Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1894-07-27
IN THE LOCAL FIELD.
North Bennington.

MI. anu MIS-. hay WOOif hO JOulhNA
list, are visiting their relatives, Miss
Grace and John Essex, at Riverside.
Mrs. Rodney Draper, formerly of
SALISBURY, who has for some time been
in infirm health, is stopping with Mrs.
Carpenter. She has lately been with
Mrs. Jas. Madison.
We notice H. T. Cushman has lately
added to his private livery, a handsome
open buggy wagon, from mandatory
in Cortland, N. z.
A portion of the monument to be
erected in South SALISBURY at the head
of the grave of the late Earl Madison,
who was killed at the railroad accident
last fall, was detained for time here for
the tire of one of the wheels to be set.
The load was being drawn by four gray
horses and weighs several tons.
The lecture upon India by Miss Cum
mings of Maiden, Mass, Thursday even
ing, in the Congregational church, drew
an unusually large audience. She spoke
for about an hour upon her work there
as a medical missionary, in a most in
tensely interesting manner, giving in her
own charming and graphic way, an &C
count of the habits, ignorance and SUI
perstitions of that people. In contrast
with the gloss and misrepresentation,
in the ideas presented at the worlds re-
ligious parliament at Chicago, coming
under her own observation, she depicted
from real life the misery, degradation
and suffering of the millions in that
heather land. In n population four
times as large as the United States, they
worship some 2SS.000,000 idols, or
more than one to an inhabitant, and she
asked what must be the character of a
people who worship gods, all of whom
are felt to be wicked and vengeful, or
impure in one form or anotherp The
appeal that as there is only one Christian
missionary or teacher to each five hun
dred thousand souls was made, with ear
nestness, for more zeal in the work OF
missions.
Our attention was awakened early
Monday evening, by the passing by OF
several men and more small boys at q
rapid pace, and while cogitating what
could be the matter, and hitting upon
several things none of which was cor
rect, the hand engine bell took our at
tention. 1t was so long since the noise
had been heard that small children were
frightened, and some older ones had for
gotten that there was such machine.
When it was placed in position and the
hose thrown into the Bank reservoir,
there was scattering of the crowd that
had assembled, and at the command,
''move the brakes" enough went to
work to take the prize from the victor at
the last tournament in Bennington. I'm
happily the suction did not work, and
after some effort and the placing and re.
placing of several stops and valves, an
other trial was begun, the crowd retir-
ing to their places of safety from being
drenched with water. This time all eff
forts were as ineffecteal as before in the
way of suction, and the skill of the more
experienced in manipulating fire engines
was called into requisition. The excite
ment was intense, as many wished to see
the great doings of the 10Th re-enacted in
our own streets. Suffice it to say after
one hom S diligent effort on the part OF
the citizens, the "thing went off," and il
was demonstrated that the village owned
good engine, but that without some
organization to care for it, it would be
of little use in case fire should break
out.
The fyheral of Mrs. Rufus Towsley
who died Saturday, the 2lst inst, oc
curIYd Tuesday at II o'clock a. m. She
wae born January 18th, 1919, and bel
maiden name was Miss Maria Doane
She was married at Paper Mill Village
now Bennington Falls, July Sd, 1898
The remaining children are Leander NJ
who resides here, and Mrs. Edward
Money Hinsdill of Grand Rapids
Mich, who, with her daughter were
present, as also another grandchild
Mrs. Chapman of this place, with hel
husband and children. Mrs. Towsley
has been an invalid for year or two
and has received the kindly and affec
tionate attentions of her daughter, Miss
Florence, who has administered to hel
every want. The morning of her de
cease she had been suffering from heart
trouble, as was frequently the case, but
getting relief, was sitting upon the
lounge eating some oatmeal for break
fast. The daughter stepped out of the
room for additional food, and on return.
ing found that her life had nearly ebbed
though her glasses were on and her nap
kin was in her hand. In few moments
all was over and she had thus peacefully
crossed the river which she had fol
many years been making preparation
She united with the Methodist Episco
pal church before her marriage, anC
when Mr.. Towsley became a member o.
the Congregational church here, in 1881
she came with HIM. The Rev. G. H
Peck officiated at the funeral, drawing
appropriate lessons from her long life O.
seventy-fve years, so many of which
were spent as professed follower O
Christ. The singing was by Mr.. anC
Mrs Fl. T. Cushman, Miss H. S. Wellinl
and S. B. Hall, with Robinson Hall a
orgauist The bearers were G. A. Bruf
fee, S. E. Ranney, j. II. Walbridge, ant
II. D. Hall. J. Ed. Walbride, undertake
er.