Morning journal and courier., 1884-08-27
STATE NEWS.

MT. J. L. Futile of South street. Winsted, is the possessor of tort oise shell which has an interesting history. It is about seven inches in length and until week ago was the home of an ''o1d resident possibly, also, of an old traveller. The hieroglyphics which are revealed on the bottom of his shell remind one of an old beach tree at some trysting- place in the woods, cut with initials and dates, or of an old belfry tower where boys have 'fmade their mark'' be- tween the grinding of the upper and neither millstone-if we may thus character ize the morning and afternoon orthodox ser mons of other days. The oldest date on the shell is 1851, under which is the name of Charles H. Cook, a Iitchfeld man who at that time worked for Mir. Tuttle's father. Next in order is the date 1856, followed by the name of George I. Allen, who came over from Goshen to work as farm hand. Three years later the peripatetic turtle was picked
 up by Orrin L. Hopkins, who further embel- lished him with his initials and the year of grace 1S59 Twenty-one years later, in
 1880, he discovered again, and this time
 he bore away with him the jackknife carving
 of J. L. Futile, 1880. The same year Mrs.
 Ellen M. Hopkins put her initials on him. In
 1882 Frank L. Hopkins captured the veteran, and left his initials on him. A week ago last Friday the perambulating hieroglyphic was again espied by MT. Futile, who put him into
 milk barrel in order that he might have substantial milk diet before
 proceeding on his way-that being the
 process for fattening insects of this species for market. Saturday morning, when taken
 from his milk bath, the old fellow showed signs of approaching dissolution, and in the
 course of the day he yielded up his spirit. There is no evidence th at the old visitor has ever been found anywhere else except on the
 Futile farm, and it iss.possib1e that from the
 similar nomenclature the turtle thought he
 was a relative of the Futile family.
 Horace P Whitney, who died at Litch- field Saturday, was president of the Harlem Bridge, Morrisania and Fordham Railway company and one of the originators of that enterprise. For nineteen years previous to 1867 he was one of the proprietors of the New York Mercury. Before that he carried on the news business in Providence, R. L
 Edwin D. Jones, formerly from Simsbury. has purchased the farm in Canton formerly owned by Mrs. Susan Beach, and has taken possession. Mrs. Beach resides in Canton village.
 Emeline, wife of Dwight Humphrey, for nerly of Canton Center, died at their home in Avon August 19, aged 85 years The flu neral was in the Canton Center church, and the burial was in the cemetery at that place. Alfred A. Waugh, iron founder in New London, is erecting an addition to his shop. George c. KiIbourne and John Policy. two lads about IT years of age belonging on board the U. s. s. Portsmouth, now at an chor in New London harbor, were found ! seated on board the steamer Block Island 1 Sunday night, and when questioned by the police officer gave eyasive answers as to their purpose, etc. They were sent back to the l ship where they received a lttles sea law
 The society called the ttGay girls' gave an I entertainment and supper at the Congrega- tional church, West Hartford, last evening. Their motto is, Come and see."
 Daniel Griffin, of Springfield, went to Bridgeport Saturday to visit relative. He