Connecticut western news., 1876-12-08
For the Connecticut Western News.l "Reminiscences of Canaan.
BY REV. H. 8. BALL.

Let one correct 6 mistake or two in my last communication, entitled Reminiscent ces of Salisbury" The type read, " Your centennial celebration which l had the pleasure of attending" It should read, which had not etc. For Harmon Burk- ! ness, read Harmon Bushnell.
 It was an early twilight in June in 1s44, l when we looked for the first time, in at the l door of R. Days home, on College hill, East Canaan. Quite merry company had gathered, and among them the blue-eyed, E. F. D.. the eldest daughter of our host, and as we sit in our study looking back thirtY-two years, we wonder whether time has faded the blue eyes, or sorrow clouded the far brow, or depressed the joyous nature-let us hope not. Ed mond, for we must use the familiar name. (now the Hon. E. D. Lawrence) with his calm, thoughtful face, looks at us now in imagination, as graysly as when we shook him by the hand, and freely joked our host We have always wondered whether Edmond did not think the hammersman a
 
 ing, the most of that company were in each others company. The men were shop mates. Seldom, if ever did more pleas ant company dwell together. No jealousy, no envy, no coldness disturbed their inter- course, and we doubt not others as we'll as the writer often thinks of the pleasant days enjoyed at the Huntington & Days iror works. Where are they now9 Owen Huntington, uncle Owen, as we used to call him. kept boarders most of us had home, and good one, with him. In the gold excitement he went to California, in company with Smith Sterns, who for some reason was nlcknamed Hobby. and there among strangers, the generous hearted Uucle Owen sickened and died. He had two daughters; Elmira, the eldest, married John Hubbell, one of our members, and whether happy as young hope promised, we know not. Anna, the young st, was dark-tyed, beautiful and very mischievous. She used to be very positive that she would never marry, and we used to think that if she did she ought to marry Gabriel, or some other angel, as she would be sure to tease Q common mortal to death. We wonder however, whether her oft repeated declar- alton has proved true if so somebody has lost good wife. We looked at the old place last August, remains but the office where the books of the company were kept. Even the site of the forge and coal houses are difficult to find. The house where Uncle Owen lived is in ruins. the roof partly fallen in. That where R. Day lived part of the time when we resided there, Is entirely gone. We looked over the old familiar scene, silent and desthlike now. where once all was mMth and laughter. We sat down on the bank of the railway to think, and in . moment the past came back vividly to the mind. There was the pud- ding furnace, the heating fire, the ham, mer and the workmen. Thomas Richards our puddler, we used to call him Long Tom, as he brought forcibly to our mind one of Cooper's heroes. George, his brother, the melter. Yank Briggs, Roger Hubbell, and John his brother, Amos Dunning and Edmond. There were two others with whom we had some hard times, Kim and Jim, two colored persons. We were quite anxious to convince them that we had no prejudice against the colored race. Whether we succeeded or not remains a question. Very few of the old inhabitants are left. The life of a generation has passed, and not many of the young can be left. Lyman Lawrence, Hawley Dunning, Harvey Lawrence, Nathaniel Stevens. Joel Harvey, the Elmers and others whose names are not remembered, and who made East Canaan thirty years ago plessnt home have all passed away. The old church on the green has familiar look. We used often to hear the gospel, or some part of it, dispensed by MT. Francis. But it was not his eloquence that attracted us. There was in that choir sweet-voiced singer, whose dark violet eyes learned to look Tn ours with confidence no after time can ever change or diminish.
 " The love when Death has set his seal,
 Nor age can change, nor rlval steal,
 Nor falsehood disavow.''
 Twenty-eight years have brought these changes, since we laid her away in the grave. Dust on her brow, dust on her lips, dust everywhere. and we shall all soon be dust. But the long years have brought no change to one whose longing vision is fixed upon that moment when we shall 'meet again." Many names of the honored dead are with us so night. It is Thanksgiving night and sacred to the memory of a Thanksgiving thirty years ago. Among the names of once familiar friends ID East Canaan who quietly sleep on the honored pillow of the grave, are Coles and Adams, Elmers and Hanchetts, Huntingtons and Cummings, Lawrences and Dabolls. The list is long and the memones tender. We have written them all on the heart; we shall not let them die. Noble, brave men Pioneers who cleared the land, improved the water power, and laid broad and deer the foundation of present prosperity. They havo won and wear their crown. May their descendants deserve like reward.
 Harrisburg, N. r.. Nov. 80, 1876.
 One of the most melancholy and remark