davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
A COLONIAL THANKSGIVING
Quaint Account of a Dinner Given In
17I4.

Among the papers of the late ex-State
Senator Guy @. Stoddard Of the town of
Ledyard was found an old newspaper
clipping containing quaint account of
an old colonial Thanksgiving church
service and dinner. 1t was written in
the year l7I4 by the Rev. Lawrence
Conant of the old South parish, in Dan
vers, Mass. and runs thus
Eye Governor WAS in We house and
Her Majestys commissioners of ye Gus
toms, and they sat together in high
seat of ye pulpit stairs. Ye Governor
appears very devout and attentive al
though he favors Episcopacy and toler-
ates ye Quakers and Baptsts.
"He was dressed in black velvet
coat, bordered with geld lace and buff
breeches with gold buckles at ye knees,
and white silk stockings
"There was disturbance in ye gal
leries, where it was filled with divers
negroes, mulattoes and Indians, and a
negro called Pomp Shorter, belonging
to Mr.. Gardiner, was called forth and
put in ye broad isle, where he was re-
proved with great carefulness and SO.
lemnity
He was then put in ye deacons' seat
between two deacons. in view of We
whole congregation, but ye sexton was
ordered by Mr.. Prescott to take him
out, because of his levty and strange
contortion of countenance giving grave
scandal to ye grave deacons). and put
him in ye lobby under ye Stare; some
children and a mulatto woman were
reprimanded for laughing at Pomp
Shorter
when ye services at ye NJ ting
house were ended, ye council and other
dignitaries were entertained at ye house
of Mr.. Epes, on ye hill near by, and we
had bountiful Thanksgiving dinner
with bears meat and venison, the last
of which was a fine buck, shot in ye
woods near by Ye bear was killed in
Lynn woods near Reading
after ye blessing was craved by Mr.
Garrich Of Wrentham, word came that
ye buck was shot on ye Lords day by
Pequot, an Indian, who came to Mr.
Epes with lye in his mouth like
Ananias of old.
'Ye council therefore refused to eat
ye venison, but it was afterward decid.
ed that Pequot should receive 40 stripes
save one for lying and profaning ye
Lord s day, restore Mr. Epes ye cost of
ye deer, and considering this just and
righteous sentence on ye sinful heather,
and that blessing had been craved on
ye meat, ye council all partook of it but
Mr. Shepard, whose conscience was ten
der ON ye point of ye yenison. New
York Tribune.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Fire at North Arson.

An alarm of fire was given little
past o'clock Monday afternoon, as the
large set of buildings on Hall street,
was discovered to be on fire. 1t was the
house the late Joseph Merry built
several years ago, now owned by Mrs.
Abbie w. Gray of Brooklyn, N. Y, and
occupied by E. w. Roberts and family.
The local fire department responded in
great haste to the call and did the best
work possible under the circumstances.
When it was found that the hose was
not long enough to reach from the pump
to the burning building there was a
general alarm that Elm street and the
railroad bridge would be swept away as
a steady breeze was blowing the flames
in the direction to do much damage.
The Parlin house, so called, owned by
the Dunn Edge Tool Co., of Oakland,
and occupied by Leander Cole, was,
owing to its close proximity soon on fire
and threatened the bridge, and the
dwelling house of Mrs. Mclaughlin and
A. Simmons, Esq Everybody worked
hard with the limited supply of water to
keep these buildings wet and the roofs
covered and had not the wind at that
time changed into more favorable
quarter nothing could have saved any of
the buildings on Elm street. A dispatch
WAS sent to Oakland for help and at 4
o'clock an engine and 80 men arrived
after which the water was soon playing
with good effect on the ruins. Each set
of buildings consisted of house, ell and
stable. The contents were nearly all
saved but not insured. Mr.. Roberts
barely saved his horse but his sleigh
and bicycle were burned. The Gray
buildings were insured, it is said, for
81, 600. The fire originated in the stable
and the cause is not definitely known.
Loss, So, 900. This fire took two sets of
buildings which were needed here,
when with better facilities both might
have been saved. What this village
needs is more hose and more hydrants,
ladders, water pals and local organiza-
ton for fight ting fire. MIR. Roberts has
moved into the Clarke house on Center
street and Mr.. cole expects to occupy
the Hall house on Hall street.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Receivers Appointed

