The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-02-17
Letter from Illinois.
AURORA, Ill, February s, 1886.

AURORA ILL.,, February 8, 1886
Mr.. Editor:-The Illinois Humane Society
commenced a suit, few days ago, against
one H. II. Haaf, farmer of Genesee, for
saving off the horns of his cattle. After
much testimony by those in favor of the
practice, who had been dehorning their own
cattle for years, the case was dismissed. The
defendant claimed that while it did the cattle
no permanent injury it was an act of mercy
to the weaker animals herded with the
stronger in close yard. Much testimony
was also introduced tending to show that a
powerful element of danger to the human
race by goring, etc, was removed by this
practice, and that dehorned cattle were less
destructive to fences. Your correspondent
would like very much to have the agricultu-
raj editor DIR. Hoskins) express himself on
this subject, as he is, in my view, one of the
clear-headed thinkers and writers of the
age on subjects pertaining to agriculture
Aside from the locals from my own native
town of Chelsea, | read the agricultural
page of the WATCHMAN with as much, and
perhaps more, avidity than any other page
of the paper. Next to that comes the edi-
torial page containing all the local and ma
tional political news of the day, so arranged
as to make the page very readable. Now
while am in this vein / want to commune
cate one more truth, that among local writ
ers none compare with your Willamstown
correspondent as a newsmonger. Wife and
| both read his letters with interest; and it
was only few days since that my wife,
while reading one of said letters, burst ont
into hearty laugh at the passing story
told about Professor Jacob Spaulding while
teaching in Barre, and how he laughed and
his round belly, with fat capon lined, shook
like a bowl of Jelly" She said the descrip-
ton of the man was complete as she remem-
bered him when she went to school to him
in Bakersfield, in 1S46-47, at which time he
taught in the academy there. want to say
cot l,.ar a1apo .Nff ~ for nd
who may read what / have written about
the WATCHMAN's editors and correspondent,
that have never seen or had any personal
acquaintance with either OF the three, my
opinion being formed solely from their writ
ings in the WATCHMAN AND JOURNAL from
week to week. So don't be afraid, Mr.. Ed
itor (modesty is all right in its place., TO let
your home readers know what progressive
Western Vermonter's ideas are of your paper
especially of one thirty years resident in
the " Rowdy West"
Read this item, which was constructed
by some Vermont journalist, it is said:
"During the late cold weather a North
ern Vermont hunter has secured rabbit
meat enough TO last him till June next.
He cut down lot OF trees, painted the ends
black, and the rabbits butted their brains
ont irving to Jump into what they took for
holes. lie got one hundred forty the first
night, although cold one. He hopes to do
better as the weather moderates." We have
some gilt-edged story-tellers in Illinois and
never thought we should feel obliged, hay
ing resided in the West some thirty years,
TO take a back seat for any Vermont story
teller in existence; but after reading the
above, and the following extracts, taken
from Selected Miscellany " in the WATCH
MAN of January 20, on winter in Mani
toba," we feel tired and disgusted with life ;
1.-THE cold was so intense that when melted snow
water poured from the boiler into pail and
taken at once across TO the stable the ice II ire
quently had 70 be broken with stick before the
cattle could drink 1t, 1t froze hard while being
ried distance of some sixty yards In the open air
Elongated veracity of the worst type.l II
was surprised " So was when read your state