Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-31
THE IDLER.
Notes and Gossip Picked UP on the
street.

Idpluedu, CeltDrdteu lust Wceh thO io''S'
anniversary of his entrance into the emplo
of the FREE Press. Forty years is lon
time, and the petsons.in this State who ca
claim so long period of service in the sam
establishment must be very few indeed. Tn
late ii. Is. Stacy was editor and proprietor
the FREE Press when Mr. Papineau becam
connected with it, and his successor was th,
late De Witt g. Clark, who established th
Daily, the first edition of which was mad
up and run Off ION a hand press, of course
by Mr.. Papineau, thirty-five years ago. Flo
long period Mr.. Papneau held the contrac
for carrying Gen. Clark home every night
and tears even now come TO his eyes as III
recalls the sufferings he endured in the per
formance of the duty. The 1dler sincerel,
hopes that the genial printer will live to as
sist III the centennial celebration of the FEKi
Press.
In these forty years MIR. Papineau ha
seen the rise and fall of scores of ncwspa
pers, and the increase to immense proper
tions of Burlington's journalistic graveyard
The first Burlington newspaper, the Mercury
was started in 1897, when the town had
only 119 polls and an assessed valuation OF
less than $4,000. The Mercury ilourished
for two years and then went to Join the 9th
or gods on Olympus. From that time to the
present newspaper births and deaths have
been numerous. The roll for the last ten
years is long one. There was the eccen-
trio Charles Pomeroy Buttons Vermont
| Statesman, which went where the woodb.ne
twineth after only three issues; Merchants
weekly Democrat and daily Senhad OF un-
pleasant memory; Loves Sunday ReUie'o j.;
Bob Iugersoll Chase's Cruci6le aud the
Greenback paper which succeeded to its es-
tate and perhaps other papers the names OF
which do not now occur to the writer. Ali
these have gone up Salt river TO stay and not
vestige of them remains. The moral of
which is that journalism is mighty pre-
carious business and that young men should
stay on the farm.
1t is said that among the Egyptians the
bitterest, most baleful curse is, May God
make you wear stoveripe hat" The white
stovepipc, however, Notwithstanding It's i'll
repule in Egypt, is popular article OF brio
a-brac, this Summer, and lots of our eminent
citizens favor it. Among others Manager
Drew of the Van Ness House. You wouldn't
think to see him in it that he was ever fore
man of fire company. But he was, all the
same. He was one of the original organzers
anu the first foreman of the Hook aud Ladder
company, and the ldler will wager u cooky
that in those days he could shin up a ladder
as fast and yell as loudly as any of Them.
Wouldn't it be fun now, though, to see him
prancing around at fire and climbing lad
ders and things! The Hooks were nobby
boys and Jolly good fellows, and none Of
them laid over the foreman in either respect.
And they can't do it now.
Perhaps you didn't know that there were
tn n Of fn,,aln IN,
tellers-seventh daughters Of seventh daugh.
tiers and all that sort of trash-who arc doing
a thriving business. Their principal patrons
are domestics and uneducaled people, who
disburse their hard-earned silver with great
liberafty and get in return mess of nonsense
that would raise the goosciesh on sensible
person. If you see your domestic intenty
studying the grounds in her ,ea.cup,you may
know that she is preparing report on that
very important and portentous subject, to be
explained by the fortune-teller.
Speaking Of the early days of telegraphy,
Cashier Wells of the Howard bank told the
Idler that when he was operator at Water
bury, nearly 80 years ago, it was the rule
that whenever there was trouble with the
wire the operator should lock up his office
and go out and remedy it. Once diff
Guilty arose and he sailed forth to see what
was the matter and found the wire broken.
He picked up the ends, when it flashed
through him with shock that he had for
gotten to discOnnect his battery. He drop
ped the wire very promptly. On another
occasion he found that a Waterbury farmer,
not posted in telegraphy, had pulled the wire
down to the ground Git was somewhat in his
way and covered it foot or two deep with
earth. 1t was in the Fall and the ground
had frozen, and the operator had to borrow
pickaxe and dig out the wire. And yet
operators OF the present day think that they
have to work pretty hard
The Idler understands that in connection
with the annual muster of the First Regi-
ment at st. Johnsbury, next month, meet
ing will be held of the Veterans Association
OF survivors of the Vershire war. The oil-
cial call will soon be issued by Col. U. A.
Woodbury.. commander of the association
The literary features of the reunion will con
sist of an address by Maj. John G. Stearns,
of Bradford, and war poem by Col. Chas.
8. Forbes, of st. Adams and brief speeches
are expected of other distinguished survivors
The occasion will be one of sad but thrilling
interest. Survivors of the war are awaiting
Col. Woodburys proclamation with much
eagerness.
A story or two about members of the ris-
ing generation:
"Say, Mister" said very diminutivc lad,
as he tried to elevate his head to the level of
the counter in well-known place of bust
ness. Say, Mister, can you change this for
mel"
This" proved to be two.cent piece.
The resources of the establishment were
equal TO the emergency, and the two.cent
piece was changed.
"Say. Ma" said seven-years-old, sis Mr..
Vanderbilt very rich p "Yes, my son.
Why?" "Well, l thought he was, because
Oracle Y. said that if she was woman she
would rather be Mrs. Vanderbilt than any
one else In the world"