Connecticut western news., 1876-11-17
Friday sierning. Nov. n. 1876.
aenialseence. of sAli.Dury.
RY REV. N. .. BAIL.

For the Conn. Western News'l ,-s
 We visited Salisbury the latter part of August last, our home for the first forty years of life, our home still. We drank from the same spnng which slaked our thirst In childhood, travelled the same old paths. climbed she same rugged rock (Bald Peak). and looked upon the same moun- tains, hills and vales which were 80 familiar in early hfe-the features of the landscape Remain the same. but all else how changed The old school house where we graduated In 'baker" has passed away. like the old in- habitants, whose nsmes are nearly all let tered In marble. The teachers whom we best remember were Charles Patterson and Elisha Garfield. The former. no doubt good teacher, Is best remembered for his propensity to use the whip than aught else. Our old friends Horace Kelsey and Hiram Britton, if this meets tn, ir gaze, will doubt less corroborate our statement, and. by the way, We ars lacking an infinitisimal part oi on car which the said Patterson took with his knife In . vain attempt to frighten us before we had reached our seventh sum- mer. Not intentionally, however, but fol which mistake we promised to whip the schoolmaster when we got big enough. The blessed memory of the latter has been . beacon light to the writer. He was 80 Rentle and 90 good. But where are tht merry hearts that used 10 meet at that old school housef The Pettees, B-lchers Pratts, Days. Smiths, Lemleys. Merits 3oores, Kelseys. The forefathers of the hamlet al sleep in the grave. Their de- scendants scattered, and many no doubt eleep as do their fathers. We stood among Ghe dead and whispered names nearly tor g0sten-psmes ot those who have passed into the mis..mantled future.
 But ws did not take our pen to write about the pictures ''hung on Gemory's wAlls,' but to contribute something even al this late day to your Centennial celebra- 0on, which we had the pleasure of attend Ing. Fifty years ago (July 4th, ls26,) we attended our frat 4th of July. It was \ great day, as least for the boy whom Uu- cls Daniel Bradley had furnished with B ninepcnoe with Which to celebrate the 4th. Something we remembered Tue crowded meeting nuuse; we had never seen 80 many people together before. The singing by \ choir; the first choir we had ever seen. There wss one voice which sounded sbov. others, sweet-toned voice, Q Miss Dutch er living near Dutcher's Bridge, afterwards hA ~E Is mistake not. The orstion WAS delivered by @. W. Fl .lley, and was pronounced bril- liant success. A. H. Holley, late governor of Connecticut, was marshal of the day. The dinner was served under an arbor a, ahe south end of the Wells tavern. Samuel Church, since tha honored Chief Justice oi the state, acted as president of the day That was the time of the Jackson and Adams men. The Jackson men, most ot than, took dinner at Uncle Jerry Bush. nell's, the rival tavern. h some way s Jackson man, We think Wm. c Sterling, look dinner with the Adams men at the Wells stand. Perhaps others, as it was tie regular Fourth of. July dinner. Mr Sterling gave toast for Jackson, and 1t called ouI some cheers, but when they had subsided, Capt ]. .. Cof1ug sross-he was a large, no6le.looking mAn-snd very gravely gay, |. this sentiment: Andrew Jackson anu bis hosts; may they have their hsadl shaved before another presidential cleo Non." This called out immense cheers.
 Fifty years-if seems but brief day slncs ws stood looking through the pickel' upon men, many ot whom have gained wealth and horror, and left names which ar' an honor to the good old commonwealth Twsnty-two years have passed since VI lsft Salisbury, and how few remain O lhoss We knew so we'll. Their names ar' read in shs cemetsry-HolleYs. Cofflugs Hterlings, Whittleseys, Slrongs. Nortons Waltons, Russslls, Cnittendens, Bartletls Lees, Bostwicks, and many others we'll r, membervd and well beloved. They sch' well their parts; let us initiate their exam pie In all that is good. trying 90 to live \ to make the world better by our living il 1t, and dying receive from our Creator thu highest need of praise ever bestowed upo
 mortal, Well done."
 Harrisburgh. Lewis O., N. Y.
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