The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-19

which We're planted at the water side,
and half kept in or near the watch
house" A company of volunteer artil-
lerymen "cladde in coate of cotton
woolle,' were expected to waltz these
formidable pieces around the mar
! kett place. as well as the numerous
| stumps and water holes would allow.
When they sagged back from this live
| ly exercise the ruling elders would
come out and 'speake to the souldiers
some words of exhortation to quicken
them to a conscientious attendance to
their duty
That the authorities were satisfied
with Mr.. Bassett's engineering abilities
seems plausible, for having provided
for things militant they turned their
attention to things triumphant and
peered into the condition of their meet
ing house. Although this editice had
been built less than six years It's APP
pearance was anything but suggestive
of heavenly temple. 1t is gratifying
to find. however, that, although the
building had deteriora ted, the language
of it's worshippers had improved, for
Goodman Bassett was requested to
and see if the girtes fly not QUITE" The
report of this committee was not fiat
tering to the builders, but we must re-
member that the structure was fash
toned of green timber and with imper-
feet tools.
Possibly it's rickety condition was
provocative of the reverential attitude
of uplifted eyes by the congregation,
but whether such posture grew out of
religious fervor or fear that the roof
might fall on their heads, we have no
means of knowing. At any rate they
braced UP the building and occupied it
until 1870
And here we must take leave Of
Goodman Bassett." He died in 1858.
He has been introduced merely as a
setting in order to place upon the ca
sci his son Roberto Robert the Drum
mer"-at once the best known and the
most hated parsonage in New Haven.
Best known, for he was town bill board,
poster sticker and general advertising
agent of the colony, and worst hated
because such a deadly foe to late rising
One marvels as he considers those
times why it was necessary to get up
at such unseemly hours. The men did
not have to run for the train nor the
women for the bargain counter. 1t is
possible there was the old feminine
competition as to who could earliest
hang out the Mondays wash but grant
this, and the mystery still enshrouds us
why the internal rattle of a drum
should be heard-(quoting the Ian
guage Of the order) half an hour be-
fore day in the markett-place and some
of the streetes." (The thoroughfares
selected probably contained the lightest
sleepers.)
This daily matin song,-clear or
cloudy, summer and winter--waS Rob |
ert Bassett's paramount issue" That |
he might never miss it, the night watch |
was instructed to call him IAN houre |
afore day." and as matter of neigh |
borliness, walk with him as a guard |
while he continues beating" The |
course of such reveile at the present
day would doubtless be marked by an
aggregation of missiles such as are
commonly discharged at the transient I
occupants of the fences in our rear
yards after nightfall.
This official programme daily
brought Mr.. Bassett prominently be-
fore the public.
Blake in his Chronicles of New Ha-
ven Green, says he was town clock,
bell and public morning
rooster all in one"
Stephen Medcalfe was his partner
and the twain had trust in drum
ming. They were ordered in 1915 to put
their drums in repair and for years
service We're to receive ga apiece.
Their hours Oh duty We're clearly de-
fined, and when not drumming they
We're waiting orders to drum They
drummed before breakfast and after
breakfast, and at luncheon time. and
at noon, and afternoon and supper and
bedtime.
They drummed to waken people and
to put them to sleep, to call the watch.
to attend "traynings," to summon for
all meetings, to warn the people of ven
dues, to assemble the general and par
ticular courts, to announce arrival of
ships, to beat an 'alarum'' for an en-
envy, &C.. in short the times and sea-
sons when they did not drum must have
oeen occasions of public thanksgiving
oy nervous settlers. 1t is no wonder |
hen that our hero (as he did com
planned to- the authorities that with all 5
his he was also compelled to stand | {
watch" and asked that he might be dis