Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1892-07-02
A HAPPY SEQUEL.
STORY OF THE FOURTH IN A CON-
NEcTicuT TOWN.

Answer for 1t, but Got or with Flying
Colors.
For years the boys of Huntington Cen
ter have been in the habit of ushering In
the Fourth by the ringing of st. Paufs
Episcopal church bell. S. W. Linsley,
the aged sexton, who is also senior war
den, lives near the church and disllkes
to be awakened by the clangor Of the
bell. So, on the afternoon Of July 3, he
went to the church, nailed up the win
dows, barricaded the doors, removed |
the clapper of the bell and chuckled to |
himself as he thought that for once
Fourth of July would come and he
would not be disturbed. Mr.. Linsley
failed to realize the intense patriotism
of the Huntington Center boys. Neither
bolts nor bars could prevent them from
ringing that bell. They effected an en-
trance to the church in some mysterious
way, tied railroad coupling pin in the
bell for clapper and at midnight the
weary sexton started up in bed at the
first sound and petulantly exclaimed,
Darn those brats" AS the bell con-
tinued to ring the old mans dander
arose until, when the last Joyous notes
died away, he was raging.
The first thing Mr.. Linsley did after
breakfast next morning was to hunt up
the young men who had defied him and
caused his old Adam to rise. The first
one he found was Olin p. Shelton, a
Young man well connected. Mr.. Linsley,
backed by the wardens and vestrymen
of his church, visited Grand Juror Hub
bard, in Shelton, five miles away, al
though there is grand juror in Hunt
ington Center, and made complaint
against young Shelton for burglariously
entering the church, charge which
If proved meant state prison for the
young man. This action aroused public
sentiment. Every person in the town,
male and female, adults and youths,
took sides. Families were divided,
lovers parted and the war1nest friend
ships were dissolved. The complainants
persisted in the prosecution, and then
the boycott was applied. The maids and
matrons who got up and successfully
conducted entertainments for raising
church funds sent a note to the wardens
that unless the prosecution was aban-
doned they would never get up another
: festival. The owner of the village hall
J where the church fairs were held sent
word that the church could not hire the
hall any more. The village barber also
notified the wardens and vestrymen that
he could not shave them again.
This pressure upon the complainants
caused them to waver in their determi-
nation to prosecute. The citizens sub
scribed literally to a purse to defend
young Shelton. and engaged Attorney
Williams, of Birmingham, one OF the
most successful criminal lawyers in the
Naugatuck valley. The publication Of
the story in The Sun came to the atten
ton of George b. McLane, noted law
yer of Baltimore, and he wrote Offering
his services as an attorney and ais
financial aid. Letters praising the pa
triotism of the boys were received iron
all over the country, one coming from
Oakland, Cal. All these were brough
to the attention of Sexton Linsley AM
his brother officials, and they made al
offer to withdraw the case If Shelter
would pay the costs. This his lawye
refused to do. Then the prosecutor
gave way to public opinion, visited tn
grand juror, paid twenty-five dollar
for expenses incurred and dropped tn
case.
The victory was won, and it SCENE
proper that it should be signalized l
some manner. The contributors TO tn
purse to defend Shelton expressed thei
willingness to let the money go for
celebration. The girls and their mother
agreed to furnish eatables, and finally
was decided to have a grand time Il
night. This was the cause of the gathel
ing, and the American eagles scream
were never more strident and nevt
penetrated more patriotic hearts tina
tonight. There was a general outpou
ing Of the people from the country rour
about. Bridgeport, twenty miles ava
sent several carryall loads. Ansonia
delegation came with drum corps, II
fire and pyrotechnics From Monro
Stepney, Trumbull, Seymour, Shelto
Birmingham and Botsford the symp
thizers of Fourth of July PATRIOTS
noured in, until it was estimated tn
1900 were present.
At 7:30 the village maidens appear
dressed in white, with red and blue sas
es pinned across their breasts. ~
SWANS, with small flags in their b
bands, followed, and the fun bega
Around the village green long line
Chinese lanterns we're hung, and VIII
these were lighted the pentup patri'
ism was let loose
A cavalcade of horsemen was formt
headed by band, and the processi
passed around the green, serenading
unpatriotic sexton on the way. Cam
doomed, red fire was burned and rock
and candles discharged, and Fourth
July celebration was begun.
- ctay,H Ia