The sun., 1895-04-28
NO MONEY! FOR "PUT,sn cipE.
Tho I.esisiature wouidn't Give Sc.5OO
to Make Little Park to Commemorate
Putnam's Famous struggle with II she
wolf-But a Time VIII Come.

Tho Legislature Wouldnt Givo SV,5OO
to Make "a Little Park to Comme emornte
| Putnam's Famous struggle with II she
| woir-But Time VIII Come.
| HARTFORD. April 22.-The Putnam wolf
den " bill, lately introduced into the Nutmeg
General Assembly by Representative Earl War
| ner. acting In behalf of the Connecticut Daugh-
| ters of the American Revolution, has been un-
| tremendously spurned by the skinflints of the
| Legislatures: and It Is now the deliberate con-
| viction of the Daughters that the General AS
| sembly has insulted them.
| The Daughters had taken no end OF pains In
concocting that patriotic measure, and were in
| downright earnest about having # passed. They
had begged tho legislators here to donate to
them the beggarly sum Of $4,000, with which
they enthusiastically promised to "hx up the
wild and rocky land about the wolf den in Pom
fret Wndham county, northeastern Connecticut,
in which "Old Put" Gen. Israel Putnam). the
bluff Connecticut soldier. had his extraordinary
kirmish with q predatory she wolf in the win
ter of 173940. They wanted to put things in
ship shape thereabouts, they pleaded, make q
beautiful park Of the savage region all about the
illustrious cavern, clear away the underbrush
there, lay out winding walks, and wall up and
adorn q cooling spring near the cave-so, at
least, the Daughters in great and glowing
mass meeting at Norwich some time ago de-
clared through their orators.
1t was high time, the four specchmakers eo-
quently submitted that the State of Connecticut
did something tangible and substantial to prove
that it valued and revered the memory of Old
Put and other old-tme patriots. SO long unhon-
ored, n memory which had shed SO much heroic
lustre and other things on the fair name OF Nut
megland. Accordingly. with their bonnet strings
temporarily at large-a mishap due to the fervid
enthusiasm Of the occasion-the Daughters
seeda a lpt Of resnlutiOns the npshot of which
was the precipitation of Earl Warmers woif-den
bill into the Legislature.
And what has been the outcome of so much
unbottled patriotic zeal and endeavor2 Why,
the half-contemptuous rejection of their be-
loved measure by a parsimonious Gene raj AZ
sembly: and all because a paltry pecuniary con-
sideration Of $4,000 was asked for to carry out
their noble and grand and glorious design. Tho
Daughters Of the American Revolution won't
forget this slight and insult soon, either. For
they have said so. The General Assembly will
hear from them again, sure and soon. The de-
csive hearing h IN IN respect OF the pufnam memo %
and there Earl Warner, who is n gallant and
obliging. as well as most capable legislator and
measure that was calculated to melt a heart
Of .tone: but Connecticut hearts Of stone. it
Representatives at Hartford. are VIGOROUSLY
hard to melt and fuse. As far as heard from.
ately tkawsd. to say nothing about ut its being
melted. by Mr.. Warmers pathetic and
vincing plea. Indeed. some members even
shifted at mis- recital and some smiled 1ippantly
or disdainfully, while few others rose in
their seats and argued unfeelingly in opposition
to it that the State is already ruinously in debt.
They went on to proclaim that 1t not only has
no ready money in its Golfers. but that there
altogether more important objects to which
public money must be applied: that Old Puts
celebrated and traditional exploit very likely
might be a myth. after all; that the old cave or
wolf den at Pomfret was not likely to be stolen
or to get away from the state. ct any rate not
at present. and that the whole business of the
park. bubbling spring, rustic walk, arboreal.
fenced-in Pomfret memorial proposition bor-
dered on the sentimental and emotional. Ger
tainly they didn't believe it would pay to run
the State 81. 500 in debt just to put railing
around a wildcat cave In ortheastern Connect
icut, and introduce spgot into spoutng
spring In the woods. and so on and SO on.
And that sort OF thing settled the whole mat
ter OF the Daughters mastery determination to
be patriotic.
In vain Mr.. Earl Warner, who had proved
himself to be doughty knight. worthy of the
Daughters confidence and favor. essayed TO
stem the antagonistic legislative onset; in tho
end he was disarmed, unhorsed and ridden
down by tho skinflint squadron: and then the
foe sitting on him, formally recorded a vote,
that Is likely to be historic, in condemnation
and derison of his project.
But there Is bound to be a day of reckoning
and that day. it is not unlikely. will dawn just
about the time when tho Solnns, having COM
pieted their work at the Capitol, return to their
homes and directly face the Daughters OF tho
American Revolution. their wives, sisters. cous-
ins, aunts, sweethearts, and own daughters of
revolution.