davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

F. T. Smith, who has not been homo La
fore for two years, is on a brief visit here
Mr. Glynn, who has been boss on the geo.
ton near this village, resigned and returned
home last Monday
The legal voters Of Fire District No
are warned to meet at the schoolhouse on Tho
first Monday in January, 10 transact all neces
sary business.
The scarcity Of hay enables its possessor
to easily get Sl2 per ton.
Prof A. n. johnson opened his musical
convention at Wardsboro last Tuesday. and
will close on Saturday evening with a grand
public recital.
There was more than the usual attend.
ance on Christmas evening to see the bril-.
ty-illuminated church, the beautiful dec
oratioDs, and thee large tree, heavily laden
with gifts. The exercises opened with sing.
ing by the choir prayer by Rev. O. G. Baker
and Rotations by Mrs. Barnes's class of Sun.
day school children, followed by an exercise
by company Of young ladies arrayed in
white. Appropriate remarks were made by
Mr. Baker, after which followed the distribu.
ton Of gifts. Among the many nice presents
was a chandelier for John A. Butler. Web.
ster's Unabridged for Hon. Hoyt H. Wheeler
al easy chair for Mrs Wheeler a beautiful
crystal fruit dish and syrup cup for +. W
Perry Son, and rocker for Geo Shafner
Many other valuable articles might be men
toned, but we deem it only necessary to add
that when the evenings entertainment closed
there was glad light in every eye, and
kind word for all
On Monday, while Horace w. Sanders
was running a rounding machine at 0. c
Flint's mill, the post he was rounding came
in contact with a knot, which few into three
pieces, one piece hitting him on the lip and
cutting an ugly-looking cash, besides knock
ing him across the shop
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31
OBITUARY.

Rev. DR.. i. II. CHAPLIN, ono Of the most
eminent clergymen in the country, and for
80 years pastor Of the leading Universalst
church in Now York died at his residence in
that city at ! o'clock last Monday morning.
DR.. Chaplin was nntive OF Union Village,
Washington county N. Y. He was educated
at Bennington (Vt.) seminary and began
studying law at Troy, but after a turn at ed
iting Universalist magazine took up theology
and was ordained in that denomination in
1887. He preached over churches Mt Rich
mond, Va, Charlestown aud Boston, going
to New York in 1S4s, where great crowds at
tended his ministry. He became widely
known to the country as a lecturer and was
the twin TO Beecher in the enjoyment of the
former popularity and profit Of this form Of
entertainment. His thought was rich and
full of human sympathies and his manner OF
speaking fervid and impassioned. Some Of
his works, as True Maniness" and Grown
of Thorns, have had n wide circulation. For
some years, disease has impaired his powers
and his church has lately called Dr. Ryder of
Chicago to discharge the more active duties
of the pastorate He was &C years of age
GEoRGr ELIOT. Mrs Marion Evans Cross
George Eliot, the distinguished novelist
died in London on Wednesday night Of last
week, at the age Of 60 years Mrs Cross
was born in Warwickshire in 1920. and began
her literary career in 1857 by contributing
Scenes Of Clerical Life" to Blackwood's
Magazine. This work was well received but
did not bring her into general notice. But
her next novel, Adam Bede, which appeared
in 1859, was hailed AZ a literary event Of the
first magnitude and she became famous The
Mill on the Floss which followed in 1860.
and Silas Warner, in 1861 added appreciably
to her reputation. Her next work Romola
was less iavorably received because, as ap-
preciative critics maintain it was too far
above the popular comprehension but a.
time passes away the work will be conceded
to be her masterpiece In 1866 she more
than retrieved whatever popularity she may
have lost through Romola, by Felix Holt the
Radical. In 1871 appeared hddlemarch,
pronounced by many of her admirers her
greatest effort, and the remarkable series was
concluded in 1876 with Daniel Deronda.
which is still fresh in the public mind She
performed considerable other literary work
but nothing of the first importance Her
principal poetcal works are the Spanish Stu
dent and the Legend Of Jubal, both Of which
were well received but have not the enduring
quality Of her novels.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31
south Londonderry.


