A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 20

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 20

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

PATRICK O'CONNELL IN COURT

In the days when John J. Penrose of Central Village was state's attorney for Windham County, in a certain case on trial was an Irish witness who stut- tered badly.

"What is your name?" asked the state's attorney, when the witness had been sworn.

"P-p-p-t'k O-o-o-C-n'l," was the reply.

"What's that ?"

"Pa-pa-pa-t'k" --

"Yes, Patrick; but Patrick what?"

"O-0-0-0"-

"Yes, Patrick O'-but O what ?"

"O- car-car-car" ---

"O'Carney ?"

"N-n-n-no, O'Con."

"O'Con"-

"Oh, spell it," exclaimed the attorney.

יי-0-0-0"

"Yes, 'O'; what's the next letter?"

"C-c-c"

"Yes, C."

"0-0."

"Yes, O."

"N, n, n."

"Yes, N."

"N, n, n-ennigan."

"Patrick O'Connigan ?"

"N, n, no."

"Well, what is it, then?"

"N, n, ennigan; E, el, eligan."

Lawyer and court gave it up, until finally a neighbor was found in the audience who explained that what Pat was trying to say was, "O, Con-n, again, e, 1, 1, again, and that his name was Patrick O'Connell.

NOT HER BLOOD RELATIVE

A good story is told at the expense of the Elderkins of early Windham. Town meetings and days of general muster were the usual times for "good cheer" to flow freely. On one of these occasions it took two men instead of the one usually necessary to bring home one of the convivial Elderkins. His wife, one of the proudest and most aristocratic of the Windham dames, met them at the door. "Bring him in, gentlemen!" she exclaimed, with great dignity and some show of spirit, "But thank the Lord he's no blood relation of mine."

QUICK WORK BY OLD AND NEW METHODS

Relative to its industrial history, Windham has a story of the Revolutionary war which tells how a certain "Hettie's" pet cosset "Dido" was shorn one morning, and the next day her brother wore his suit of linseywoolsey on the march of 1777 and 1778, from Rhode Island to New Jersey. Modern Willi- mantic matches this with a true tale of what occurred at the Atlanta exposition

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

of 1880, under the direction of Col. Wm. E. Barrows, then resident agent of the Willimantic Linen Company. Cotton was picked in the boll in the morn- ing, ginned, carded, spun, woven and dyed, cut out, sewed with Willimantic thread, lined with Cheney silk and made into two "dress suits" which were worn by the governor of Georgia and Edward Atkinson, the well known econo- mist, at a reception that same evening.

"THEM STEERS"

A Sterling farmer once bought a pair of trousers, in spite of the warning of a neighbor that they were not of first-class stock. Some time later he was asked about them and he replied, "Wall, them steers didn't turn out 's good 's I 'xpected and I didn't 'xpect they would."

BLUE WHITEWASH

A part of Lebanon was once a part of Windham, so it seems warrantable to drag in this story, as no doubt it occurred in Windham territory. The Presbyterians and Baptists developed a rivalry as to which should have the "better lookin' meetin' house," and suddenly the former people made the interior of their edifice radiant in new whitewash. As one of the natives afterwards explained it: "Ye see, the Presbyterians whitewashed their church white, and the Baptists didn't want the same color, so they whitewashed their'n blue."

WOMEN THERE AS HERE

A Windham County resident, father of four grown-up daughters who liked to entertain their friends, sometimes found it difficult to parade the halls in early morning when the house was full of girls. One morning, while waiting his opportunity, he exclaimed to his wife, "My dear, do you suppose I'll be bothered with women this way when I get to heaven ?" "Well," was the quiet reply, "I don't suppose there'll be much of anybody else there."

PARENTS HATE TO GIVE UP AUTHORITY

· Among the pessimists may be cited the fond parent who can never realize that his children are grown up. One of this sort dwelt in Chaplin about fifty years ago. He was eighty-five years old, and his son "Billy" was then sixty- two. There was a lively colt in the barn, and it was a crisp October morning. Said young "Billy": "Father, I'm going to take the colt out and exercise him ; he needs it." "No, no, William, no; you're not going to do that; it isn't safe. Why, he's so frisky, I don't hardly dare drive him myself."

A LESSON IN SPELLING

The night schools of Hartford are really excellent and teach many prac- tical things worth while; but here is what one of their teachers insisted upon one evening early in 1920.

