The Press., 1897-04-29

Il Regular meeting of Stafford Grange next Tuesday evening.
 I Frank T. Miller returned to his home in Worcester last week, after spending five days at Ezra s. CoIburn's.
 Subject for the meeting of the Y.sP. s. 0. E. to-night-"Wha is true liberty and how it is won" All are invited.
 R. G. Beebe is at present in Washing ton, D. O., for few days, on his way home, and Is expected here very soon.
 Ed. Leger has severed his connection with the firm of Jacob Glover & Son, and has tak en position in the Riverside mill. Mrs. w. H. Black has been obliged to be away the most of the week in West ford, attending upon her parents, who are both quite i'll.
 Miss Mary E. Smith attended the state teachers meeting at Willimantic, Satur- day, and reports the exercises as being very interesting and instructive.
 | It will be seen by 8 notice in another column that Henry Champlin, of Burn- side, wishes to either sell or rent the house now being vacated by E. E. Warren.
 The annual meeting of the Universalist church society, for the election of officers and the transaction of other business, will be held in the church parlors next Wednesday evening, May 9th. j..
 Will Webster has taken possession of his new home and moved his household effects Tuesday. James Cousins has rented the tenement in Mrs. Preble's house, vacated by Mir. Webster.
 I The series of whist parties, which have during the season, closed Tuesday night with a supper at MT. Dunham's boarding house. Mrs. Will Lewis was the fortu- nate winner of a handsome vase as first prize, and her husband 8 dozen lead pen cils for the booby.
 The band has decided to try its luck again, and will give a May dance at the town hall next Thursday evening, May 9th. They have made extra efforts to make this success, having secured Hay den's orchestra, of Rockville, for music, and David Bissett, as prompter. The band will give one of their enjoyable con, certs before the dance.
 There is quite natural curiosity in the north part of Stafford. on land belonging to Dr. Royce's heirs. It is in small grove of trees, and is called Tripping rock" It is a large round rock, the shape of a dumpling, balanced upon another large rock. By pressing ones finger against it the peculiar motion is produced which has given it its name.
 If you have some time at your disposal and wish to be taught an object lesson, pay a visit to the carriage warerooms oi J. c. Wightman some day, and you will not only learn the lesson, but you will be astonished at the magnitude of the busi. ness that MT. Wightman has succeeded in establishing in our midst. It has grown to its present large proportions so steadi. ly and gradually that the community hardly realize the fact unless brought in. to personal contact with the business. AS MT. Wightman has usually over fifty new
 jobs in stock, including about everything in the wagon line, he has plenty of means |
 vance in carriage building that has beer made in the past fifteen years. The beauty in the styles of the different kinds
 of vehicles is all that can be desired, ant as for the prices-well, just one for ar illustration: A good-looking, stylish toI carriage, which ten years ago would have been considered cheap at $100, to- day yor can buy for $45-and so it is all along the different lines. You need not b, afraid of tiring him, for John has beer
 talking wagon for twenty years or more . and has got considerable of the same tall left in him yet.
 : MT. and Mrs. George Chaffee, after hay ing settled up, as far as possible, all th' business connected with the William Col . burn estate, left Tuesday for their hom' at New London, and it is probable. mucl to the regret of the community, that thei ' visits to this village will be much les ) frequent than formerly, though we knov
 of at least one latch string that will al | ways be hanging outside for them. Mrs Chaffee, in looking over some old paper 3 belonging to the Polly Blodgett estate came across the following invitation nicely gotten up on a card, and consider 8 ing that it is about one hundred year since it was issued, it may prove of loca interest to the present generation. It 1 supposed that the Mir. Hyde referred t. I was proprietor of the old Hyde taverl at the Street:
 MISS POLLY BLoDGETT
 6 Is requested to attend at the Assembly,
 At MT. Hyde's,
 This evening, at o'clock.
 s:$ts9 Ss$si5 SsS$ Aiss:i Managers Stafford, Oct 2d, 179S
 Tickets to be presented at the door. 6 Mrs. Chaffee also brought to High an ol p historical sermon, delivered many year |, ago by a Rev. MT. Wentworth, whic - contains much interesting matter relatin Il to Stafford's early history. There hay r been many claims made as to the age c - houses now standing, but the old Blodg r ett homestead, in which Frank Patte ]. and his mother at present reside, must b @ one of the oldest, if not the oldest hous y in Stafford. Miss Polly Blodgett, wh died twenty-three years ago, aged 93, wa e born in that house, and as her parent s had resided there for some time previou tt to that event, how long we were unabl
 to learn, it would seem that this hous @ has a substantial claim to being the old 'f est house in town. d West Stafford.
 if Mrs R. A Wilbur has gone to mas t two weeks with her sister in East Long d meadow and friends in Thompsonville. ). Mrs. Charles Hopkins and daughter Il have been in Ellington for some time e visiting Mrs. Daniel Curtis and family.