New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
OLD DAYS IN CONNECTICUT.
NAUGATUCK STORIES OF sEVENTY-FlNE
WEARS AGO.

was seven wears old The greater part or his
life was full of activity. but It's last TWO oeca"eS
were given up to works Of friendness' re"sioi
and benevolence and the management Oh Il S'''a'i
estate which was the reward of a long period
OF toll In a great many respects ne was
typical New England man, and nothing pieaseu
him better toward the close of his lie IMAM 10
tell stories Of his boyhood and recount the
growth of the community in which he lived.
knew him wen. for he was my ia'her-h-ia"'
ord being nassionately fond Of music he often
helped me out when was hunting sen'nhen'"'
or noltcal ditty Of the early days Of the century
A year before Mr.. Osborne's death he dehV-
cred lecture In Birmingham on his earliest
rsco,lections Of the town and surrounding coun-
trv the manuscript of which fell into my hanos'
norton OF II is reproduced below. 1t draws
n,c.ure of life in the Naugatuck Valley In the
carly twenties hut can be accepted also as
citing the average New England community or
the reriod 1t is n pity that it has nothing 10
saw about Sthe writer's own experiences as
schoolboy apprentice, schoolmaster ana he'-
chant. for they were of the kind that ronahces
are made of. His allusion TO training DAYS re-
calls the fact that almost the first none! tia'
he ever earned he received for singing songs OF
the wars of the RevoIution and 1917 for the
mltiamen-an old fashioned minstrel hfting MS
voice in prosaic New-England. When his voice
r,a,ured he Joined the choir Of the Episcopal
Church in birmingham. but left 1t FOR the Metho-
dist when his religious convictions tspurred on
nv a rebuke which his rector administered 10
him because Of his attendance on the Methodist
nrsvermeetinc) led him thither. 1t was in the
DAYS when the bass viOl. clarinet and some
times trombone had place in the choirs or New
England One day a new anthem or hymn WAS
- N he sung and Mr. Osborne. who had risen 10
he leader of the choir wrote out the part 1or 'he
bass VOL Unfortunately, he put the WRONG ''ei
at the beginning of the slaves, ana more uii-
fortunately still the bass player was not suii'-
GENTLY musical to discover the blunder anu Coi
rect IT, AS a result, the music began WITH
dreadful cacophony. The leader was 700 i<h
away from the bass violis TO call TO hii anu III
his desperation he caught up hymn DOCK anu
threw II across the choir loft with such auih"-
able aim that he brought down the music racN
80 tho dissonant player and created har-
mony.
Another story deserves TO be toid OF MN "'
throwing light on the business methods OF 'ha'
early day. After finishing his apprenticeship
Mr. osborne took TO teaching with a result no''
entirely unique in the history of pedagosics' ne
foil in love with the brightest of his girl pupils
and married her He next became clerk 1or
n merchant in shelton named Backman VINO
is still hale and hearty at the age OF nhe'E-h>e'
The thrift and industry of the young 'oup'e
brought it to pass that before long 'he! n"u
saved enough money to build mousse "'ii'"
they mortgaged to secure loan OF MUM 'ou"s
Osbc~ne now thought Of starting IN business VI"
h;s yn account and Blackman. his employer
loaned him $500 to add TO the niue capl'di
which he had accumulated. No sooner dlo 'ne
mort gagee hear Of the plan. however IMAM ie
apprehended failure and called in his loan Vi
81 600 giving the young man TWO weeks ho".e
Osborne saw his plans fail ana went ~ Ai'0"
,,.r 70 return the $500. saying that he could
not 60 into business and also raise Hl"o' III
two weeks. Blackman replied Don't wait two
da,, I'll give you the thousand dollars anu
Won nav the man off and be done win h'''
THO, 90 ahead with your business. Not only
Ala he advance the money, but he took no mort
roca and soon the young merchant was doihs
husinoss on his own account In Birmlheha'h
once q week or Whereabouts he would close MS
store for day tack up a notice anu 20 ~
\cv-Hayen to make purchases. walking po'h
ways.
,,.,,, ala ,eonle smoked pipe and cannot re-
..~,har =, caxe where the husband smoked anu Hot
,.e wife Snuff taking was fashionapie' Mos' -
the carpets used were homemade ana 'He O'O''
mated noors were sanded with white sand.
IN hr.ak a mirror was the harbnger OF death IN
~ suv pork must be killed when the light on
the moon was waxing; then i would swell "i"o
boiling otherwise it would shrink Nheh pei' '"s
the first berry found must be thrown over '"e "'"
Tor ,uck Books interpreting dreams were common
pesns and potatoes must be planted III 'he CIV "a
The moon TO prevent them from running 10 Ni"es.
There was only Irlshman in the to"h' nc
mas driving cattle one day. when Captain Ihompsoi
FOR whom he worked. called out TO NM rat, why
didn't YOU turn the cattle into the o'her fodD' m
And faith sir" said Pat Il DIDN'T see 'he'" III
they were out Of sight.
c,r,s carried sewing to school in the summer sea-
son. They had lady teachers hall the year iNe
military met the first Monday in May anu oep'e"
her. and general training came toward 'ne He' VI
September From time y time officers were en .s
Once n man was chosen corporal ana went NOME
- ,old bis family much elatei The news caused
rouch excitement Father. are we all corporaIs'
cried the children =, 49, r,o,bor. |
Hold your silly tongues saiu INC t,,
"thers's nobody corporal but me ana your la'nei'
There was at least one crank In our Town Ia ''o''
DAYS who declared that the church 10 "'''0" "e ~
,onsed had but two good members in II.
"Who are they pray?' he was asked.
..Ne and my wife the reply. ana eoiHe- |
times have serious doubts about her.
same church steeples had ROSTERS on top, whhe
An o,r liberty poles rested the cap OF liberty
voung man by the name OF David Cain was con-
victed OF thievlng. and saw him publicly whipped |
on his bare back In front OF the Mansion house
and the post which he compelled TO hug (tel 1t |
not in GathD was the liberty pole Criminals were
also confined in the stocks. and under such circum-
stances were Numerically pelted with eggs, rotten |
and otherwise At one time a prisoner 50 used be- |
came frantic. and foot only being confined. he |
managed 10 turn and get hold Of large stone with
which ne shattered the lock. Then he raised the |
plank and ran for dear life. the whole pack OF ours,
worse than he at his heels Happily, thought, /
none of them overlook him There was not a Sd !
loon In the place but liquor could be purchased at
the stores and carried home Ike moasees.
In our Boys Debating Society this question was !
mo han