To the pupil: "Now, young lady, this is sheer carelessness, and don't make the error again," pointing to the word. "The correct way to spell it is W-i-l- 1-i-a-m, just like William, a-n-t-i-c, Williamantic." And really, letters addressed that way arrive quite frequently at Willimantic postoffice.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

BOYS WHO TURNED OUT WELL

The well-known "Henney boys" of Hartford, William F., ex-mayor, still active as a lawyer; Jolin, now retired, long master mechanic of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad; and Charles, now, as for many years, repre- senting the Pennsylvania Railroad in New Haven, were at one time school boys in Willimantic, where their father was employed. The editor has been unable to arouse in them any enthusiasm for Windham County, as they remember very little about it, but some of the elder people of Willimantic remember when these boys attended the "First District" school and take pride in the fact that they must have received some of their earliest inspiration at that fount of youthful wisdom.

PREFERRED HIS REGULAR JOB

An Irishman employed in the street department of Putnam got his finger smashed one day by a falling rock. He went to the surgeon to have it dressed, and for a time was patient under the treatment, but finally exclaimed : "Howly Mother, I'd rather work for me boss three weeks than for ye fifteen minutes."

THE BEST POLICY

After the noonday meal one day during the Willimantic bank troubles of 1895-1900, and when public confidence was disturbed for a time, a group of young men were gathered in Sam Chesbro's drug store at corner of Church and North streets for a brief smoke and chat before returning to business, and conversation naturally turned upon the prevailing distrust. A farmer from the outlying district was indulging in a tirade against bank management, and was broadly intimating that there wasn't an honest man to be found anywhere.

The young men stood listening, and the vigor of the farmer's denunciation was arousing more amusement than credence. The late Henry M. Bartlett (father of George A. Bartlett, now with the Remington company), who was then active in the community as a life-insurance salesman, keen in wit and repartee and popular with the young men, was sitting quietly in a chair, aside from the group, and reading the morning paper. As the farmer's denunciation grew more vehement, Henry pricked up his ears and listened. Finally the critic declared in loud tones : "I tell ye, young men, honesty is the best policy." "What's that, what's that?" cried out Henry, rising suddenly and joining the group. "I tell ye," reiterated the farmer, "honesty is the best policy." "Oh, no, no, my good friend," said Henry, taking out his well-worn rate book. "No, no, you're wrong about that ; let me show you. The Mutual Life of New York has the best policy, and I've got the figures right here to prove it." The witty sally helped clear the atmosphere and tended to restore confidence.

ROASTERS AND ROOSTERS

An elderly resident of an outlying village was in failing health, and was ekeing out his income by selling certain household utensils to his neighbors. The village postmistress, conceiving it her privilege, if not duty, to read all the postal cards (then a recent invention) quite often would convey to the villagers, as news, messages which they to whom the postals were addressed would some- times thus hear even before receiving their mail direct.

One day a postal was sent from the nearest office of Adams Express notify-

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

ing the invalid salesman that "twenty-five roasters" were awaiting his order. The chirography of the express agent was none too clear, so the curious post- mistress inquired of her callers: "What upon airth du yu s'pose William John- son's agoin' to du with twenty-five roosters?"

CHARLIE ABBE'S SWELL DINNER

Charles S. Abbe, the well-known actor, is a native of South Windham, and often in his school days would enliven parties of young people by humorous recitations. Charles has made his home for many years at Darien, Conn., and has played much of the time in New York.

One afternoon after rehearsal a fellow actor said to him, "Come on, Abbe, let's go out to some restaurant and get supper together." "I'd like to go with you," replied Abbe, "but it so happens that I have an invitation for dinner tonight with a wealthy aunt uptown, and I don't want to miss it," and in char- acteristic manner he proceeded to arouse his friend's envy by a description of the bountiful course dinner, with elaborate fashionable service, which was awaiting him. "Can't afford to miss anything like that, can I," said Charles, and his fellow actor agreed, "Sure not."

It so happened that other guests arrived at the wealthy aunt's, somewhat unexpectedly, and the dinner was so much delayed that it became necessary for Abbe to leave in order to reach the theater in time to take his part. He explained to his aunt, who said, "Why, I'm very sorry, Charlie, but you will come again soon, won't you?" Charles agreed that he would, and hurried down by the elevated, with just time enough to catch a hasty lunch in a 5-cent restaurant, while sitting on a stool in full view of passers-by on the street.

