davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
The Lecture Course.

In some towns in this state the lee
ture course still fourishes with all the
vigor and freshness it possessed in its
youth, when men like Greeley, Curtis,
Philips, Beecher, Chaplin, Cough and
Parsons brought to the platform brains,
wit, humor, instruction and brilliant
oratory. In those days the lecture
course was subscribing its original and
legitimate purpose-combining with a
heightened, wholesome, intellectual en-
tertainment, mental culture of an
equally elevating and useful character
AS soon as the platform had been made
popular it was seized by class of
mountebanks, sensationalists, cheap
readers and nickel-plated lecturers"
who speculated upon the character of
men of sterling worth, solid acquire
ments and genuine qualities. =" Lecture
bureaus were established in the great
cities to put this intellectual riffraff
upon the country market. Lecture
committees were not always discreet
negotiators, people became disguised,
the glory of the platform waned and
finally fell into such disgrace that in
only few of the more enterprising and
intelligent reading and thinking COM
munities has the winter lecture course
survived. st. Johnsbury has been more
fortunate, we believe, than any other
town in this state in maintaining in
their pristine purity, usefulness and
glory, the elevating, educating and en-
tertaining attributes of the old-time
lecture course. A quarter Of a century
ago the people from the farms and vii
lagos round about crowded the lecture
hall to catch sight of the famous white
hat of the Tribune philosopher and
listen to his quaint wisdom, or to the
stirring appeals and eloquent periods of
the star lecturers of the time. BY
always getting the best in quality and
variety, interest has been quite steadily
sustained and the requisite financial
support obtained. The following from
the Chicago Advance is so much to the
point and so worthy of consideration
that we publish the article without
abridgment, with the hope that it will
assist to revive and reform the lecture
course in this state: Years ago, nearly
every community, with the slightest
pretensions to intelligence and culture,
had its course of lectures. That day
has passed. 1t has seemed to many
that the lecturer has been crowded out
by the comic reader and cheap shows.
1t is matter of common regret that
an intellectual entertainment should
give way to minstrel troupes and third
rate actors and stale jokes. There
surely is no decline in oratory or elo-
quence among our leading speakers;
nor can it be that our people have de-
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
FOrty-Eighth Congress.

TUESDAY, December 9.-The senate passed
without debate, the bill providing for the
ascertainment of claims of American cit
liens for spoliations committed by the
French prior to the 31st of July, 1901. The
bill for the admission of Dakota into the
Union was considered, Mr.. Harrison of Hi
nois speaking at length on the measure.
- The house was engaged principally
in debating the interstate commerce bill.
without, however, taking action.
WEDNESDAY, December 1O.-The time of
the senate was chiefly occupied in discuss
ing the Oregon Central lands forfeiture bill
and the bill for the admission of Dakota
into the Union. - The house passed the
military academy appropriation bill and
continued the discussion of the interstate
commerce bill A resolution was offered
and referred providing for holiday recess
from the 23d instant until January 9TH next.
THURSDAY, December lin the senate a
resolution was offered providing that the
discussion of the Spanish-American treaty
be in open session. Objections being made.
however, it went over under the rules.
The Oregon Central lands forfeiture bill and
the Dakota admission bill were further dis
cussed, no action being reached on either.
- The house was engaged in discussing
the interstate commerce bill.
FRIDAY, December I'm the house after
protracted and at times exciting debate, a
resolution was adopted that a speech by Con-
gresham j. ID. Taylor of Ohio, printed in
the Congressional Record of August l. on the
pension, be eXpunged from the Record, and
that Taylor be censured for violating the
rules of the house. Some miscellaneous
matters were disposed Of, and at the even
ing session ten pension bills were passed.
An adjournment was taken until Monday.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

