Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1895-03-21
HISTORIC WESTMINSTER.
Events of Other Days as Related
by a Son and Citizen.
-[Continued,

Wright's eecentricities, we will recount
another Of his pugilistic displays. AS
heretofore stated, he continued in full
fellowship with his church as long as
he lived, and the same as before the
bear episode, and continued also as
long as he lived to be one of its most
liberal and generous supporters. In
those days religious people always OBJ
served Saturday night, commencing at
shutdown as a part of the Sabbath, and
within the memory of the writer, ell
good housewives intended to have their
, household duties completed and Satur-
day evening devoted to rest, reading or
meditation, but when Sunday evening
shutdown came, then all the active
duties Of the week were resumed In
this custom and observance Of the Sab
bath, they based their faith on the
words of Scripture "And the even
ing and the morning We're the first
day." and so on. On one occasion, the
old captain called to pay his usual
| yearly donation to the minister, late
one Saturday afternoon. The minister
was Rev. Sylvester Sage, who was a
| pastor of the church for nearly so wears,
and was greatly beloved by his people,
including our old captain. His mem
DRY is yet green with some of our oldest
inhabitants, and his portrait adorns the
walls of our beautiful little church.
The good man was meditatively watch
ing from the window The waning glow
OF the sky and the gathering shadows
on the western hills, when the old vet
eran ente ed, and after a cordial but
dignilied greeting, with outstretched
hand proffered his donation The good
man, with a glance at the western sky,
replied to the profler that it was Satur-
day night and after shutdown, and he
could not take it. The old veteran,
with the money still in his extended
hand, and with gathering frown,
said, 81 tell you to take it, SIR" Again
the parson told him he could not take
lit. Again, with vehemence and still
proffered hand, the old veteran told
him to ''take it,'' but the good man
only shook his head. 'Take that,
them" exclaimed the captain, and
knocked the parson to the floor. Then
with his anger apparently all gone, he
calmly laid his twenty dollars on the
table beside the PROSTATE minister and
with dignified mien slowly left the
house. The old man was not prose-
cuted or punished for the gross out
rage because of his noted eccentricities.
The writer has heard the good old
minister relate the foregoing episode,
with grave countenance, but with q
twinkle in his eye, and finally adding
that he pocketed both his scruples and
the captains money.
Another anecdote illustrative of his
rudeness and uprightness. After he
had gone to live in his home on the
a h.y 70 Il
and told him he had seen his dog chas-
ing his sheep, and the old man prompt
~ told him he was a liar, and of course
the neighbor had to Swallow the lie. y
A few days later the neighbor again
came to him and told him he caught
his dog killing sheep, and again came
from the old mans lips: "You are
a liar, sir, and 1 will prove you suchn
He then called the dog to him, and
putting small chain around his hind
legs, swung him head downwards from
the low limb of an apple tree. Then
deliberately cutting a small switch from
the tree, moderately began to whip the
dog; and soon the dog vomited mutton
and wool. Laying down his switch,
he took off his hat and in an abject
and humble manner approached the
neighbor and said, IL humbly ask your
pardon, sir; | am the liar, not you.n
He then procured an ak, and knock
The dog in the head where he hung.
Late in life, after the marriage of hi
children and the death Of his wife, he
sold his residence in the village TO
Judge Lot Hall, and built house back
on the hills, and near the residences of
his two sons, Azariah, I'd, and Salmon,
and about one hundred rods south of
the present residence of jerry Keefe
and a feA rods easterly of the highway, |
just out of sight of the same, and also
of his sons houses. There in his eccen-
tricity, he lived alone several years,
his sons and their families looking after
his wants. He died alone early one
morning, suddenly, of apopleXy, while |
mixing his COWS.
He had eight children, four sons and |
four daughters, and his posterity are
numerous and scattered all over our
broad land. In this town the great
grandchildren now living are Mrs. Il. |
w. Wiley, Mrs. 0. l.. Fisher, Alvin |
Wright, l.. G. Richardson and HI. G. |
Lane and there are three great
great great--grandchild two sons
of Charles f. Arnold and daughter
of Mrs. Nellie Nutting. His remains
rest in the old burying ground, a few
feet south of the Bradley tomb, and |
the grave of French. A popularity
of the fine old stone that marks his |
grave is its freshness, and newness of
appearance, though it has stood there
through the sunshine and storms of
more than so years.