Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-12-24
For the Freeman.
A Letter from Had River Valley.

DEAR FREEMAN The " beautiful snow"
has come again, rendering locomotion some
what more pleasant than it was for few
DAYS. Wagons in the cold months do not
win favor.
We have had lovely weather of late-a few
genuine Indian summer days. A little cold
er perhaps they were than those that come
earlier, but welcome as strawberries in June.
Old winter certainly commenced his reign
in like manner; and the weather wise
looked solemn and assured us we were booked
for hard winter, which we may yet expe-
rience. lnvalids, who CHANGED to have plenty
of the " needful,'' in these panicky times,
took an early departure to Florida or some
other more genial climate, to spend the WIN
er months. But the g big thaw y came and
the thick blanket of snow vanished qilckly
leaving mother earth to lay out in the cold,
as bare as in June. The clerk Of the weather
was kind to her forlorn condition, and the
recent temperature proved unusually mild
for the season. A snow storm on Saturday,
the 18th, and another on Friday. the 19sh.
has mantled the earth in a robe of purity
and set the g merry bells" jingling once
more.
There is considerable activity in the quiet
village of Waitsfeld. Something occupies the
attention of its citizens nearly every evening.
The @ Ladies Benevolent Society" of the
NJ E. Church meet on alternate Wednesday
evenings. The Congregatioualist and Univer-
saliss societies have also their regular night
Of meeting. Prof. Smith of Waterbury
teaches the aspirants for musical tane on
Wednesday evenings, the Lodge OF Good
Templars meet every Friday evening, and the
Patrons of Husbandry on every alternate
Saturday evening. The G. A. R. boys also
meet Saturday evenings. Besides these are
the regular social meetings in the different
churches, and the programme is varied occa
sionally by an oyster s1pper, lecture. and
other pleasant variation.
The Congregational society held their an
nual social visit and oyster supper Thursday
L tNtulun, bCC fbu- III cpllO Va WIZ
tious weather goodiy number met at theil
church and had thoroughly enjoyable time
Friday evening, Dec 10Th, the Waitsfeld
Lodge of |. o. of G. I. celebrated their fifth
anniversary by an oyster supper, with liter
airy exercises and social f9ssivlty. Tnere
were about one hundrel aai hfty persons
| present, many Of them the best men and
women In our community. 1t certainly did
not look as if the Lodge was g running down,
as has been asserted. In fact, we think tn;
| Lodge was never in better working ordel
| than at the present time, Notwithstanding /
| is cursed with some scape-g)ats as are Al
other organizations.
The Grange of the Patrons Of IL isblndry
recently organized with such suspicious
prospects. is expected to f)urish among tn
pro rressive farmers of Wajtsfeld like jonah
golrd, only with loager peroi d usetui
ness. Il they can DO anything TO put litti
of the needful into empty pockets, these DIR
ltimes, ltI: ally, it is IN ISL teT Jdsly to b
hoped that the order may flourish ioreve
Panic or no plnic, the ht.ls folks AM bi
Iolks of Waitsield do not mean to iispens
with the annual visit of Santa Claus. Th
Methodisss and Universaists Doth are I
have Christ trees On We incsily eVelln
OF this week. Tle various shops are airead
sup liel with the thousand An one thing
for holiday preseats. Ii the trees are NJ
well filled it will no. be- from lack Of inclina
ton, but what is more likely, the absence
loose change waerewlt1 ID purchase th
=. fruits - for their garnshins.
The Congregationilist society are conten
plating the removal of their church buildin
from its present rather inconvenieDt site
place it near their parsonage IN the viilag
Whether they will do Sd remains to be seel
More anon, CHARITY.