Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-09-22

ping placeof ipaded teams passing through
from Burlington 20 Boston.
/ Add 70 this four stores where they dealt
out the ardent from glass TO barrel IN
onyquantity to suit their customers. Yon
may also add six distineries where they
corn. Then there was d CIDER min ia every
neig hborhood and in fu1st OF them was
made cider brandy. 9sn&k
Now, Mr.. CoURfER. jyox can see the ia
cilities ana oppoft u l1fits>{len bal to graf.
ify an appetite for strong drink. Well,
what MAS the result. One would naturally
think the road would be lined with drunk
en- men too feeble In their cups TO stand
up, tnd that houses or hoveis where they
lived would be filed with dirty, ragged,
sickly children. You would expect to see
fences down, crops unharvested and stock
roaming at will. But this picture did not
materialize.
Instead OF drunken, feeble men you
would see stout, hardy, strong hands that
cleared the land of its heavy timoer, raised
large crops OF all kinds OF grain, horses,
cattle. sheep and hogs and, almost to
man, attended divine service every Sunday.
Schools were held in double the mum ner OF
districts OF today, and stout, healthy schol-
ars numb bered treble the amount, Houses
were warm and comforts BILE and drunken
man the exception. Whenever one SO far
lost control OF himself as to be drunk or
quarrelsome, boys were allowed to shower
the scamp with cold water until he came
to his senses. There was no lack of boys
to do the job and the punishment meted
out was far more severe to the culprit than
Justice fine or a trip to Rutland. The
name OF q wet-down lasted long time
and was avoided IL possible.
1t was during these years that the town
piospered and population increased but
don't mistake me, MR.. COURIER. am
not advocating license system In order
to make a return to those good times.
The fact lie plain that we are different
class OF people and what would answer
for them will not answer for us. Place
this generation or the present Inhabitants
OF Barnard in the situation of seventy-five
wears ago and hardly man would be alive
next spring. Then the quality OF both
men and Houor ~as far superior to the
present. Then a man could drink and car
ry large quantity OF rum or whiskey
without showing the effects. Now one
drink makes a man eloquent, two make
him full and three lay him out.
The old Tupper stand was one OF the six
above mentioned and is about two miles
from Barnard village on the Woodstock
road. Here Ellis Topper, an old Cape Cod
man who followed the sea many years,set
tied and kept a public house. he was
great reader and could argue on politics or
religion from sun-up until dark, making
him one OF the most genial landlords ever
in Barnard. He was succeeded by his son,
Captain Ben, practical joker and full OF
fun. The old tavern lost nothing by the
change. Others followed until 1t fell upon
Orsemus Crooker to entertain the travel
ling public and men and boys from the
village. Mr.. Crooker built very good
bowling alley, which was an attraction
while waiting for hot oysters, fresh hsh
end other delicacies that came to this
country during the long winter months.
1t is within the writer's remembrance tnat
many pleasant evening, closing with
dance, has been spent at this ancient hos
telry.
Mr.. Crooker as landlord was followed by
John A. Spooner, whose reputation for an
orderly house was MT so good Com
plants were made snd, In January, 1874
the bowling alley was closed by the town
authorities and never again opened. No
public tavern was kept here for many
Years after. The farm Is fairly good one
and 10 owned at the present time by Ralph
+. Wilson. Mr.. Wilson Is one OF the bright
Young farmers Of Barnard and keeps the
land and buildings in good repair. In 60
ing to Woodstock from Barnard, two miles
out. the road runs close to the front dotr
Of the old Tuppsr tavern stand.