Upon application of the First National
Bank of Skowhegan, through Walton q
Walton, attorneys, on Monday last
Judge Whitehouse granted bill In
equity In the case of Bloomfield Shoe
Company of this town and appointed s.
W. Gould, Esq, of Skowhegan, and
Junius Beebee of Wakefield, Mass, re-
ceivers.
This step was taken 1t is understood
for the benefit of all parties In interest
and for the good of the business, to pre-.
vent attachments on paper in banks now
due, and becoming due much faster than
it can be taken care of by the company,
and to avoid needless litigation and large
expense.
According to the accounts of the COM
pany the liabilities In round numbers,
exclusive of the capital stock, amount to
about $78, 900 and the assets something
over 100000. The capital paid in to
the present time is $4,000.
The receivers have taken possession of
the property, have an expert taking an
accurate account of stock and they pro-
pose to continue the business in order TO
work up the stock on hand and in pro.
cess of manufacture, of which there is a
large quantity. There are also good
number of orders on file for manufae-
tured goods, mostly for mems shoes, at
fair rates.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
For the Reporter:
Patterson Bridge.

Patterson Bridge across the KeAnebec
River at a point near North Anson is one
of the land marks on the river. 1t is Oh
the most direct route from North Arson
to Skowhegan and in former times, be-
fore the Somerset Railway was built,
was the route by which the travel from
North Arson and all the county north
and west of that village reached Show
gan. Now this railway and the electric
lines connecting Skowhegan with the
Somerset road have drawn much OF the
travel from that route hut it is the
highest bridge up the river until the
Forks is reached and many more teams
cross this bridge daily than one un-
familiar with the surrounding country
would naturally suppose.
Patterson Bridge has decided sag in
it instead of being browning rs most
bridges are constructed Tor strength.
The report is that the master bridge
builder who hossed the job made a mis-
take in his calculations and when he got
his timhers ready tGput together, too
late for remedy, found the structure WAS
wrong side up aud the result was the
pressed in the center to the exact extent
it WAS intended 10 have been elevated.
1t is a toll bridge belonging to a
bridge company that holds it by legis-
ative charter and it is understood The
agent of this company claims that the
charter is perpetual. However this may
be the structure is unique and the fol-
lowing unique incident is related OF the
toll gatherer.
Landlord Clarke of the Somerset
House, North Arson, who also has a
livery stable. as do others in that vicin-
ity hires the bridge by the year paying
rental therefor annually and according
to the terms of the contract his livery
teams, when accompanied by one of his
own drivers, have the right of free pass.
age across the bridge at all times. 1t
appears that one day last week, Mr..
Williams, an employe of MIR. Clarke.
well known to the toll gatherer, drove
to the toll house or his way from North
Arson TO Scion with commercial
traveller and told the man in charge that
he would settle with him when he came
back, and passed along. When ne got to
about the middle of the bridge he found
himself faced by this same toll gatherer
with drawn pistol demanding the toll.
He had entered the other side of the
bridge footed swiftly along, got to a
place where there was an opening in the
dividing partition and got ahead of the
team.
After some considerable parley and
vigorous language the man was shaken
off and the travellers went their way This
narrative discloses proceeding that
might be all right 10 Cuba or the Philip
pines but hardly in keeping with State
Of Maine methods or u. :. civilization
and could not be credited as a transac-
ton in Somerset county but by the very
best authority, such as have 1t upon.
The man might have been "fooling' but
such joking is not generally appreciated
by those upon whom the Joke is per-
petrated.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

Children in New York are devising
games to be played ON Thanksgiving
day. Usually in the gathering together
Of families there are host of young
folk who need to entertain themselves.
One game that | think is going to be
unusually interesting is the escape from
prison
1t requires children who are up" on
geography; still, if need be, it is les
son in the disguise of pleasure. The
game proceeds after this fashion: A
map is held by the judge, usually a
grown person; then, too, children are
chosen and placed i'll separate corners.
Says the judge: "Now, Carrie, you
represent New York in this corner, and
Richard, you are in Moscow imprisoned
you want to get away and reach home
by Thanksgiving day You have got
from behind the walls, but what Is your
most direct route homer
Then Richard has to tell each sea
country and ocean he crosses to get
home for the turkey and cranberry
sauce. If he can do it successfully, he
AAunb iClhdlh LlSHb Ou VIC bpob Ol tuo
floor where he stopped until he thinks
out his escape
Other members of the game are
placed in prison at various parts of the
country. The favorite jails now are To-
Gated in Spain and Cuba on account Of
the interest in the war A leading ques-
ton is, III you were put in Santiago
prison, how would you get back 10
SpainP
Soon the room becomes filled with
prisoners, all trying to get home. Half
of them arc ''stalled" in the center, try
ing to think of the boundary line which
brings freedom; others are just leaving
the prison walls.
1t has the same interest when got
well into it as the southern children
find in runaway negro" or prison
err base " When the game has been
played frequently, those who join in get
very familiar with the junction Of coun.
tries and learn many straight lines and
clever jumps that had not appeared
feasible before For those who are not
quite conversant with geography easy
tasks are giyen-for instance, to be
placed in "a Paris prison and find their
way home to Boston. New York Press
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

