The Press., 1894-10-18
LOCAL TOPICS. Penned and ScissOred.
NORTH COVENTRY.

NORTH COVENTRY.
 Fred. w. Chase and J. H. Kingsbury are delegates to the Holland County con- ference held at Bolton this week.
 At republican caucus held recently H. N. Hill and Wm. P. Rose were ap- pointed delegates to the county conven- tion, and Andrew Kingsbury and w. c. Haven to the senatorial
 The Cemetery Association is grading and fencing the addition to it's ground, and as the work hears completion the ef- feet is quite pleasing.
 The church is to be painted soon, and MT. Easterbrooks will do the work.
 SOMERS..
 Monday, Oct. 1st, was the occasion of a very pleasant informal observance of the fortieth wedding anniversary of Cap- tain and Mrs. T. D..Johnson. Two or three friends, from out of town, who re- membered that the anniversary was draw ing near, had signified their intention of spending the day with MT. and Mrs. Johnson, but the latter were wholly un- prepared for the surprise awaiting them as friend after friend dropped in through out the afternoon and evening, bringing | tokens of remembrance and affection. Among the gifts were pieces of china, 8 beautiful floral offering from West Staf- ford friends, an elegantly upholstered chair from relatives of MT. Johnson, forty dollars in gold from Mrs. Johnson's cous- ins and ten dollars from neighbors. It was a matter of much regret to their l Somers friends-that the significance of the day was not commonly known until | it had dawned; since they might other | wise have had the pleasure of expressing in some fitting way the cordial regard in | which MT. and Mrs. Johnson are held. Formerly 8 well-known resident of West Stafford, Captain Johnson went from that place to the service of his country in her | hour of greatest need, serving her with entire devotion and singleness of heart The same integrity and generosity of spirit have marked these later years, and, shared by his excellent wife, have called forth the sincere esteem of those who know them best. That their remaining years may be filled with peace and bless l ing is the earnest wish of their many friends.
 No feature of the fair was better en- joyed, after all, than the bicycle races, es- pecially the pretty work of Newton, seen for the first time by so many of his friends. The first evidence of his power came in the mile-open race, in which he logged along easily behind two of his competi- tors, who seemed to fancy that he was trying to pass them. Finally, coming to a point, which later races seemed to show that he had selected as a squirting place the two leaders saw something suddenly | flash by them, and then Newton settled down again in an easy going jog in theil lead, position he seemed to need to make no effort to maintain The i'm. pression was given that there was no linn. it to his ability in speed.
 | much of their time occupied in driving from the ground improper shows and gambling devices, having voted to allow nothing of the kind. All such got posi- tions by false pretences, and honest effort was made to weed them out as discover. ed. Many were driven away, others lodged about here and there, operated by different men, and with scouts out to warn of approaching officials, who would invariably find only the most innocent ap- bearing games in progress. One lewd show in the midway street was driven from the grounds, to the great sorrow of many patrons. One old gentlemen, it was said, had been seen to remain through five consecutive performances. These parties invariably complained that they had at tended other fairs and no complaint had been made, and this seems to be a true claim. There are said to be societies in Connecticut that can draw their modicum of state aid only by perjuring of the off. l cials. It is time that the societies ot | OOhhOOOiSuO IO Wlpo OuC poo selling, gambling, and all fraudulent de. vices at fairs. The state board of agri culture should detail detectives to go about and see that each fair is conducted with honest intent to conform to law Stafford suffers much from this irruptioI of swindlers, both because the circuits ac cumulate and dump the crowd here, anc because the vast crowd makes it nor, difficult to spot and exterminate them But few men met with undeserved losses at the hands of the gamblers. No none. is taken except from those who have de signs to beat the swindlers at their owl game-and very few of the victims ar' entitled to sympathy This fact, how ever, does not lessen the obligations O the fairs to make their shows clean ones The society which attempts to do this however, draws more attention to the ex istence of such nuisances upon it's grounds than do those who not only permit them but charge fancy prices for the privilege! with full knowledge of their character, a is often the case. ,,, .,- :
 Ferdinand Laske, a Rockville freset
 painter and decorator, residing at 10 Higl
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