His actor friend whose invitation to join him at supper he had refused, passed by and gave him a suprised look. Later in the evening, during a lull between acts back of the scenes, his actor friend quizzed: "Say, Charlie, does your aunt own that place ?"

SUBTERRANEAN MALARIA

The late George K. Nason, for many years head of the concern which is now known as the Willimantic Lumber and Coal Company, vouched for the truth of this incident. He was at Willimantic cemetery one day when men were digging for some purpose in the swampy lowland off the southeast corner of the old grounds. Two sons of the Emerald Isle were among the workers. One said to the other: "Phwat for are we diggin' here?" "Part of the cim- etery, I suppose," was the reply. "But they ought not to bury people down here; they'll have malaria if they bury 'em down here."

STARTLING RAILROAD ACCIDENT ?

When new reporters were to be broken in for the Willimantic Chronicle, one of the "rites" of initiation was to send the novitiate out to find out all about "the 9 o'clock train to Hartford, which is reported to have run off the bridge at Hop River." The new reporter of course could learn nothing like that, but they kept him at it until he drove all the men at the station crazy ; and then they would tell him, "of course the train ran off the bridge at Hop River; ran on and then ran off; how else could it get to Hartford ?"

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

SAME STATION AT BOTH ENDS

Charles A. Grant, for many years brakeman on the railroad between Willi- mantic and Hartford, and now residing in the latter city, was a Willimantic boy and attended the Willimantic schools under Principals D. P. Corbin and Thomas Hart Fuller. Charles tells the story of a lad who was turned over to him to be trained as a "brakeman." The pupil was of the credulous literal sort, who wished to do just as he was told. Charles instructed him as follows : "Now you stay near this end of the car when we are running, and I will be at the other end. When we are just coming into Hop River station I'll open the door and call out 'Hop River,' and then you do the same." "All right," said the lad. So as he agreed, Charlie opened the door and called out "Hop River." "Same here," echoed his faithful pupil from the other end of the car.

THE ADAMS BOYS

No pen picture of life in Willimantic during the days, 1865-1880, would be complete without reference to Horace A. Adams. He was elder son of Amos B. Adams, who built the large frame house at the corner of Union and Center streets (now occupied by the Killoureys), and who for many years carried on there an extensive business in fire insurance, while Mrs. Adams was a leader in making cloaks for the ladies of the community. Horace was of bright mind and keen wit, not different from most boys in his constitutional aversion to manual labor or studious concentration, but perfectly frank to indicate his real attitude.

His witty sayings are still remembered and often quoted. Once he was left to "tend" his father's office while the elder Adams, as was his wont, was on an all-day drive through neighboring towns. But Horace was out by the barn playing games with a bunch of mates, among whom he was a leader. Mrs. Adams came to the kitchen door and called "Horace! Horace!" No response; although the rest of us clearly heard, if Horace didn't. Again the call, several times repeated and growing more insistent : "Horace! Horace!" etc. Finally a reluctant, "Well, what is it?" "There's a man in the office." And the lad in apparently anxious tone inquired, "Can't he get out?" One of his favorite orations delivered to a group of delighted boys would begin in this way: "We may look forward, my friends, into the dim vistas of the past, and see the foot- prints of an almighty hand." Horace often told his friends that he was in business. "Where?" they would ask. "Oh, down at corner of Union and Center-H. A. Adams and Father."

Horace coined the phrase "coingular singulance" which you may even now hear in occasional colloquial use. His keen satire on personal or public foolish- ness or corruption was often an influence for good.

He was the first person to ride a "velocipede" (bicycle) in Willimantic, and those first machines with the high forward wheel and small rear wheel, required real skill in manipulation. His father built the Armory Building (later a gym- nasium for St. Mary's parish, now a branch of the Rossie Velvet Co.) on Center Street and after the velocipede craze began this building was the scene of many racing contests. When Weston began his cross-continent walks, the Armory was the scene of many pedestrian contests during the winter months. Horace was a leader in these sports. His bicycle interest led him to take a sales agency for a manufactory in the Central West, and he traveled in that region for several years.

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

As a boy he was also an amateur printer, and this tendency finally shaped his life work ; he became an expert proof reader ; was thus employed for several years in Detroit; then took a position in New York City in magazine work. He died in New York City about two years ago, and was buried in the family plot in Willimantic cemetery.