Both Of our churches, the Baptist on
Friday evening and the Methodist on Satur
day evening, were literally crowded, packed
jammed with an OVERLOOKING mass of human
ity to witness the Christmas exercises and
distribution Of gifts. Everybody with his
sisters and his cousins and his aunts" was
out. There was Aunt Mary Ann. blessings
Oh the dear old soul who hadn't been out
before this winter, but couldn't resist this
temptation to see the children made happy
and there was Cousin John, who hobbled in
on rheumatic joints and complacently tapped
his snuff box and thought of the happy DAYS
Of his own childhood when, though shoes
were scarce, he didn't have to 20 barefooted
on top Of his head and here, too, was the
ruddy-faced boy, fresh from a game Of SNOW
ball, with constantly fitting visions of two
bladed jack-knives and the rosy-cheeked
blue-eyed coy little maiden, who, as she
leaned her head upon mammas shoulder,
wondered If it would be a waxen doll with
bonny brown hair and near TO her was the
coquetish maiden, who, as she tossed her
head from side to side, was sure she could
tell II 1t was Albert or James who put it on
the tree and there was the minister, with
his heart overlooking with the milk of human
kindness, and silently breathing blessings
upon old and young, great and small yet he
W. e1AAA bNA WloA NAht NlA1 TIME II hOulQu
be q pair Of slippers. Doubtless all were sat-
istied-why not There were gifts by the
hundred, and Of all sorts colors and grades
such as would please child or man, matron
or maiden. The exercises consisted Of sing
ing, plays and Rotations. The singing at
both churches, all by the children, was most
excellent or the plays, Mother Goose,
rendered at the Baptist house by half doz-
en-, or more, little children, with little Miss
Florence Smith as Mother Goose, was cap
tally done and heartily applauded. OF the
Rotations, The Last Banquet" by Fred
Vale, was well rendered at the Methodist
church but the recitation par excellence
each evening was by Miss Mary A. Pierce,
daughter of Mr.. Sem Pierce, who is at pres
ent student Of Leland d Gray seminary.
Miss Pierce recited on Friday evening, Rock
Of Ages and on Saturday evening, THE
Last Hymn" both of which were superbly
rendered and highly pleasing to the cultivst-
ed OF each audience, and many were the con-
CALCULATIONS she received. That Miss Pierce.
with proper study, will enter the first rank
of elOcutionists, there can be no doubt. Ev-
erything passed OF pleasantly with 10 jar or
save only the usual iRJdntrE
practice common upon such occasions-of
course the little ones must be taken out to
See the Christmas trees. Each of the minis
ters was the recipient of purse-no slippers
this time. B.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

w. Patterson OF Chicopee Falls, Mass. Two
of the birds which Mr.. Patterson will show
were imported from Antwerp Belgium, and
both have won prizes in 3O0-mo to 800 mile
flights One Of these birds in particular has
flown over all the long concourses in Europe
and has repeatedly been prize winner d.
f. Taskers incubator will be on exhibition in
full operation, and the show will have many
other attractive features.
The Congregational society held their
annual meeting on Monday evening aud re-
elected their old board Of officers as follows
Trustees, Il. w. Clarke VIM. A. Dutton,
Barna A. Clark, Geo T. Greene, Geo II.
Capp treasurer +. A. Whitney; auditor
Henry H. Thompson clerk, Malcolm Moody.
The treasurers report showed prosperous
financial condition OF the society. A SUN Of
money was voted for the purchase Of a suita-
bic testimonial to Mrs. Mary Sprague Hol-
brook on the occasion Of her retirement from
a twelve years term Of service in the choir Of
the church This testimonial has taken the
form Of an elegant silver ice pitcher and COB
let's which may now be seen at the store of
Ranger Thompson.
THE VILLAGE CHARTER AMENDMENTS.
In accordance with the vote of the vii.
lage the bailfIs have caused to be Ie-publish-
ed IN our columns to-day q certified copy OF
the proposed amendments TO the village char
ter, all the essential changes in which are in
Dictated in italic type. A careful examina-
ton OF these amendments will recall the fact,
now generally well understood, that the only
real proposed change is that giving the vii
lage the USE Of three-fourths Of its highway
tax money. In making this provision the
amendments simply give to the yillhge what
it was intended under the original charter
that it should have, though the section,
through It's loose wording has been inopera-
tive That the village should have this mon
ey for use on its streets and sidewalks seems
10 be no more than an act Of simple justice.
II is, at least, in accordance with the almost
universal rule in other villages in the state
In several Of these villages the village cor
poratlOn has the use Of all Ito highway tax,
aud IN not more than one or two instances
IN the whole state does a village have the
use OF less sum than three fourths OF this
money. The date Of the meeting when the
question Of the adoption or rejection Of these
amendments will be decided is Monday even
ing Jan. 10.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

