The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-08-04
THE LITCHFIELD STOVE.
Story of How Stoves Were Introduced
Into a Connecticut Town.


William H. Coleman in the Evangelist.
The story of the Litchheld stove and
it's recent discovery is OF much hstori-
cal interest. The tale has often been
told-perhaps never better than in your
issue Of December 10. The earliest
version I know of was given by S. G.
Goodrich C"Peter Parley') in his Rec
objections of Lifetime" published in
1856. Mr.. Goodrich was born in Ridge
field, Conn, in 1898, and his recollec-
tions of early times run back to the be-
ginning of the century and even before.
Perhaps your readers may like to see
his version of the stove story:
lone thing strikes me now with Won
der, and that is the general indiffer-
ence, in those days, to the intensity OF
winter. No doubt the climate was then
more severe; but be that as it may
people seemed to suffer less from it
than at the present day. Nobody
thought of staying at home from
church because of the extremity of
the weather. Let me tell you
a story, by the way, upon the meet
ing houses of those days. They were
of wood, and slenderly built, of course
admitting somewhat freely the blast of
the seasons. In the severe winter days
we only mitigated the temperature by
foot stoves; but these were deemed eff
Terminate luxuries, suited to women and
children. What would have been
thought of Dea Olmstead and Granther
Baldwin had they yielded to the weak
ness of foot stove!
The age of comfortable meeting
houses and churches, in country towns,
was subsequent to this. some 20 or 80
years. All improvement is gradual, and
frequently advances only by conflict
with prejudice and victory over oppo-
sition. In a certain county town with
IN my knowledge, the introduction of
stoves into the meeting house, about
the year 1880, threatened to overturn
society. The incident may be worth
detailing, for tritles often throw light
upon important subjects. In this case,
the metropolis. which we call H,
had adopted stoves in the churches.
and naturally enough some people of
the neighboring town of E. set
about introducing this custom into the
meeting house in their own village.
Now, the two master spirits of society
the Demon of Progress and the Angel
of ervatism-somehow or other had
got into the place, and as soon as this
reform was suggested they began to
Wrestle with the people, until at last the
church and society were divided into
two violent factions-the stove party
and the anti-stove party. At the head
of the first was Mrs. Dea K, and at
the head of the latter was Mrs Dea p.
The battle ragged portantously, very
much like the renowned tempest in
teapot. Society was. indeed. lashed
into a foam. The minister, between the
contending factions, scarcely dared
to say his soul was his own. He could
scarcely find a text from Genesis to
Jude that might not commit him on
one side or the other. The strife, of
course, ran into politics, and the rep
resentative 10 the assembly got in by
a happy kpack at lodging the ques-
ton in such wise as to be claimed by
both parties.
Finally the progressionists prevailed
the stove party triumphed, and the
stoves were accordingly installed.
Great was the humiliation of the anti
stoveites; nevertheless they concluded
to be submissive to the dispensation of
Providence. On the Sabbath succeed
ing the installation of the stoves, Mrs
Dea p, instead of staying away, did
as she ought, and went to church. AS
she moved up the broad aisle it was re-
marked that she looked pale, but calm,
as a martyr should-conscious of in
jury, yet struggling to forgive. New
ertheless, when the minister named his
text Romans, ii:20-and spoke of heap
ing Goals of fire on the head, she slid
from the seat and subsided gently upon
the floor. The train of ideas suggest
ed was, in fact, too much for her heated
brain and shattered nerves. There was
a rush to her pew and the fainting lady
was taken out. When she came to
the air she slightly revived.
"'Pray, what is the matter?' said
Mrs. Dea K, who bent over her, hald-
ing asmelling bottle to her nose.
"'Oh, 1t Is the heat of those awful
stoves said Mrs. Dea p.
"'No, no. my DEAR said Mrs. Dea
r., that can't be; it's warm day,
you know, and there's no fire in them
"'No fire in the stoves?' said Mrs.
Dea p.
"'Not PARTICLE said Mrs. Dea X.
"'Well l feel better now, said the
poor lady; and so, bidding her friends
goodbye, she went home in manner
suited to the OCCASION"
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