The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-03
TORRINGTON'S BIG BOAST
TIE ONLY 7o-YEAR-OLD TRIPLETs
ON RECORD.

BrotherS anc Inelr trlenos-hsmi-
riscsnces Of the Early Days of the
Triplets-
From the Ne,c York Times.
ToRRINGToN. CONN, Sept. est is
Sopbtful if any town has ever had 80 pleas
ant time all to itself as Torringron has had
to-day. 1t has placed new feather in its
c.n and now wears two. The first denotes
che nossession Of the largest brass works in
che world, a fact also visible on the face of
local affairs; and the new one is because it
has the only set of 70-year-old triplets in the
knovn world. The whole town is agog over
the triplets jubilee.
These are the Grant brcthers-Matthew
William A. and Daniel A., in order Of
seniority. Matthew does not take much
glory to himself over his advantage, but
William and Daniel insist on making due
acknowledgement. They are three as gay,
hearty and erect old boys as one may meet.
They rush IN unfiinchingly where younger
man hesitate, and for to-day they own the
town. II is all at their disposal. This after
mon they held a reception at the Office of
LAWYER W slsh. Lots of people came in to
snake hands and chat with them, and their
history all came out
They were born here in Torrington, near
the town plot, early on Sunday morning.
Daniel SAYS that soon after his birth they
mt him in a two-Quart cup and clapped
on the cover over him. But no one can say
ANYTHING against his stature now, for he
lines I'D with his brothers without discre lit
TO himself The family of Grant has a pre-
objection for Torringt0n. The grandfather
and father passed their lives here.
and the triplets are doing the same. They
have always claimed residence here, though
William sh&mefacedlY to-day confessed to
having once passed eleven months away
"but was in the state" he added stoutly,
The father of the triplets must have been a
proud man, for, when the babies were five
weeks old, he exhibited them at the Ltch-
fold county cattle fair. This SO angered
the grandfather that ne vowed to cut his
son off with less than a nickel, but forgot to
keep his word.
The brothers came up through babyhood
in company with sister who had fourteen
months the start of them. "And you
should see the cradle we had" grinned
Matthew. ut was square, and they put
us one in each corner, feet toward the mid
die, and there we set" After emancipation
from the square cradle came boyhood,
much like that of other brothers, save that
they never quarreled. They dwell on that
point with pride. aud say it might have
Deen BECAUSE buey QlQu'G nave edcl Others
old clothes to wear out.
"But you used TO scrap with the other
kids, Unclep Everybody uncles the broth
ers.
"Scrap 1 should say 80. Let any boy
tackle one of us and the rest would be there
in short order. And l guess it would be
about 80 now. We were boys together,
Uncle doesn't know Comrades had
groups and measles all at the same time,
and we used to sit around big fireplace
filed with blazing four-foot wood evenings
and hear the stories. o, my grandfather
tit at Bunker Hill, and when l was but
younker full many tale he told me of that
sanguinary fray"
Uncle William, didn't know 1 could
speak poetry. did ye. and sings Oh, can.
We vent to singing school when we were
l0years old, didn't we, Luciusan sapping on
the knee Lucius Booth of New Britain, who
IS here to-day to see his old mates for the
first time in forty years, land went home
with the girls afterwards"
Il did" chuckled Lucius.
Yes, but not our girls, and the brothers
roare1 at the memory of their callow days.
Then they went on unrollipg the years of
the past, and the web showed chat no plain
pattern exists even for the quiet life of the
Connecticut farmer. The brothers mari ID
in Torrington and surrounding towns, ana
along in 1865 William sickened of typhoid
fever. 1t Was hard pull for him and
doubtful days went by. Then one night his
wife, who Ia cared for him increasingly,
spoke t. him and he answered with a
shadoE of his old happy way: William
is better" said he. From that mo-
ment she weakened. Sustained through
trial by love for her husband, when he was
safe once more. the strain relaxed, and in a
week she was dead. A solemn hush sue
ceedlng loud laughter, fell on the little
group as William hu lilly spoke of the loss
he sustain ed so many years ago. "Apd then
III uple OF years 0. 80 / married again ~
be Went on slowly. II sorter had to. was
on tie farm, aui hadh'G no one to keep
house for me, and there was my motEerless
little grl''
Then the gathering cheered Up again, and
t1e brothers recounted present blessings
Matthew has three children and five grand :
children. William has two children and
I'VE grandchildren. Daniel has one child
and Is a brevet grandfather to seven de-
scendants of former marriage Of his wife,
putnone OF the Grant brothers children are
boys and none of the descendants bears the
family name. ''It dies but with u.s." said
Daniel
Inc brothers are lifelong democrats in
national ana state politics. 10 town mat
Tors they are independent. Daniel and
imam are church members (Adven:ists)
ou. matthew, 50 his brothers say, belo1gs
20 the devils church," AS the bows Rad
al ooyish sicknetses together, so they to-
sether attained to the tobacco habit when
40 years Old, and ever since then they have
cne"ed and smoked as they wanted to. To-
uay huge clgars-Connecticut leaf-were
ptOlected from their mouths all day, except
wneh Delng photographed in a group; and
ae ,oT urink, tney take that when they feel
inchned. They drink cider. brandy AID
.asel pesr, ana think glass of red spirit
nvS D oAu tnlng after hard days work
icy ca N the relation of nephews to-
ware Miles tfrant, the celebrated Adventist
speahsr, acd more distant one toward
Gen. Grant.
The opera house was packed with citizens
&c night, publicly to congratulate the Grant
brothers on their uurivaled record That
was the way Lawyer Welsh explained it in
ais spsecn. lie said the occasion was with
GUS parallel, and that it was a great thing
20 90 a triplet. Adam raised Gain hut he
,aiiso on triplets Common people had 60
Y aiope; they couldn't be triulets Even
PRESIDENT Harrison had to admit that there
was but one Of him. After the speech. the
Srotners, feeling alluded to as ,ithe three
torrington trtplets, stood I'D on the STAGE
snd sang: "Bridgewater," INV Soul T6v
Sfest Creator Praise in the way thew Il IA
az singing school sixty years ago and
suey sang urgood and loud, and how they
Ts'e appiauded! Plainly, Terrington peo-
W. nave great regard for the tripIets.
,h mere followed singing by the old folks
sSI' with horse fiddle accompaniment. of
~ hymns such as "North Salem Green
r"c, Majesty" and Turner" noble
H.. Of II praise that be rarely heard in these