THE WATCHMAN supplement this week
contains the laws of public character
passed at the late session of the legisla-
ture. Law-abiding citizens and officials
of every rank will need to take an OBJ
servation this week and get their bear
ings anew for the current biennial
cruise. Many minor changes and some
of very important character have been
made in the statutory law of the land,
and diligent study of the chart pub
lished to-day will be required to pre-
vent citizens and officials from inn
pinging upon distractions raised dur
ing the late biennial convulsion. The
laws of similar kind are properly
classified, but it would aid the average
citizen in his search for specific enact
ments if the compiler of these statutes,
in arranging them for publication, would
break up the solid mass of enactments
into the general subdivisions of the
Revised Laws and designate each sub
DIVISION by lts appropriate title. All
the laws relating to Taxation" ar
ranged under that title, all relating to
schools, under " Public Instruction, - all
relating to highways and bridges under
Highways, Ferries and Turnpikes, :"
and so on, would greatly facilitate an
accurate and ineligible understanding
of the subjects of legislative labor, if
not of the labor itself. No commentary
on the laws passed would add to or
greatly assist a comprehension of the
new statutes or the changes made in
the old. A careful reading and COM
parison by each individual interested
will be surer and more satisfactory
means of getting at the work of the
solons.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
Obituary..

GRoUT.-Philura j., wife of Major L. NJ
Grout died at Montpelier December 7th
aged siXty-two years. For more than six
months she had been great sufferer from
a disease which a council of physicians from
the first pronounced fatal, yet she had borne
it all with Christian fortitude and patience
Six children and her husband survive her,
all OF whom were present at her funeral,
with the exception of her youngest SON. a
sergeant in the regular army, stationed at
Fort Custer, Montana. An aged father and
mother ninety-two and eighty-seven years,
respectively, survive her at Morrisville, and
thither, accompanied by her pastor Rev. L.
r. Frost loving friends bore her poor worn
body and under the snow wreaths laid il
tenderly away, to rest i'll dreamless sleep, in
the sure hope of blessed immortality. To
the afflicted ones who remain how comfort
ing must come the words OF Whittier, and
in her case how appropriate they seem:
=" Not upon thee or thine the solemn angel
Hath evil wrought:
Her funeral aS LIZ anthem then, is glad evangel-
REDFIELD.-Mrs. Harriet Dustin Grannis,
wife of Sidney =. Redheld of Montpelier,
retired apparently in usual health on Thurs
day evening last, and died at one A. M, on
Friday morning. Shall it be said that her s
was a sudden death, and not rather that it
was " a glad surprise sudden awakening
into the life that shall never end? To the
many who did not know her, this will be
simply sudden death, as of one sinking
beneath the wave and lost to their sight for
ever; but to the few who did know her in
timately, to those who stood with her in the
first confirmation class of the Episcopal
church at Montpelier, and in her fife, and
that of her relatives and friends, can trace
the history of that church from its organiza-
tion-to these her death brings a host of
tender recollections of the past forty years,
which will cling around her memory for
years to come. Mrs. Redfeld was born in
Claremont, n. H., nearly seventy-one years
ago, daughter of William and Melinda
Dustin Grannis, descendant of Hannah Dus-
tin the famous Indian scalper, and came to
Montpelier with her husband in 1888. With
them at successive periods Montpelier has
had Peleg Redfield, her father-in-law, Chief
Justice Isaac f. Redfeld, Judge Timothy +.
Redtield, whose wife is sister of Mrs. Sidney
p. Redfeld, and w. c. ID. Grannis, her
brother, now of Chicago. So that il may well
be said that the town has had no family with
more eminent men and estimabe ladies
than this. Three children of Mrs Redfeld
survive: Mrs. G. X. Perrin of indianapolis,
VIM. p. Redtield of Cambridge Mass, and
Mrs. N. X Lord of Kalamazoo, Mich,
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

