Litchfield enquirer., 1874-02-19
wa.hlngson twenty years ago.

EDITOR ENQUIRER: In. lS4U went to live with Hermon Baldwin. where I lived ten years, my principal business being to tend his mills, saw mill and clover mill, this gave me good chaoce to become ac- quainted with nearly every farmer in town, and great many out of town, that came to he clover mill from all the towns with in ten miles of the mill. Iran two clover mills through the winter, cleaning on an average eight bushels of seed per day, for which Mir. B. received one dollar per bushel carried a small book in my pocket with the name and amount of every. mans grist that l had cleaned. We often had $500 worth, of seed in the mill at a time, with no lookup to the mill, and could go in the dark and put my hand on the grist of any man by hearing his name ft -a"
 Ten years in Washington gave me an idea of the characteristics of a peculiar people, for they usually had some man, or sect, or party, to run (as the phrase ls) 6ne flg upon.
 The boys or young men were great for frolic. Their greatest mania seemed to be for ringing the meeting house bell for every wedding. and they were numerous, for it was seldom that any one went out of town to marry. Capt. Wm. Ford once told me that he had been to meeting many times, when nearly every one there was cousin to him. It used to be said by people out of town that there ought to be a Chinese wall built around Washington and then let them stay by themselves. But they are growing more liberal; their boys have learned that they can find just as sweet girls, and just as sweet singers, out of the ring, which is certainly saying much for those outside Nearly every plan was devised to keep the the bell still when wedding was to come off, but the old bell, from habit, knew pretty we'll when there was to be wedding, and ring 1t would; but on certain occasion, when some of the upper-ten were to be married, l believe the vigilance committee even of fered goodLy Heritage to keep the bell still. So, to make the thing sure, the bell tongue was taken out and hid in a barrel of ashes in blacksmith shop. The boys learned of it's whereabouts, but how to get 1t was 6 sticker. It was finally agreed that one who was kindly disposed to the boys, should go just at night to so' his horse shod, and while the smith was shoelng, Would hold his old long great coat between the smith and the door or ash barrel. In this way the bell tongue was captured, and put under ground until the dark hours came, and with these came the vigilance committee standing guard around the meeting house. but soon youngster came up to try the windows. One of the order-loving says to him, ''I oouldnot go in there," The young ster replied, ''I suppose you would not, but l shall if can," and suiting the ac- tlon to the work, under went the crow-bar and up came the window, and in went half a score of boys, bell tongue and all. So the old bell did not forget her cunning at last.
 And now, after lapse of twenty-three years, we find those rude young men grown up the bulwark of society, and the chief corner stone of that old church. But the fathers, where are they? Last summer, on taking walk around the neat and we'll arranged cemetery, reading the names inscribed over the sleepers, the thought struck me that nearly every fa- mlliaf name written in my little clover mill book, had been transferred to that cemetery, and thought of sadness stole over me as I walked, reading the names, and still remembering the faces of those that sleep.
 But glance at the landscape partially relieves the sadness in beholding the im- provements which have been made in the time. Twenty years ago, man toiled four teen hours day in the hot sun, with a scythe to cut grass to keep the horse. Now, the horse cuts grass for himself, the same amount in an hour Gor Washing ton Is the pioneer town in moving ma chlnes). All this has been done by this same spirit that rang the old bell. But this is not all. The same determined will in these frolicsome boys has caused the heavy tread of the iron horse to go snorting through our villages, bringing New York to breakfast and Boston to tea. and their luxuries with them, which are we'll appreciated up and down this fertile valley.
 At the substantial depot in Washington, is good new store, containing new post-office and telegraph office, and other buildings are in contemplation. I must also mention the spacious tobacco ware house, already built by Willie Ford, which shows that same broad and progressive principle from cellar to garret. Hereto fore, tobacco raisers as far east as Water town, have been obliged to carry their to- bacco over the big hill to New Milford, to be assorted. We think those raising the filthy weed, will find it to their advantage to patronize this establishment, where we think they will find integrity the rule and not the exception.
 Now Mir. Editor, as you were supposed to be one of the boys that rang the old bell, you can judge whether have de- ineated Washington character truly; if not, please add your convictions concern ing it, or consign these scribblings to the dark drawer. LIZ ScoTT
 [The editor of this paper was much to young and much to good boy to have had anything to do with ringing the old bell. We think, too, Capt. Scott has made mistake about the time when the bell tongue was stolen. This happened after, not on, the memorable evening of