Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-06-24

When she arose she found her husband
lead.
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.-A few years
ago many men in this section, under the
pleasing infatuation that the time had
come when they were to become rich,
took the agency for the sale of a patent
gate" which was represented to be one
of the greatest inventions of the age.
They congratulated themselves on the
fact that they had at last struck a vein
that promised fortune without hard
labor. Quietly they awaited the time
when their suffering neighbors would do
away with bars and old fashioned gates
and purchase of them the patent article.
But for some reason there was no spe-
cial demand for the new-fangled notion,
and their bright dreams faded out. For
tunately their names were still held in
respect by the owners of the gate patent
and the time was approaching when
they were to be reminded that the little
contract made with the patentee had not
been forgotten, and that he was in need
of the money due him on their note.
There was deal of muttering and as
constituent when parties we're cited to
appear at certain court to be held in
a distant county but then. it was worth
something to be of such notoriety as to
have ones presence demanded so far
away from home, and not a small honor
to spend week in distant county
court. There were many consultations
and meetings among the victims, and it
was finally decided to go back on the
benefactor who had given them chance
to grow rich with the gate, and refuse
to pay him for the patent. He held
them to the work and finally they con-
cluded to pay him round sum if he
would get their names off the Addison
county court docket. Again parties
were about selling patent wind-mills-
as if men could not raise the wind with
out patent mill. They were convinced,
however, that windmill was the only
thing they needed to complete theil
earthly happiness, and that to own 6
patent on a wind mill was to be mil
lionaire. The above story was repeated
and though once exceedingly happy Owe
the purchase of the valuable patent, i
is very difficult now to find man VIII
brags about his experience in this line
About this time there were fabulou
stories about the oil fields of Canada
and those who had not got rich wit
, gates or wind-mills, concluded to pu
their surplus funds into oil stock. Their
were smooth-tongued agents who ha
been on to the ground, and who wer
; willing to take stock in company,
their friends and neighbors would com
in and increase the capital to eertai
sufficient sum. The prospect was S
bright that many planted their surplu
o and borrowed funds in the oily specula
5 ton, who to-day laugh at their own TO
e ly. A few months since, man wa
e running about in this vicinity with
o wheelbarrow, making, as he claimed,
survey. He proposed to survey the coul
n ty, and in case he could get suficieI
/. encouragement, would at some futul
9 period publish an "atlas" which shoul
e be an accurate map of the county, va
d liable directory, in which the name
,e the party with whom he was talkir
re- should appear in very large letters, ar
his business should be so advertise
that there would be great demand fro
. New York for the produce of his farr
e if not for the farm itself. The m;
!, with whom the wheelbarrow fellow W
: talking was asked to subscribe, and q
ter considerable badgering. conclud,
to write his name, so it would be pro
= erly spelled in the directory. La
spring, half dozen men from New 70
came into town, who had in their pC
session the names of about 800 men w
had subscribed for Beers Atlas, a
-, they Immediately began to deliver the
to the subscribers at SIP each. il
=. what happy state of affairs existed
- some days, some of our readers rene
Der. Further comment is unnecessal
unless it is to firmly fix this fact
mind, that it is very desirable thi
= (fOr the strangely to have our nan
49, floating about in the pockets of strang
- and sharpers. While many were c.
~ sulting their geography, they were ca
ed upon by polite gentleman who h
wonderful invention which was s,
.. preventative for kerosene lamp exp
sions. Seventy-five cents was all Il
=. was asked for this life-saving compou
Many persons bought the article v
1T were quite chagrined when they lear
Int that they had been purchasing colo
Elk. salt at the rate of SSOOa bushel. Alb
use this time there came along carav
ess consisting of eight or ten excellent tea
In and about twenty men, who had &C
llle all the way from Ohio to supply the 7
ing pie Of Vermont with that indispensa
lily article, the lightning rod. Well dres
or | oontlaman In noctlu oo ~; n oas Jrono