The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-03-14
CORRESPONDENCE.
"Reminiscences The Administration,
etc.-LOng AgO-The Departed.


of eleven children who have passed TO
that bourne from whence no traveller
returns.n How many sunny memories
her name awakens. Now 1t carries me
back to the "long ago." of my early boy
hood, and to the pleasant home of her
excellent and kind mother, the late
Widow Hawks" who lived in the west
part of Bennington. There were three
sons, Harry, Alvah, and William E.
(who yet lives IN North Bennington @snd
house of lovely and interesting daugh-
ters. William, was my most intimate,
boyhoo friend land that friendship has
grown and strengthened with our years;
and hope it will be endearing on "the
other side" of the waters of the "daI
river" where we shall meet our loved
ones and friends, among the redeemed;
in that "better land" where life is ever
upward and onward and forever, in the
light and glory and peace of the Heav-
eny Father.
William and myself were inseparable
companions in all our boy Wood sport and
play, when we could get day off from
farm work, for huntIng or fishing or
swimming. His home was TO me ever
pleasant, for his mother and sisters and
brothers were ever kind to his little
friend-''the orphan boy" If they had
been my own kiudred-had been related
to me by the ties of blood, could not
have received more atfectionate consid.
Grafton. All but one of that family are
gone. We met there in the glad spring
time of our life-when thoughts of the
future were without trouble or care
for the'stern realities of life, were con-
cealed in the shadows of the future. 1t
thought of sorrow did for a moment
depress the spirits, it passed like the
fash of the summer lightning after a
warm day. Life was all before us, aud
we boy-like, were rollcking into it.
remember in the family of that widowed
mother, there was very much of that
social culture and refinement, which
gives a charm and pleasure to life,
whether it Is in "the cob webbed cottage
with i:s ragged walls of Wondering
mud" or in the stately home among
statues and painting. and things OF
rarest beauty on every side. Although
long years have passed away, l have
way down in the deep still chambers Of
my heart, hallowed and pleasant memo
ries of that happy home. Long may the
only survivor of that family live to en-
Joy the pleasures of a well spent life, and
to do good in the service of that Master
he has served so long and so well.
Not long ago / noticed in the BANNER
the death of Mrs. Fillmore, who had
passed the age of four score years. She
was the daughter of the late David Arm
stong who owned the last house at the
end of pleasant Valley" before you as
cended the mountain. Part of his farm
was on its stony sides. | remember
when boy in the "long ago;' hoeing
corn for Mr.. Armstrong one spring three
days for % cents day--the first money
that ever earned for labor. l think
with the SeUenty-fUe cents in my pocket,
| felt richer then any Aston, or Wander.
hilt, or Rothschild had truly earned
the money "in the sweat of my face
for it is no easy matter on that farm to
hoe corn-the earth did mot lay around
loose" Mr.. Armstrong had son named
Heman, who was born for an artist. He
had genius for the pencil and brush, but
had no one to take him by the hand, or
to tell him of the "old masters" re-
member "Grand Caravan" came to
Bennington-and among the animals
was magnificent lion, one that looked
liked the Monarch of the wild woods, or
of the Jungle. He had as "Fertus," or
Bailey says, 1.-THE dark embrownment of
the lions eye" Young Armstrong SAW
the Caravan. He was taken with tie
lion; went home-took a roll of well
tanned calf skins, selected the largest
one, laid it down on the floor, took his
knife and cut out rampant lion, carried
it with all the glowing pride of young
artist, down to his father and with a
voice full of exultation, holding it up
proudly with both hands. said" Father.
is not that good lion ?" Eyes" replied
the father, that is good lion, Heman.
but you have spoiled the best calf skin /
had
Years ago, in New York city, well.
TODD merchant went into his store one
morning, and saw several boxes, with
very good drawings of heads on them
and one had good sketch of himself
He was struck with it, and asked "Who
made the heads p He was told the
name of the clerk, and said, "tell HIM to
come in to my desk" The errand was
done, and fellow clerk remarked to
him, 'Now you will catch it for making
Mr.. Is portrait on the box" The
young clerk anticipated a scolding
When in the office of his employer, he
was asked, "How long did it take you to
make that drawing of me on the dry
goods box ?" He replied, "Only few
minutes" ''Well, get some paper and
a pencil and make a portrait Of me, and
let me see how long it takes you" Pa
per and pencil were taken and in short
lime portrait was produced that was
by all. The merchant was
pleased, and at once said to the young
artist "God never made you for dry
goods man but has given you geuius for
a painter. You must leave here and go
to Rome and study art" Il am poor"
said the clerk, "all that have is what
you pay me every week for my work. :"
to such tailor, let him fit you out, send
the bills to me-" And his protege be-
came in few years an artist, and more
than fulfilled the hopes of his friend
When yOu know youth that is amhi-
tIous, studious, correct in all his habits,
and trying to climb to the top, give him
a boost, it will do you good and him too.
For none of us liveth to himself, and
no man dieth to himself"
How broad, how grand, how admira-
BILE in tone and spirit is the inaugural
address of President Harrison There is
no North, no South, no East, no West, in
it. 1t is National Worthy of great
grandson of Benjamin Harrison, who, in
of the whole in Congress, on
the Fourth day of July 1776. moved the
adoption of The Declaration of Ameri-
can Independence. ami it was approx
ed and signed. The President is good, |
the Cabinet is good-unexceptionahle-I
and thank heaven the reign of Southern
is over. Sound the loud
timbrel over Egypts dark sea r. A
Christian statesman is in the White
House, and in the morning, the voice of
prayer, the simple song OF praises heard,
May God be with us as he was with
our fathers"
From the President to the Secretary
Of Agriculture, the last secretaryship
made, all were poor boys-and this is SO
with the leading Republican Senators. !
Boys, if you are poor, be honest; with
good health, ambitious, studious, have
pluck, the highest prize in business, pro- !
fessional, and prolItical life is within |
your reach, Aim your arrows at the
sun; they will fly higher than if you
aimed them at an object on a level with
you" Yours truly,
JAMES A. BRIGGS,
Brooklyn, N. Y, March, o, 1889.
p. S. President Harrison ha, one
Secretary from a State, never trodden by
the footsteps of slave The great Ora |
tor Corwin of Ohio, said, wherever |
slave put his foot, made the land turn
pale. No pale land in Vermont
IA. b.
Homes Wanted For Children.
The Sisters of Charity of the Home
for Destitute Catholics. Boston. ask ms