Dr. Carroll B. Adams of Bridgeport was a Willimantic boy, brother of Horace. His success as a dentist was early foreshadowed, for, with rare mechan- ical genius when a mere lad, he" whittled out a numerous set of dental tools from wood and also made a cabinet to keep them in, many of them almost exact duplicates of implements observed by him in Dr. John D. Bentley's office, where he would rather go and observe than to play out of doors. He would induce his playmates to "have their teeth filed," and developed genuine skill by that practice. Carroll had mechanical genius on other lines. When not more than twelve years old, he built in his father's cellar a complete loco- motive, not only with cab, boiler, fire-pot and smoke stack, cow-catcher and tender, all properly mounted on wheels, and with levers and gauges, bell and sandbox and whistle, all movable. We boys would "play cars" by the hour on this outfit.

At the south window in the loft of my father's barn (across the road from his father's) he rigged up a wheel and ropes wherewith to steer an imaginary steamboat, and with a real rudder at the other and lower side of the barn, worked by real ropes on pulleys. He provided for landings a real plank out- fit which would be cast out or hauled in by a real crew, as we left or reached imaginary ports on Long Island Sound. The steamboat was commanded by a real captain, mate and "hands"-we took turns-and the boat was started or stopped or controlled in transit by an accurate system of bell signals as observed by the young mechanic in his occasional visits to New London. We boys spent many a happy hour on this craft, using mock spy-glasses to watch the distant shore; loading and unloading real cargoes of whatever in barn or yard was movable; and I doubt if any real travel in after life was more fun.

LIFE'S AMBITIONS

Henry J. Potter of Woodstock, for many years past field agent of the State Board of Education, tells of an old resident of his home town who a few years ago was approaching age ninety, and in recent months was evidently "break- ing-up" with rheumatism and the like, and under his physical suffering his attitude towards life, which had been optimistic, changed to a pessimistic tinge; and one day in a gloomy mood he delivered himself to this sentiment : "Henry, most folks spends their hull lives tryin' to git what they haint got; and when they git it, 'taint nothin'."

But it all depends upon what we strive for, whether we get something worth- while, or "nothin'," or worse!

THE SURE SECRET OF SUCCESS

A certain little girl in Windham County had been making excellent prog- ress in her school work, and at the close of the year was at the head of her class. Her teacher spoke to her father about the matter, and complimented him on his little daughter's good record. One evening later ,the father told the little girl of the teacher's compliment, and expressed his gratification that

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his little girl was doing so well. But the child responded : "There are lots of little girls in that room who are smarter than I am, papa, but they don't work as hard as I do." The father was more than ever gratified to realize that his child had thus early in life learned the sure secret of success.

THE TRUTH MORE FUN

Two little girls were riding with their papa in the country and were vying with each other as to which would see the larger number of birds of different kinds on her side of the road. The rivalry finally gave rise to some suspicious claims, and one little girl said: "Oh let's tell the truth, it's more fun."

GOD'S VOICE

Five-year-old Katie, like many grown-ups, was more disturbed by thunder than by lightning, though it is not recorded that thunder ever struck anybody ; and if you hear it you may be assured that the danger is past for that time anyway. Mamma had told Katie that she should not be afraid, for "thunder is only God's voice." Soon came a terrific crash. "What did He say then ?" inquired Katie. The storm continued but its fury soon passed, and the thunder changed to that long low rumbling which sometimes follows a heavy shower. After listening awhile, Katie said, "Mamma, maybe that's God's voice, but it sounds to me like an awful old grisly bear."

NOT SO SCARED AS THE OLD FOLKS WERE

Little four-year-old Belle's grandparents were taking care of her while her parents were away on a visit. It had been a terribly hot summer day, and now a thunder storm was coming up which threatened to be unusually violent. Little Belle had been called in doors, and was in the sitting room with the old folks. Soon the storm was on in full force, the lightning came in frequent, blinding flashes, attended by an almost constant roar and crash of thunder. The old folks strove hard to conceal their own real terror from the little girl, and watched her closely to see if she were going to be frightened. But little Belle kept on playing with her dolls, apparently unobservant, until suddenly she looked up and said, "Humph, that's smart, two lightnings to one thunder."

