Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-24

1t Is refreshing In these degenerate days,
when general interest centerS In such trivial
affairs as the performances of rival pedestrians
In PARKWAY London and kindred topics, to note
that there Is one village that rises superior to
the puerllities Of the time and turns its arten-
ton to subjects worthier of its consideration.
The happy hamlet in question is situated In the
thrifty state Of Connecticut, where, at this de-
1cious season, If contemporary history Is to be
relied On, the nutritious white pine hams are
leisuTely r1pen1ng under azure skies and the
honest artisan fashions the deceptive wooden
nutmeg for European consumption, while the
summer wind signs softly through the trees
shading the factory where fair and comely
maidens put up In neat cans the famous shoe
Peg oats. Undoubtedly 1t Is pastoral scene
which tie sylvan village of Ansonia presents
In these rare days OF June. But we should
have spoken In the past tense, for Ansonia is
pastoral no mOre-She Is agitated to the core
The gigantic subject which aoSorb5 her mind
takes the form OF an investigation now pro-
crossing before committee representing the
First Congregational Church. The question at
Issue Is grave one, and no lesser personages
than Mr.. Bartlett, treasurer Of the savings
bank, and more undistinguished Mr.. Durand
are the active principals. It seems that Mr..
Bartlett had cherry tree which overhung the
property Of Mr.. Durand. The latter was the
proud possessor OF a grapevine, which
he claimed was shielded from the sun
by Mr.. Bartlett's tree. Mr.. Durand penned
formal letter calling Mr.. Bartletts at
tention to the revolving outrage, but the re-
cipient ignored the complaining missiye. When
Mr.. Durand decided that his grapevine had Ian
guished In the shade quite long enough, he arose
In his might and performed surgical operation
with saw upon the offending tree, whereat
Mr.. Bartlett demonstrated that whatever lack
OF taste he might have for correspondence, ma
ture had endowed him with fine appreciation
of placards. He arranged the amputated limbs
on the fence, and surraounted them with wooden
signs, bearing the legends: {" A Nelghborly A t."
and "The Golden Rule Illustrated" At this
juncture AnSonia formed Ia procession, and
passing by on the other side read the freshly
painted signs with a relish such as only
those who have nothing at stake can en-
JOY. From being interested Ansonia became
excited when the pastor was indicted into the
1mbrogl1o and the local press concentrated its
herculean mind on the subject. When the
committee OF church members was appointed to
pass upon the merits Of the case the community
performed gyrations or delight, and at this mo-
ment, figuratively speaking, all Ansonia Is
turning mental handsprings. The outcome of
this interesting difficulty may be bloodshed,
though we trust not. At all events, there will
be fewer white pine hams, wooden nutmegs and
shoe peg oats this season from that section of
New Haven County, but this Slight inconven-
fence can Wen be borne, In view of the import
arce OF the issue and the necessity that abso-
lutte justice should be done TO the distinguished
principals TO the contest