The editor has charter from the
state to act as doormat for the commu-
nifty, He will get the paper out some
how and stand up for the town and
whoop it up for you when you run for
Office and lie about your big footed son
when he gets 81 a week Job ahd weep
over your shriveled soul when it is re.
leased from its grasping body and smile
at your wifes second marriage DOME
worry about the editor; he'll get along.
The Lord only knows how-but some.
how.-Exohange
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
StrnnEe Tastea.

Que day while at Versailles during
the French war Lord Odo Russell went
to call on Bismarck, but found him
closeted with Count Harry Arnim, who
was known as the APE, from his fan
tastical ways. Before long Arnim came
out, tanning himself with his handker
chief ard looking as if about to choke
"Well," he gasped, II cannot under
stand how Bismarck can bear that
smoking the strongest Havanas in 4
stutfy little room. had to beg him tt
open the window"
When Russell entered the room, he
found the chancellor tanning himself
beside an open easement. "What strange
tastes some people havero he exclaimed
"Arnim has just been with me, and hC
was SO overpoweringl perfumed that
had to open the window.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Set Them on Their Feet.

Senator Hoar of Massachusetts has
about the right of the Philippine ques
ton, if he is correctly reported. Hi
says:
~ think we should set the people or
their feet and let them govern them
selves. We will not give these people
back to spain. Indeed, she could not
recoi quer them If we let her alone. WI
will set them on their feet; we will sup
port them in the exercises of self gov
eminent. If in the future it be found
n, cessary we will call other civil zed ano
Christian nations into our counsel and
invite their cooperation. But we will
not annex them to our Union; we will
not treat them as booty, and We will not
govern them MS serfs,"
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

Any adult suffering from cold set
tied on the breast, bronchitis, throat OF
lung troubles of any nature, who will
call on GEO. E SAMPSON, G. W. Fol
SOM or BIxBY & BUCK will be presented
with sample bottle of BosCHEE's GER
MAN SYRUP, FREE OF CHARGE. Only
one bottle given to one person, and none
No throat or lung remedy ever had
such sale as BOsCHEE's GERMAN SY'
RuP in all parts of the civilized world
Twenty years ago millions of bottles
were given away, and your druggists will
tell you it's success was marvellous. II
is really the only Throat and Lung Rem
edy generally endorsed by physicians.
One Is cent bottle will cure or prove its
value. Sold by all druggists in this city.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Diplomatic Proceedings.

the peace commissioners have made
decided progress at Paris during the
week past. The United States commits.
sioners reply to the Spanish argument
proposing arbitration on the construc
ton of certain important words In the
peace protocol. In this they say that
Spain's proposition to invoke the offiee
of a third power to construe the words
control, disposition and government of
the Philippines is rejected by the
American commissioners on the ground
that diction of the third article of the
protocol dealing with the Philippines, is
so broad and clear as to afford no justi-
tification for arbitration as between the
parties to the agreement.
They further propose that the United
States must have possession of the en-.
tire Philippines archipelago with tender
of $4,000, 900 for treaty cession of the
islands.
1t is further declared that it is the
purpose of the United States to main
tain the Philippine islands as an "open
door" to the worlds commerce.
On the terms named the United States
propose mutual REIMBURSEMENT of all
claims of indemnity, national or person
al, subsequent to the outbreak of the
last Cuban insurrection.
November % is fixed upon as the date
on which the United State commission
desires definite response to the prop
osition and all other subjects in issue.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

Since last Thanksgiving day we have
fought war with foreign nation and
won the victory, or series of victories,
and closed the war. This is one event
at least to be thankful for. To be sure
it has cost lives and large expenditure of
money. The latter is not matter of
great importance, but the sacrifice of
lives is. 1t is cause of genuine thanks
giving that the war was of so short
duration, that the expenditures were
not sufficient to embarrsss our govern
ment, and above all, that few lives were
sacrificed relative to what there would
have been had the war continued. We
entered the contest In the interest of
humanity. 1t WAS sharp, short and de-
cisive. Thank God it is over and that
sweet peace is ours again.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Another Murder.