AMONG the acts passed by the legis-
lature at its late session was one APP
propriating a sum of money for the
erection of monument to the memory
of Theophilus Harrington. AS this
bill was passing its various stages in
the two houses of the legislature, we
apprehend that few persons in the
lobby and galleries, or indeed in the
general assembly itself, understood why
these belated honors were paid to
Judge Harrington by the state. Some
who had listened to the debate on the
proposal to increase the salary of the
judges might have thought that he was
another of those "poor unfortunates, -
described by the fearful advocates of
that measure, who had gone from the
bench to pauper grave and the state
had interposed to save his resting-place
from obliteration. Judge Harrington
has, however, very substantial claims
to immortality. They do not rest upon
the simple historical fact that he was a
judge of the Vermont supreme court
from 1903 to 1913. He was the hero
OF an incident that not only put an en-
barrassing requirement upon claim
ants to property in man, but gave also
to freedom a laconic enunciation of a
principle that in the great anti-slavery
contest had the force of Holy Writ.
The incident we find recorded as fol-
lows: Before the enactment of the fu-
gitive slave law, Shareholders claimed
and enforced the right to retake their
runaway chattels wherever found An
attempt was made in Vermont to pro-
cure warrant for the eXtradition of a
negro who was claimed as a slave, and
the case stood for hearing before Judge
Harrington. The attorney for the
plaintiff made out what he regarded a
prinad facie case, and then rested -
but the judge intimated that the title to
the slave was not satisfactorily estab-
huultlOlldl tNlutHce. oral ana
documentary, was put in, and again
the attorney rested his case, only to be
again informed by the judge that the
testimony was insufficient. Another
attempt was made and proof was fur
nished that the negro and his ancestors
before him had, time out of mind of
man " been slaves of the claimant and
his ancestors. Still the judge declared
that there seemed to be defect in the
title. viii your honor them" re-
turned the astonished attorney, "be
good enough to suggest what is lacking
in the title?" A bill of sale. sir,
from God Almighty" was the ami
hilating rejoinder. The baflled man
hunter was compelled to abandon his
claim; and from that day to this, " a
bill of sale from God Almighty" has
been held in Vermont necessary to con-
vey to a man the ownership of his fell
low man.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

Comparison with the vote at the late
election shows the substantial trans
ference of the greenback vote to the
republican and democratic tickets, re-
spectively, as stated above. In Michi-
gan the peoples party claims to have
cast about Al 300 votes for the fusion
ticket and 33 900 in Iowa. Texas is the
banner democratic state, giving Cleve-
land lbs, 023 majority over all, against
II 100 for Hancock four years ago.
The solid South casts democratic vote
of 1,72S, 149, against 1886, 9S5 in 1880;
a republican vote of 1,256,775, against
1,072,1 in 1880. The democratic
gain was 131, 164, of which 66,7S0 was
in Texas alone; the republican gain
was 1S4 ,5SS, or about seventeen per
cent against democratic gain of less
than nine per cent. The democratic
plurality in the South is All ,374, against
524, 79S in 1SS0-a decrease of 50 ,424,
Notwithstanding the tremendous plu-
rality of 1874 $50 in Texas. The COM
parative vote in distinctively republi-
can states has been given heretofore in
these columns.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

DON'T frown, il you can help it, but don't
smile more than you are obliged TO if you
have mouthful of discolored teeth If such
is the case procure and use, at least once
every day, delightful Sozodont, which will
that disfgure your teeth, render them
pearly white, make the gums hard and rosy
and impart fragrance TO your breath Sozo-
don't, moreover, contains no corrosive acids
or gritty particles, which is the case with
some dentifrices, but is eminently safe as
well as thoroughly effective. Sold by drug
CiStS.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
Literary Notices.