SHE KNEW JUST WHAT TO DO

Elsie had arrived at the age of six years, and she thought it was about time she was recognized as among the people, instead of being put off all the while as a child. Her papa was going fishing one day with an older sister and a nephew, and Elsie was very anxious to be taken along. "But you are not old enough to go yet, Elsie," said papa. "Marion is ten and John twelve, and they know how to fish, and you don't." "Yes I do," persisted Elsie. "No you don't either," broke in John, "you wouldn't know what to do if you got a bite." "Why, yes, I would too," exclaimed Elsie in surprise, "I'd scratch it."

A REALISTIC SPECIMEN

It was coming summer time, and for several weeks the teacher had been telling the children how to know common insects, and to tell the different varieties. As school was closing on Friday, she said: "Now next Monday morn- ing I wish you to bring me as many different kinds of insects as you can, each

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HISTORY OF WINDHAM COUNTY

of you to bring one kind. Now, William, what can you bring?" "I can bring a fly,"' promptly replied William. "What can you bring, James?" said teacher. "I can bring an ant," said James. "And you, Joseph ?" "I can bring a bee." "And I can bring a beetle," cried Tommie Wilson. "And I a june bug," said Ralph Watson. And so they went on, each naming a dif- ferent variety. Meanwhile little Jack Jones had been waving his hand fran- tically to get teacher's attention. "Well, what is it, Jack?" "I can bring a bed-bug," cried little Jack.

CONCLUSIVE REASONING

The death of a near relative had made a deep impression on the children of our family. "Where had he gone?"-the great question which puzzles us all, had come to them, and the confident answer had been given: "He has gone to heaven, where he will be forever free from care and trouble," and the answer was accepted by trusting minds. A few days later a circus and menagerie came to town, and was of course a live topic of discussion for the same little folks. The children of fifth and sixth grade ages enjoyed the wonder of the kindergarteners when told of how lions and tigers would "eat you up" if they found you walking in the jungle, as Little Black Sambo walked once! Then in a day or two mamma overheard the following conversation between Barbara (aged 8) and Julie (aged 6) :

Julie-"Where does folks go to when they dies?"

Barbara-"To heaven, of course. Their bodies is all buried up in the ground, and then their spirits comes out an' goes to heaven."

Julie-"And does folks what is et up by lions an' tigers, does they go to heaven too?"

Barbara-"Of course not ; they don't get a chance, 'cause they're et up!"

THE DEVOUT ATTITUDE

The new pastor, Mr. Leavitt, had recently preached that knowledge of right and wrong is not enough; we need some great inspiration to hold us, hence the coming of Christ.

Children demonstrate this truth very early in life: they know better than they do. Barbara, aged 7 and Julie, aged 4, were playing, and quarrelled. Mamma thought best not to notice, thinking it would soon be over. But Bar- bara appealed, saying : "Mamma, Julie called me a 'darn fool'." "Oh, I guess not : she knows mamma does not like to have her say naughty words." "But she did, she called me 'darn fool'." "What did you say to Barbara, Julie ?" Julie, hanging her head, but with recollection of Sunday school teachings, lisped out faintly : "I said, 'P'aise the Lord'."

EAGER TO HEAR ABOUT THE BEARS

The fondness of children for bear stories is well known to every parent. Little Marion was six years old, and one evening her father was reading the Hartford Times, and like most business men, had turned first to the news from the stock market. It had been, as it happened, a somewhat strenuous day in the street, and the Times had a full account of the doings. Little Marion had climbed into papa's lap, according to her custom, for awhile before mamma should call her to bed, when suddenly her keen little eyes caught the first word of a big black headline in the newspaper, "Bears," and she exclaimed, "Oh,

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papa, what's that about bears?" Papa looked up and caught the words and smilingly said, "Oh, that says, 'Bears attack the market'." "Oh, oh, then do read it, papa; read it to me, quick!" .

YOUTHFUL PATRIOTISM

John Buck of Willimantic (son of W. A.) was at age five a lively youngster who led his mother a merry chase every day. He liked to have something do- ing every minute, wished to know all the whys and wherefores, and was keenly alive to all that was going on. He disliked restraint of any sort, and above all, hated to be "dressed up." His mother would sometimes take him down street, and he must then wear a natty knickerbocker suit with white stockings. Now, John abominated those white stockings, and would take them off just as quickly as possible after he reached home. One afternoon in 1914, soon after the great war began, and after a trip down town, John hunted up the pretty box in which the white stockings came from the store, packed them neatly therein, brought them to mamma and said demurely: "Here, mamma, I want to send these to the Belgians."

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A modern history of Windham county, Connecticut : a Windham county treasure book, Volume II, Part 20

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