Murders are alarmingly frequent in
our State and we are acquiring reputa-
ton in this particular not at desirable.
The latest is the shooting of Fred
Robinson of Dennysvlle. He left home
Saturday morning, on hunting trip in
the near by forest. He was expected to
return at noon but did not. His father
went in search of him in the afternoon
but not finding him, searching party
was formed and by the barking of his
dog his dead body was found about g
miles from home. He was shot through
the heart. There can be little doubt
but he was shot by another and suspi.
cion at once fell on young man named
Otis Page, who had been out hunting
saturday, as there had been hard feel
ings between Page and Robinson foi
some time, and Page was arrested, sun.
day. Lewis Anthony was also arrested
and both men were held for the grand
iurV
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

Different people look at the same
event or condition in widely different
manner. IL is the same with news
papers. French papers deplore the
miserable fate of Spain and attributes it
to American rapacitv, which it says has
not left the Spainards an inch of terri
tory they have possessed in America or
Oceanca. Ga the other hand the papers
of London concede the generosity of the
offers of the American peace commission
ers and express the opinion that Spain
would be foolish to reject them. Spain
is truly in deplorable condition. The
loss of colonies is not its real calamity.
In fact this is relief to poor old Spain.
1t had. practically got through with
them. Its bankrupt treasury, its dis
sessions and divisions, its great armies
being disbanded and thrown upon the
country without employment or means
of support are the calamities of this
once proud and powerful, still proud,
nation.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Skowhegan Markets

PRICES PAID PRODUCERS.
BUrrER-First quality, stamped, Il tsIs.. ~. .
BEEF-0x beef, & 10 cts
BEANs-H andpicked yellow eyes, S125 to $40
pea beans, s so
OATs-32cts
EGGs- % is per doE. fresh.
HIDES ANp SKINs-Llght hides, t. ets.
Ok hides 7lerts lamb skins % to 81 cts
each calf SKINS. X 10 100 each.
loULrRN-FowlS So 10 CTS. per H.. checkers
RorNp Hos cts.
NooL-t uwashed, "A TO 20 ets.
TAlLow Rough CT. per 10.
potatpes-S040 hu.
RETAIL MARKET.
New Maple Moas>es 3 cts per Of
tHEEsE-l2 To IA per M.
FLoUR-Spung wheat Patent $500, Winter
81 30
CoRN-Sloo per bag meal and cracked corn 20
{. :. MEAL-Sl45 per uag
FEED-Middings. go TO Upper cwt hicago
gluten loo
TEAs-2o to 20 cents per 10.
COFFFE-lh Ia g cts per 10
ORANGEs-l2 10 So cts. per doE.
LEMoSs-2' to 20 cts. per doz
kERosENE-l0c. per gal.
LARp--Domestic 10 cts, Western 6 cts Pure
cts.
PORK-Sc.
MoLAssEs-rure Ponce, ~, pure barbados,
80.
CHOICE CookI>a MoIAssFs pc
DRY FlsH-Cod, Ia cts PER No., pollocf,
3 cts.
ONIoNs-3c per 10.
EGGs-2n to "a cts a dOz
SUGAR Granu!ated, Sugar hest quality II
pounds foT
rown, 20 pounds for 81.
BUTrER-l6 to - cts. per III.
OATs-Western, ~
Potatoes-S050 bu.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

There IS more Catarrh in this section of
the country than all other diseases put to-
getber. and until the last few years was
supposed to be incurable. For many
years doctors pronounced il local dis
ease, and prescribed local remedies, and
are constantly falling to cure with local
treatment. pronounced it incurable.
Silence, has proven catarrh to be con-
sttutional disease and therefore requires
constitutional treatment. Halls Catarh
Cure, manufactured by F. J. Cheney &
Co Toledo, Ohio. is the only constitu-
tional cure on the market. 1t is taken in
ternally in doses from 10 drops TO tea
spoonful. 1t acts directly on the blood
and mucous surfaces Of the system. They
offer one hundred dollars for any case it
fails to cure. Send for circulars and testi-
monials Address.
F. J. CHENEY & CO, Toledo, o
~ Sold by DuggiStS.75e
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24

K. G.. Dunn & Co. in their commercial
and business review of last week say
that the situation is clearer and the i'm
provement in business which was ex-
pected after the election has begun. 1t
is noteworthy that in spite of all
changes the price of spot wheat has but
slightly changed. The exports for the
week, flour included, have been $685.
76S bushels from Atlantic ports, against
3,237, 344 last year and from Pacific
ports 9Ss,093 bushels against 2,l61, 1884
last year. Failures for the week have
been 223 in the United States against 267
last year and 26 in Canada against 80
last year. A very favorable showing,
surely.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Number At