The new tax law requires the listers to set
all taxable property IN the lists at one per
cent of its true cash value, appraising the
same at such figures ar they would appraise
1t lin payment of just debt due from a
solvent debtor, having regard to the current
value OF such property, and the sales thereof,
other than auction sales, il the locality where
1t Is situated That is substantially the pres
ent law The present law, however attaches
no penalty for disobedience Of the law on the
part Of lister. The new law attaches a
penalty. The new law requires from eperU
taxpayer sworn list or inventory of his taxa
bic property, real and personal and permits
no deduction for debts owing unless the tax
payer specifies il his statement the debts for
which he claims a deduction, with the name
and residence Of the person or persons TO
whom such debts are owing. The taxpayer
must also make oath that he has not created
any fictitious debt, or disposed of any prop
erty for the purpose of evading the law or
affecting the amount of his list The taxpay-
err may appeal from the appraisal Of the list
ers TO the selectmen; but if 1t appears that
he has wllfully violated any of the provisions
of the act, they shall grant him no relief
II taxpayer refuses to hand in a sworn
list, or the list he hands in is not true state
ment OF his taxable property, the listers may
ascertain his property well as they can
then double 1t, and set him in the list at dou-
BILE the amount he would have been taxed Oh
had he made an honest list. A taxpayer who
makes and swears to a false list is to be held
guilty of perjury and punished accordingly.
The listers must swear that they have APP
praised all the taxable property at its true
value III money, and if they swear falsely they
shall be held guilty Of perjury and be pun
ished therefor; and any lister who accepts al
unsworn inventory from any taxpayer, or cor
poration, or who neglects or refuses to do his
duty under the law, is made liable to a penal
ty of $500 for each unsworn inventory receiv-
ed, or for each neglect or refusal TO be for
feted to the town or city. new appraisal
of real estate is to be made next April, in
connection with the new annual list of per
sonal property. This will enable the listers
TO start square throughout the State, and to
make the lists fair and right as regards both
real and personal estate.
Allcorporate property is to be set in the list at
its actual value. All railroad property except
road-bed, bridges and abutments, will be tax
ed by the town listers the same as the other
property. The road-bed, bridges and abut-
ments will be taxed at a uniform rate by
board of State listers, who will make return
to the listers of the several towns through
which the roads pass.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

provisions for compelling towns TO keep their
highways in proper condition. bill reduc-
ing the salaries of the secretary Of state and
state treasurerto S 1000 each, and making some
other changes in the salaries of state officers,
passed the House but failed in the Senate
Appropriations amounting to $4,000 in all
were made for necessary repairs and improve
monts at the state prison.
Five of the constitutional amendments pro
posed by the Senate passed the House, viz.
the amendment giving the governor power to
order a new election il a vacancy occurs in
the House or Senate; an amendment forever
prohibiting the passing of laws allowing the
manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors.
except wine and cider made from native fruit
or for mechanical or medicinal purposes an
amendment providing that the Legislature
shall have no power to authorize any town to
pledge its credit or create any debt in aid of
railroads an amendment providing that the
secretary Of state and auditor of accounts
shall be elected by the people an amend
ment constituting board OF advisers to the
governor in relation to reprieves and pardons,
and an amendment requiring an additional
oath Of the members of the general assembly.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31
MINOR NOTES.

