Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1890-01-16
deroga had done before her. John Norton,

deroga had done before her. John Norton,
who kept the tory tavern, was for once, at
least, in league with wing, and did all he
could to help along Gen. Aliens cause. He
said one day to Mrs. Buchanan "Fanny, If
you marry Gen. Allen you will be the queen
of new state" YES" she said with look
that accorded well with her words, ''if l
should marry the devil should be the queen
of hell.' This was before Ethan had stormed
the fortress of her affections. Not long after
this on bright winters morning the general
with his span and sleigh was seen driving out
of the Tony Tavern yard, and up Court
House Hill. Stopping at Gen. Bradley's gate
he entered the house where he found Mrs.
Buchanan in a morning gown perched upon
a chair arranging china on the top shelf OF
the cupboard. After a bit of Il chat he said
in his blunt way /" If we are to be married
now is the time, for am on my way to Ar
| lington." "Very WE'LL" said she as she de-
scended from the chair, 81 but give me time to
put on my Joseph" In few minutes the
couple summoned Judge Robinson, who was
a guest of Gen. Bradley's at the time, and by
him were united in holy wedlock. Then
taking his new wife, with her trunk and
guitar case, the victorious Ethan tucked her
into the sleigh, touched the whip to his horses,
and rode off to his home. Thus the shrewd
general captured the daughter of Cream Brush
who ten years before had instigated GOV.
Tyron to offer one hundred pounds to the
man who would capture Ethan Allen.
! No history of Westminster would be COM
plete without something more than passing
allusion to the man in whose house Ethan
Allen was married. Stephen r. Bradley's
name will ever stand high on the towns roll
of honor. A man of rare social talents, a
good orator, a gifted lawyer, he became a
prominent political leader and exercised q
large influence in laying the foundations of
the state. His son, VIM. G. Bradley, so well
known to many of us as papa Bradley, or
the Old Squire, held position in the town
and state hardly second to that of his brilliant
father.
1t has seemed to me fitting that upon this
occasion I should thus dip my pen into the
memories of the past and sketch, even though
roughly, and imperfectly, some of these pic
lures of the old time life. TO attempt to live
over again in an hour the history of Il century
is like attempting to distill the odors of yon-
der forest and condense them into an ounce
vial We are gathered tonight to dedicate
this beautiful public building. Most of us as
we look upon its fair exterior see over and
around it the vision of another editice. The
phantom of a building four square, with
plain white walls and tapering spire. The
old meeting house enshrined the history OF
our Westminster in sense not unlike tha'
in which Westminster Abbey enshrines the
history of England. 1t is true that the dust
of our heroes did not lie within its walls, bu1
the spirit seemed ever to linger there, and the
deeds which they did seemed to have beer
wrought into its massive frame work even as
the names of many of them were carved
upon the shingles of its belfry tower.
turn back our record to the year 1876 and
lind that Township Number One by the terms
of its grant was required to ''build and fur
t nish convenient meeting house for the pub
lie worship of God, and settle a learned 9th
ertlox minister" The penalty for not doing
this 5 the forfeit of the grant. That wa
the time when freedom to worship Goo
meant compulsion to worship him in thu
orthodox way.
1t is not till 1869 that we hear of PROPOSE
, tons for the building of place of worship
The superintendent of the work was givei
to Mr.. Brown of Westmoreand who as W.
, can all testify built on honor an editice tina
: stood the rack and wear of the century ant
succumbed only to Il thunderbot from thu
heavens The church originally stood in thu
, middle of the street elevated on posts. Unde
, it the pigs wallowed and the children played
! 1t was afterwards transplanted to the side o
the street where there grew from its northern
end, under the fostering care Of the carpen
; ter, a graceful spre which was the pride O
the village and landmark for miles around
. Under this spire as it rested on its sende
posts Gen. Stephen Bradley placed goodl.
, bell the tongue of which not only sounded
to the Sunday service, and directed then
when to dine and when to go to bed. Tn
story is told that Mr. Bradley once had
quarrel with the church or with some of 1t
| officers, and by way of retaliation advertise
2 his church bell for sale. Some customer
5 appeared whom he took up into the befrey
1 "a pretty good looking bell, isn't it?' he Ell
1 CURED They nodded assent. He then strur
| the bell. and it sounded out through tn
: whole village, startling the villagers and caus
4 ING them to ask - What's the matter at tn
: church," s. "A fine sounding bell. isn't it?
/ said the General to the admiring customers
/, ''Yes. it has good Tone" was the answer
= at hangs pretty well, doesn't it:' continue
S the General. 'Yes, very" said they. swell
r guess We'll let it hang" said he, and there
t upon he bowed the would-be bell buyer
r down through the scuttle and betook hlmse
. to his home.
How well some of us remember the insid
of the old church. The high pulpit with il
sounding board hanging like an inverte
toadstooI over the desk; the " deacon's pen
> as we boys used to call it; the whole painte
: a light pea green and adorned with dar
Il green SPRAYS of leaves and crimson rosette
just by the deacon's benches we are told 'stoo
!, long whips with which they We're wont to dril
d from the temple the farmers dogs which woul
q sometimes intrude disturbing the protracted Sc
y vice" Terrible instruments" says Mr.. Ha
y | the historian, ''were these long whips to lit
boys, and the least wriggle of their outmost tiI
!, was more potent to them than the most pointe
II denunciations winged with fire and sulphur, an
d impelled by the breath of brazen lungs" The
l. here were the square, high backed pews, or pen
" in which the families corralled for spiritu
: refreshment pews with pine seats hung @
hinges which ratified as they were let down aft
G the singing of the hymns like IA small dischare
) of musketry. One advantage these high -backe
!. pews had over the modern pew the occupant
n could see only the minister who from his eyr
J., was dispensing the truth impartially into eaC
:, rectangular group of auditors. The ladies ha
:, little opportunity to study or criticise the
e neighbors' bonnets, and the boys had no sue
e chance as their chidren's children had, in Il
e new meeting house, of amusing themselves
n watching the flies they stepped nimbly in al
# out through the few stray hairs on the bald heat
a Just in front of them. The good women of tho
!, days were doubtless concerned not SO much as
IL how their neghbors adorned their heads as
e how they themselves should warm their fee
It The foot stove was of more consequence than Il
e head gear in early times. The women broug
l. their stoves while the men sat and shivered Il
= service through. When new fashioned, squal
. box, iron stove was introduced into the churC
= with its serpentine pipe twisting around the roo
and then making for the two windows the effe
e is said to have been fearful. Had the old sc
|. pent himself got into the church he could hard
J. have created a greater furry. 1.-TWO or three
a it is said 8. tainted from the heat, and shutter
- sufficient there would not have been to cOnve
! the eXpectant swooners to more airy places, ha
u no an old deacon gravely informed the congr
i CATION that the stove was destitute of both fiji