CONSIDERATION, n little volume printed a
few years ago by the author IL. H. Hastings
AZ Cornhill, Boston, in tract form, is now
issued by him in neat binding, suitable for
presentation. A devotional book, as its
title signifies. Price thirty-fve cents.
MEssRs HoUGHroN, MrFFLN & Co. pub
fish little book, Ierts and Verses for
Every Day IN the Year. with Scripture pas
sages and parallel selections from the writ
ings of Whittier, arranged by Gertrude W.
Garland. In general, the selections are
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

East MOntpelier.-The Ladies Social
Improvement Society have a sociable at
Mrs Lucius Sanders this evening.
The singing school at the Center is to be
held Thursday and Friday evenings com
mencing at half-past six. - The mission
school at +. w. Ormsbee's hall, will have
concert exercise the 2Sth instant. - The
On-the-Stairs " circle will meet at the
home of Don II. Dodge, Christmas day,
TO observe their second anniversary and
some review work will be in order. -
Gil. Shortt is to live at the old Davis home
stead and work for Mr.. HOLSTER this winter.
- Eugene Hathaway has rented the
house formerly occupied by William Orms-
bee and is making preparations for moving
about January LIST. - Miss Irena Rich of
Winoosd was in town last week on her
way home from visiting friends in
Calais. - Myrtle Ormsbee and Mary
Foster are attending school at the Center.
So Although it was a stormy night there
were nearly forty present at the singing
school Thursday evening. - Mrs. Flem-
ing is getting better - The familiar
voice of Frank Cameron is heard among us
again this week.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
Total........... 4,sl99Ol 4,si7e5 laa,ssO l5O,sa

The total vote is 10,046, O73. Cleve-
lands plurality is 66,242. The aggre-
gate vote in 1880 was 9,2lS,251, of
which Garfield had 4,454 ,416; Han
cock, 4,444, 052; Weaver, greenback,
30S ,578; Dow, prohibition, 10,305. Gar
fields plurality was 9,464. In consid-
ering the figures in the above table, it
should be remembered that in two
states-Missouri and West Virginia
the peoples party supported the repub-
lican electoral ticket; and in three
states-Iowa, Michigan and Nebraska
the party allied itself with the demo-
Gratis. The vote in these states four
years ago was
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
WaitS6eld.-Rey Mr. Maxham met with

Waitsfield.-Rev. Mr.. Markham met with
painful accident recently. A piece of
steel, flying from knife he was sharpen
ing, entered the eye near the sight The
eye Is now improving. - William NJ.
Strong, who was wounded in the foot dur
ing his service in the war of the rebellion
in 1861, is having quite a serious time of it.
- Mrs. l.. r. Joslyn and her two chill
dren returned from Boston, where they have
been visiting friends, last Saturday -
Harry Hawley has sold his farm to John
Saunders for $500. Possession given the
sold his home place to Mr.. Hill of Gran
vile for 81 100. - Mrs. Palmer, widow
at the late Aaron Palmer, who died recently,
was the mother of a family which perhaps
takes the lead in scholarship, every one of
the ten children being qualified for teachers,
and SIX or seven having been successful
teachers. - III. Edgar Jones of Cedar
Rapids, Iowa, spent a few days in town
with his brothers, G. f. and DIR. w. A.
Jones. - The many friends of William
McAllister blacksmith, will be glad to learn
that he has conquered the enemy which has
caused him so much trouble. On recent
Sunday morning he completely smashed
the heads of three cider barrels and says he
will serve the next man who offers him a
glass OF cider in the same way. - Rufus
Bucklin has sold his farm to b. D. Bsbee of
Moretown and has moved into a tenement
in Wizards block, where he intends to rest
from his labors and expects his works will
follow him in yearly instalments sufficient
for the comfort of his and Mrs. Bucklin's
declining years. - The litigation be-
tween Harlan Stoddard and Mr.. Rider
about the ownership of the old starch fac
tory has ended with a verdict in favor of
Rider. - Rev. p. B Fisk of Lake City,
Mimi, was called home by the illness of his
father, Deacon Lyman Fisk, who died Sun
day afternoon
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

don't see any advantage in IT, and / think /
will read some other paper. Goodbye"
Good bye, SIR"
The democratic visitor then retired with
adown cast look, muttering something abou.
the ingratitude Of political leaders.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17
The National Election.

