Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1839-08-15

Eput0auS philosophy no would run from
internal improvement; he would look upon
snake rs soon as upon a Enil-rOad, and low
ed one equally rs well. Ephraim wore the
same style Ofcoslume which his grandfather
wore before him. and he maintained that n
was the only one designed for man by his
Creator. He would not have his houss, re.
paired, because il would be executed in mod.
ern style; sno, not he; it should r,,t 40 the
! earth first He used to say he could NOT
bear 10 look upon the natural world. even
every thing had become transformer. skv.
and stars. and earth were different from an.
cient days the good old ancient davs.' as
he called them. Ephraim Doolittle was n
bigot; yet he made a good landlord. and
! was agreeable enough when Uncle Tim
was dealing out some tale OF the DAYS past
and gone.
1t was seldom that the occuDants of this
spot found themselves in much commotion,
But subject arose once, which came near
diSsolVing the union. 1t was upon the pro-
pricty of erecting a school-ho1se, and SUP.
porting a teacher. It was indeed momen-
tous question. The eloquence of the village
assembled, and the arguments of all were
advanced. Squire Williams urged the ne
cessity ofestablishing school: THE chill
dren of Johnstown, one Of the most impor-
tant villages in the country, are without the
advantages of education ; it is a startling fact
II repeat tit is a startling fact'-and then
he sat down, covered with Precipitation, and
his face glowed like coal.
Il oppose.that, root and brach,' said Mr..
Doolittle, choked with indignation who ever
saw schoolmaster fit for any thing They
turn the. brains of the children-raise them
above the plain matter-of fact business of the
world-and make them no better than mad
men. Let me ask he cried, raising himself
on tiptoe, and swinging both arms like
windmill, let me ask what our ancestors
did! What book-knowledge they knew,
they learnt between Unrestricted by the
light OF pine-knots-nature taught them
and one man of that day was wiser than ten
of the present. Cram our children's heads
with book.knowledge, and common sense
finds no room to work! Ioppose it, Sir, root
and braach.'
Deacon Bigelow arose: Il, too, shall come
out against that he said, because, if our
children gets puzzled in any thing, they can
20 to the minister, who will soon make it all
clear to them; it is a useless expense, and
ought not to be allowed In society,"
Doctor Ranney got up, paused-pushed up
his goggles-looked around upon the assem-.
bled taient-proclaimed, 'AA right? and sat
down again.
There was a short silence. for every one
felt the weight Of the argument.
Uncle Tim thought education necessary,
but he supposed it was his duty, as we'll as
every other mans, to agree with Dr.. Ranney.
The corporal considered it q disgrace to
the village that no school had been establish.
ed, and he perfectly agreed in the sentiments
of SQUIRE Williams. Mr.. Doolittle thought
the corporal ought to be severely punished
for applying the term disgrGced to one of the
most consistent villages in the world-and
that Squire Williams also merited similar
treatment This brought on confusion--and
uproar and wrangling dissolved this impor.
tant assembly. So much for the school at
Johnst0Wn.
There was great stir and commotion,
likewise, in Johnstown, when-one warm
and smoky morning in September-the cir.
Gus, with It's wagons and long line Of hor-
SEES, passed into the village. They were en-
tertainedat Ephraim Doolittle's, sign Of the
pumpkins, where the grand performance was
10 take place. This was day of jubilee at
Johnstown. The bare.footed urchins dane.
ing and wheeling round in circles, complete.
w Overlooking with transport and animation.
Business was suspended-a general holiday
commenced sthe circus the circus 7
was the only object to be spoken of. Up
rose the snowy tents, like the sudden creation
of magic, and they were looked upon with
silent and awe.struck wonder: But just
when the blue shadows Of evening pointed
across tho village, the whole company. flash
ing with spanglcs and light mounted upon
their richly comparisoned horses, with harle.
quin Tom OF the head, paraded in front Of
Squire Williams house, to the establishment
Of ali Johnstown. Windows flew up-doors
swung back-old men ran-for such scene
had never been witnessed before. Tom blew
@ blast upon his horn, and the little hills an
swered back with treble joy. Strange ev-
olutions were executed by the horses, but
this was only a foretaste Of the grand exhi.
bition and illumination at night, they vanish.
ed into their tents, and left the gaping mul.
titude rejecting upon the mysteries of which
thew had been spectators. Night advanced
and such sight! The congratulated
forgive his infirmities had entered just far
enough into the regions of bliss, to place him
self upon barrel head in the centre Of the
street, where, in burning torrent OF e!o-
quence, he was endeavorlng to convince the
good people Of the absolute importance OF
every mans drinking three hogsheads OF lie
quor per year. shall never forget how ne
looked. Standing as he did, with red flash
of sunlight covering his whole head, like the
halo which crowns the heads Of pictured
saints, both arms spread like eagles wings,
he was springing into the Importance Of the
subject. when his temporary foundation fail.
ed, and hexsank by the weight Of his argu::
ment, lodged upon the chimes Of the barrel
beneath his arms. Uncle Tim too. got in
a talkative mood, and related many strange
tales, almost 100 strange to be true.
The following morning, when the exhaust.
ed people Of Johnstown arose, the circus had
departed, and the tents vanished. They
could not always think them mortal. and
some were full in the belief that they had
been amused by spirits. 1t was a question
never satisfactorily settled among them. even
to the present day.