The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-03-02
Wllliamstown.

The subjoined items of interest are from
our esteemed Williamstown friend and cor
respondent. The requirements of space
sometimes compel the WATcHMAN to defer
these items for publication on this page;
A genial acquaintance, who has had the
misfortune to lose leg of late, reminds US
Of James Russell Lowell's inimitable Bird
ofredum Sawin," who lost leg in the war
with Mexico. In his inventory OF the long
list OF blessings of "a wooden leg" he said,
"a Teller couldn't beg greater blessing
than to have one always sober peg" Hith-
erto, our friend has always carried two
such "pegs," but who can predict what he
may do now, when he writes as follows;
SIN due time l have reason to believe
that l shall be able to get around among
people again by the aid Of an artificial leg.
The surgeons and the makers Of these limbs
tell such enhancing tales Of what people
can do on wooden legs that it is matter Of
surprise that people generally do not have
their natural legs sawed off and use timber
instead of flesh, bone and sinew."
There is an incident we'll worth mention
ing in the life Of the family we recently no.
ticed, out of which went the successful
children spoken Of. Both the father and
mother were great readers, and our
town library furnished the books, chiefly
that were read by them in that early day.
The care Of the family 80 taxed the ener-
gies Of the mother that her time for reading
was at night, and after the children were
in bed, but what was read on one evening
was told by this mother to the children on
the following evening, while they were yet
too young to read for themselves. All this
speaks volumes for the wisdom of the
founder OF our town library, the life Of
which is nearly commensurate with that
of the place, as well Of the wisdom of the
mother, whose children were compelled 80
early to go out into the world and fight
their battles unaided.
In 1854 a young man, who was native Of
this town, went to Paris to perfect himself
in the study Of French. We are in posses.
sion OF a letter that he wrote family friends
here the following year, given up largely to
a description OF a ball given by the city OF
Paris to the English Queen. Through the
friendship OF the Secretary OF the American
legation the Williamstownian was present
ed to court, and ticket to the grand ball
was procured for him, the great magnifi-
cence OF which he attempts some descrip-
ton Of. OF the 5000 invited guests he was
one of sixty Americans. He describes very
amusingly his presentation to court. He
says, "when l got dressed for the occasion,
l really don't think you would have known
me in such costume, for, as you know,
those who go to court, go in court dress.
Well, hardly knew myself when the Udlet
| de chanlbre, who came to my room to dress
me, had got me ready for the affair. And
after / got to the palace, either from my
| close resemblance to the dukes and counts,
or the influence OF the brandy and water l
| had drank q really can't say which, got
several times 80 mixed up with them, 1t
was with the greatest difficulty was able
to identify myself. The only mark OF dis.
tinction 1 could see was that my sword
seemed to have greater facility than theirs
for getting between my legs, as If ambi.
tious OF throwing me down" Then follows
a description of emperor and empress, the
latter as the handsomest woman he had
seen in France, but with something of mel
ancholy in her face, etc.