Secretary Ramsey will continue to dis
charge the duties Of two Secretaryships-
Army and Navy-until the end of the pres
ent administration.
President Hayes, in accordance with the
request of Whitaker, the colored cadet, has
decided to order a court-martial
The New York correspondent of the Phil
adelphia Press states that Kenwsrd Philip, of
bogus Morey letter fame, has retired from
journalism and will go into commercial pur-
suits. He has been engaged by Bowery
firm which deals in undertaken supplies,
and will travel for them through the country.
Mr. Schurz's new agreement with the Pom
cas- gives them S14O,0 for their Dakota
reservation and asks them $50, 900 for their
location in Indian territory $50, 900 of the
purchase money is to be invested in per
cents for the benefit of the tribe.
The Supreme Court of the United States
has decided that when in the adjustment of
the affairs of an insolvent national bank any
of the stockholders fail to pay their share of
the banks liabilities, the deficiency cannot
be assessed upon the remaining stockholders
The crowd of people who expect to attend
the Inauguration of President Garfield bids
fair to far outnumber that on any previous
occasion. The adjutant general of Pennsyl.
vAnia reports that from 5000 to 1000 of the
national guard of that state will be present.
One hotel has had ., 100 applications; an
other has been engaged for 600. The rail
road companies are arranging for side tracks
for the extra trains. One line has six miles
of such track now available.
Much has been said about the alleged pur-
suit of Senator Conkling by Ex-Governor
Sprague of Rhode Island, with a shotgun, at
the time the former was at the Sprague man
sion year ago last August. Regarding this
affair, Winchester Britton, counsel for Mrs.
Sprague in her suit for a divorce says: 1.-THE
story is absolutely false. Conkling was at
Canochet, invited there by Sprague himself
on business. Then Sprague, who was drunk,
made the house 80 unpleasant that all the
guests went away. There was no shotgun
in the house. ! made a thorough inquiry in
TO the facts of that matter and the truth is
that there was no collision or unpleasantness
in word or fact between Gov. Sprague and
Senator Conkling." Thus ends an unsavory
newspaper sensation.
Charles O'Connor, the distinguished New
York lawyer, has become citizen of Massa-
chusetts taking up his residence permanent
ly at Nantucket, whittier his books and
household effects have been recently remov-
sd. He is in his 10th year, and finds the
Nantucket climate better for his lungs and
digestion than that of New York He has al
ready survived his obituary notices five years,
and now bids fair TO be full of years when
death finally claims him.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

A mass meeting Of Democrats was held at
Cooper institute in New York Oh Tues
day with the avowad object of reorganiz-
ing the party in that city on the basis of a
full representation Of the masses in the
primaries and by securing from the primaries
the fair and honest expression Of the will Of
the majority" series of resolutions was
adopted aud committee of fifty was ap.
pointed TO carry out the purpose of the meet
ing The New York Times pithily reminds
the would-be reorgauizers that mo amount
Of fine talk about a new organization fresh
from the people and including all the good
elements Of the old organization can disguise
the fact that no Democratic general commit
tee can control the party vote in that city.
which differs substantially in its composition
from its predecessors of the last twenty
years. The grog shops, the priesthood, and
the ofice-holding or office-seeking class will
continue to furnish both principles and aims
for the Democracy OF New York City, wheth-
er the intelligent and respectable portion of
the party like it or not.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31
RITLE PRACTICE on CHRISTMAS DAY.
At Oak Grove Range, $50 Yards, of hant


-GrdHdmOther Ph9Hiz Many OF IKE
readers OF Tn PHOENIX have been pleased OF
late to see that you have let up" little Oh
Charlie - for We have thought you did not
sufficiently realize how httle was given him, and
you required Hiuch But the boy has remark.
able traits after all, a. We learned to our dis
gust when We found ourselves at Opera Hall
10 hear n lecture when there WAs no lecture
to be heard but we cousOled ourselves with
the thought that we had been drawn out OF
the nut for a short time, and it would do Us
good, and 1t wac much better that We should
90 and hud no lecturer than TO have the lee
turer 60 aud ind no hearers The Reformer
did lit, drew u out" Then his aptitude
for jumping at conclusions" is something
wonderful and when he has Jumped he
publishes his conclusions as tdcts and sends
Of his paper to his fifty thousand subscribers
and people thousands Of milus from here in
that way receive their first intelligence of
pleasing family events, and are congratulated
on the safe arrival Of the first born" 1t is
AL Greek to them, but it mas drawn out"
the Kind wishes OF their friends oil the same
and the Kcformer did that. too. Cherish
th' boy, Grandma for lac has genius, and if
you lose him you viii ne'er look upon his like
again. SelRh
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31
Some Of she Legl.la.ure,. werL.

