small sleds trailing after the big team and loaded with boys and girls. Others would ride on the big sleds. Sometimes the children in their enthusiasm would ride farther into the country than they realized, yet the walk back was always merry. It was great sport for the school children, boys and girls, to hitch their sleds to these big farmer sleds when the latter were leaving for home late in the afternoon.

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 18

Author: Lincoln, Allen B Publication date: 1920 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co. Number of Pages: 960

Author: Lincoln, Allen B
Publication date: 1920
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke publ. co.
Number of Pages: 960