The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-01-09

quite 80 bad as Sunday. This seems to be a
cold wave which has swept over the country,
beginning with Minnesota last Friday. 1t is an
ill-wind, however, that blows no good to any
one, and the modest plumber has been very
numerous In his efforts to repair the damages
done to water and steam pipes.
OUR waitstied correspondent writes that on
Friday, December 2s, a young man giving the
name OF Fred Slayton hired a team of A. w.
Bgelow of that place to go to Waterbury,
promising to return the following Sunday, He
drove to Waterbury Friday, since which time
nothing has been heard of either the man or
the team by Mr.. Bigelow, although dllgent
search has been made for them meanwhile.
He was from twenty-five to twenty-five years
OF age, of sandy complexion, about five feet
eight or ten inches high, weighed about one
hundred and sixty pounds, and at the time he
was last seen had moustache and chin |
whskers OF about ten days growth The |
team is described as follows The horse was a |
bay one, about fourteen years old, fifteen |
hands high, weighing nearly or quite nine hun
dred and fifty pounds, feet-footed, its tail
reaching nearly to its gambrels. The sleigh
was of the Portland style. all black, orna-
mented with narrow gold stripes around the
body, upholstered with red plush, and had a
chime of bells on the thills. In the sleigh were
Japanese robe, two blankets, a black whip,
and halter. This same man also gave his
name as Alfred Slayton at the post-office, where
he called for mail He sold buffalo overcoat
at Moretown, which he doubtless purloined
from some other poor unfortunate who has
| felt the need OF it the past week. About the
time this man appeared in Waitsfeld, another
young man of nearly the same age, but of dark
complexion, tried to hire team Of Frank Bar
rett OF Middlesex and George Cove of Water
bury, failing in which he disappeared, and has
not since been seen. Mr.. Bigelow is an indus
trious man, just starting out in life, and can
ill-afford to lose the team. Any information
concerning this matter will be gratefully re-
ceived and suitably rewarded by him. 1t is
hoped the rascal may soon be brought to
justice.
IT is a favorite pastime with the metropoli-
tan press to ridicule country papers for pub
fishing as news 80 much which they affirm is
Of no sort of consequence to anybody. Now
and then the rural editor is permitted to catch
glimpse of real journalism as exemplifed by
his pretentious critic, and the experience is
indeed refreshing. Such privilege has been
vouchsafed to us. A special dispatch to the
Boston Journal, announcing the introduction
Of Matthew Arnold to a New York audience
by George William Curtis, records the astound-
ing fact that " before coming forward to speak
Mr.. Arnold leaned forward and shook hands
with Mr.. Curtis" Picture this scene, il you
) can. Give free rein to the Imagination, even
to its " utmost stretch" and try to grasp the
. Importance of the assertion, telegraphed from
7 New York, that " Mr.. Arnold leaned forward
Q and shook hands with Mr.. Curtis" Truly
q this is an age of progress and what would have
n been nine days wonder with our forefathers II
y passed over in this hurrying age with the mer,
, statement, as though 1t were matter of every
d day occurrence that " Mr.. Arnold leaned for
It ward and shook hands with Mr.. Curtis" Thi
J, same Boston Journal published last week, al
y interesting matter for its many thousand read
t. ers, list of persons, good, bad and indiffer
d ent, who had died in this state during the pas
l. year, making over solid column of names
% many of whom were unknown outside of thei
o own hamlet. If this had appeared in the DR.
~ Juoi ~ NV hdNO uIpIlecu US hL dli, u
1, that paper is liable any time to begin publish
T. ing the United States census in weekly insta
ments in order to follow Horace Greeley's ad
II vice and get as many names as possible int
each issue; but when we saw this catalogue G
, names embellishing the columns Of cit
II paper which lays claim to the title of tn
,e ideal newspaper, we were led to reflect on tn
n smallness OF the difference between tweedle-de
Is and tweedle-dum.
r. THE so-called boundary question is sti
Of agitating the minds OF our good Methodi
a brethren, and will be a prominent topic at tn
70 coming conference to be held in this village
IN Memorials have been prepared and the nece
Q, sary measures have been taken for the mo-
to effective presentation Of the case of the exile
re district before the boundary commission, whic
ne meets about the first of April next. The Fr,
r. Press makes the following summary of Il
st case: Although the Burlington district
re preparing to place the case before the boundaI
Is commission in the strongest manner possibl
d. there is very little expectation that the bod
/. will decide in its favor, for the reason that Il
I'd commission is known to be composed of tho
pt who favor the opposite side. The real conte
D., will be at the general conference, in May.
s) indications are to be trusted, 1t is likely tn
Lr. the general conference at that time will resto
lie the district to the Troy conference, and for ii
in following, among other good reasons: Firs
or because the bishops who have been on or ne
he the territory since the beginning of the co
to test, are convinced of the necessity of restc
or ing the district in order to prevent the enti
on disruption of the churches; so opposed are Il
ad laymen of the district to any concession whi
to will involve giving up the principle for wh
he they are contending Second, because no e
ks changes have been allowed between the Bu
to lington district and others since the beginnil
TO- of the difficulty. Third, because the next ge
Ter eral conference Is to be composed OF near
is- two-thirds new members; SO there will be
ie factional prejudice or personal pride to conte
ID with on the part Of the majority of the co
he ference. Fourth, because the laymen of I
ng Vermont conference, as a rule, sympathi
re- with the Burlington district. They say tn
they themselves should not like to be coerc
tb in this way, and they do not propose to be
p" party to any such policy. Fifth, because DO
ar the clergy and laity Of the church in genel
no are in sympathy with the Burlington distr
- On the other hand, there Is no doubt that /