aura Gilman is On The sex list this
wen
ar ana MS. N ales Dlgges have
o@o5 e'''' Dom Inc i4th.
Nj and Mrs Hathaway have moved
INTO their rooms on the soufH side.
The young people had a pleasant party
With Miss kena barker last Monday even
ing.
The grangers have leased the hall of
the K. OF Z. lodge and haze got nicely
moved.
There VI be quotations about Thanks
giqlgg Al t6e L. X torno,row af,er.
noon.
There vif1 he . ,e.,:or n -. o1ass Il
az n < vim NJ leo q - -
n,otrou Nth,
t. r,
INN i.,'" ii""hesis 4ue Set ices dt the
lo1s' sa'.ol'a, O'ufSa' W eahfSday even
''s Ing ~ 2eio'e iianHssFihg)'
Or. Edwards and Miss Mary Wood
aFrFtd iron 30 Carolina, tuesday even
''s. Mss y oou 5000 ''s UP very well
Corporal staples and the rest Of the
oo3s Of me fifst Maine Battery expect to
cav TOR the south on o. about the third
OF Dec
Mrs Turner assisted by Mrs Geo. 0.
Carr and Mrs ! d Ames entertained
her Sunday school class at the parsonage,
last Thursday evening.
Quite number Of the families are
arranging for family dinners for Tbanks-
giving. they will make tbem az nearly
family reunions as possible
The biab school &c. u,ad...l... e
this ~eet I'D 9, Hi,i 1 nor'.e eoneoGa5 VI
first MONDAY in December, or the .th IF
the month. giving only a little over
weeks vacation. The schools in the
Frederic and Tobey districts comnenced
last week. Nearly all the old TEACHERS
will remain and where changes hav4 been
made it has been on account of different
arrange MS made nv the teachers them
selves Miss Wbitcomb will teach in the
! Frederic district and Nina Tuttle in the
Gilman district. The schools have been
very satisfactory this fall throu ,hout and
good work has been done by all.
fe.,ers 4,o,, VI, D p;a.a. III. III.
stlI sd H. horg :, LasI.h, ",'o it,
and sui IN csron :, ca'.,nnat' !, :. o~
nec,ed ,ha, ,be, a;u he 49, - -
to do gsr,,son dnt, Nen r;ass liz q
lo, q ~. h,,,e 49, ;ss,,ed -, aad T :
w., ~, ~, - -. ny" II. ailu
Snsn;ard ,b.t nssds smHnrs1s I ~" ii -,
VII have - tod do is 10 6rl et'r"E al ny ~;
and h. viii he oonar He a ,ial,' az ,h ,.
,bey are bavirde bst,er faod 80 I'd Ia
bread baked in fs,ae ovens -, he go go
Ground Cornorai 7 or(,ls,. = ell; IN .nahl r
~ d. rn,cb drt,' h,t ~ o,ba, Worr;do,
wook boys are all feeling as sna &c s;it
-. s - .'.'I '...,
uesqdy was d ioEeiy Gay ana an ROADS
Ieu 70 So u aho 10 Inc somerset
! oiiiona vi anse hnieh was neiu win inc
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
A Coronation Robe.

Queen Wilhelmina' coronation robe
was embroidered in Amsterdam by six
young women under the guidance Of the
Fine Art Needlework school 1t is said
that these girls spent three months exc
outing the work, stitching hard all day
The train, however, of rich cream satin,
was cut aud made up by Paris modiste
visited by the young queen during her
stay in the capital few months ago,
The embroidery ON the robe in renais-
sance in character and carried out in
gold and silver threads. The queen 8
best dresses have hitherto been made in
Vienna
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
.xrnRRp As snoeNp GLASS NAIL MATTER,
PREMIUMS FREE
TO Subscribers to The Somerset
Reporter.

The following special premiums are
offered to subscribers to the SOMERSET
REPORTER who pay one full year in
advance, FREE.
Seven different books of the puritan
Library'--paper covers.
Choice of a large number of 30 cent
books, cloth bound.
II the above are to be sent by mail s
cents must be added for postage.
Seven of the "People's Hand Book
Series" by mail, postage paid.
The New York Weekly Tribune, one
year.
These offers are made to induce old
subscribers to pay up and pay one year
in advance and also to induce others to
subscribe for the REPORTER, and are
limited to Januar7 Is, 1899.
Please give this your attention. Re-
NIT by mail, Registered Letter or Post
Office order, or by check at our risk.
The Somerset reporter., 1898-11-24
Victims of G@mbltnE-

The list of persons who have killed
themselves because they have been ruin
ed by the Vienna Municipal Lottery is
who had spent all her money in buying
tickets and had never won prize hanged
herself. Nevertheless the citizens of
Vienna look with favor on the lottery,
az it keeps down taxes