The popular vote of the states, in the
late election, for the choice of electors
of president has been reported and the
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

HOLIDAY GTTs.-A very large assortment
of easels and screens are now being finished
at Paine's Furniture Mandatory on Canal
street, Boston.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

Fayston.-Merton Grandy of Newport is
spending few days with his friends in
town. - John S. Mclaughlin sawed
eleven cords of hard wood (beech, birch and
maple) with a one-horse machine last Satur-
day in three and one-half hours, for j. b.
Thompson. - John Kerr, Jr., has re-
turned from two weeks visit in Boston
and Lowell.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

to emasculate the system Of general taxa
ton by exempting credit property from as
easement
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

THE room at Worms in which Martin Luz
ther made his famous speech before Charles
V. is now a beer saloon.
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

JERSEY Cry has debt of over SlS,OOO
600, and there is nearly S7,000,0O0 in taxes
unpaid,
The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-17

EIGHT good books for only 81, Read our
offer ON the first page.
The Mineral argus., 1884-05-22
of Seeds.

The farmer or gardner should run no
risk in seeds in preparing for a crop.
Reliable seed stores never sell at ran
dom, nor will they sell seeds after they
have lost their vitality by age. Such
stores frequently have large surplus Of
seeds left over, some of which are just as
good at two, three, OF even ten years
of age as when fresh. But there are a ma
jority of seeds though they may make a
limited and feeble growth, have not the
strength and vigor to produce strong
shoots or crops, So we say, don't buy
old seeds. And a large portion of those
placed at stores and groceries to be
sold on commission are of the lots saved
over from last year, Or
from some seed raiser
who sells without testing his seeds after
the winter is passed. Prof. Beal, of the
Michigan Agricultural College, tried the
seeds sold at country stores on commits
sion, obtaining lots from various places.
He found that from twenty-five to forty
five per cent. of the seeds grew with the
best of planting and careful attention SC
that thereafter the college bought no
more garden seeds which are sold on
commission. Lately we have heard
men claiming that they had seed corn
three years old just as good as it was
two years ago. 1t is true seed corn two
years old will grow if it had extra care,
but not as certainly nor near as vigorous
rs the first spring after it is gathered.
And we would discourage the planting
of two years old seed, if any good seed
could be had for three or four dollars
per bushel.--Des Moines Register.
The Mineral argus., 1884-05-22
FARM And HOUSEHOLD.


Mr.. n. J. Shepherd is satisfied that
4 man could raise a good pig each year
"a what it costs to keep a useless dog.
Remember that IS bushels of corn
Frown on an acre is cheaper than 100
bushels on two acers.
Do not work the boys to hard. They
; ave been going to school and must get
hardened by degrees.
An Indiana Farmer correspondent
cured the worst case of self-milking
COW" by inserting in her nose a ring OF
Two and a half or three inch diameter
Plant and SOW what you can raise the
!'est on your farm and let the neighbors
lay and do what they please. Do not
De afraid to make a new departure on
"our own judgment. Better trust your
2wn then your neighbors.
Rhubarb. This plant, being among
he first to furnish material for pies and
spring to receive our attention. If well
prepared last autumn as IL should have
been, by a liberal cover of manure,
there will be but little to do this spring
but to fork in the anure and remove
the old stalks.
No tree is equal to the Russian Null
berry for a wind-break, yet it makes a
cry rapid and, at the same time, low,
1usby growth, that makes a complete
barrier against the wind. The Gray
Willow also grows fast on low, rich,
moist land, and is a good wind-break.
An Indiana Farmer correspondent
leaves weeds far in the rear" by soak
ing Asparagus Seed in tepid water
twenty-four hours, then putting it in a
bag of thin muslin, burying in moist
earth, and when sprOuted planting in
the bed prepared for it.