As indicated in our Montpelier oorrespon-
dence last week, the Legislature reached a
final adjournment last Friday morning, after
an all-night session. We shall next week give
in supplement form all the public acts passed
and our readers can then judge for themselves
Of the amount and character of the work
done In addition to the new general tax
law, bill was passed taxing the gross receipts
of telegraph and express companies two per
cent Bills were passed giving women the
same right as men to vote and hold office in
school meetings and making women eligible
to the Offices Of town clerk and town superin-
tendent. Another one Of the radically new
measures is that providing that no town shall
be liable for injury on its highways after the
first day of May next, except on bridges of
more than eight feet span. The act contains
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

Oklahoma, about which the papers now
have so much to say, is a tract Of land in the
Indian territory not as yet appropriated to the
use of any tribe, but surrounded on all sides
by the reservations of the Pottawottomies,
Sacs and Foxes, Cherokees, 'Chickasaws and
Choyennes. Long since the whole territory
was set apart by act Of Congress for occupa-
ton by the Indians but this part is not yet
occupied. 1t is said to be fertile, well tim
bered and well watered, and for this reason
it has attracted the covetous eyes of the band
Of Adventures, under the lead Of Capt. ="
Payne, who are only restrained by fear of the
strong arm Of the government from entering
upon and occupying it, A recent circular
from Payne has been discovered and publish
ed in which he tells his followers to be ready
to move secretly, at n moments notice, to
different parts Of the territory. The leaders
Of this Oklahoma colony are said to be in
correspondence with some Of the exodus lead
ers, hoping to induce colonies of the freed
men to join them.
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

The donation party given for the benefit
of Rev. L. +. Shepardson, Dec. lG, was
success IN every respect A pleasant even
ing was spent by all present, and over $40
was realized. In this amount is included a
handsome overcoAt given by the young peo-
pie.
The Christmas tree last Friday evening
drew out a large audience The tree was
large and handsome, and excellent taste was
displayed by the committee III trimming it
and arranging the presents. Before the dis
tribution commenced an hour was spent in
appropriate Christmas exercises by the Sun
day school. Among the most noticeable Sc
lections were piece spoken by six ear-old
and q song by an OctogenRriRn.
While 3. L. Morse, ESQ.,, was drawing
logs down q steep hill in his wood-lot Tues
day afternoon, the runner chain broke where
the horses could not hold the load Mr..
Morse was thrown from the sled and drag
ged about twenty rods, when his back struck
ledge. Being left without overcoat hat or
mittens and unable to move, he was consid-
erably chilled before assistance arrived. He
is now confined to the house, but it is hoped
the injuries received will not prove serious.
NJ
Ezra Shipman has just set new water
wheel at his saw-mil which requires less wa
ter than the old one and is quite Gn improve
ment
Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-12-31

Last week was q sad week for the peo-
pie Of Grahamville and vicinity, two deaths
occurring from diphtheria, one a son of Mr..
George Cummings, Addison, aged Is. and the
other a daughter of Mrs Susan hayward.
Carrie, aged Is, Both were buried the same
day, Dec. 25 and as there were others Of the
same families sick at the same time they could
not well have funeral sermon preached at
either place. Mr.. Lewis Brooks's family are
sick with the disease but none are consider
ed dangerous. Mr. cambridge Benson's
family are recovering Our Christmas exer-
cises, which were TO have been held Friday
evening, were given up on account of so
much sickness. The schools in Grahamville,
Bondville ana Jacksonville have been given
up, but if no new cases are knows, they will
be resumed soon in Jacksonville and Bond
vile. Our preacher, Rev. H. T. Reynolds,
was not able to address the congregation on
Sunday but we learn he is recovering. A
watch meeting has been appointed for ue1t
Friday evening.