The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-10-03

A few OF the older inhabitants tell anus
ing stories of Uncle Roger Hubbard, father
of Erastus, who, in his day and generation
was a character whose fame was not con-
fined to local circles. 1t appears that the
old gentleman neighbored alongside party
Of he name OF Stone, who kept hens At
least he had hens but did not always keep
them, to the frequent sorrow Of Uncle Hub
bard's garden. 1he havoc at last reached q
point when the latter served notice on
brother Stone that any Stone hens seen in
the garden would be shot. The next morn
ing stray hen was seen busly employed
in his garden and was promptly shot and
thrown over the fence for the use Of Mr..
Stone. The latter picked the hen up, also
the feathers off, and devoured it. This was
kept up for several morning and meanwhile
Stone feasted on hens. After weeks mas
sacre young Eras us called the attention of
his father to the fact that he-the boy
had turned loose his own hens several days
previous, and that neighbor Stone had been
fattening on Hubbard hens. killed and
thrown over the fence as gift! The ba-
rometer fell two inches in as many seconds
and heavy weather at once prevailed.
At another time Uncle Hubbard was liv-
ing in mortal fear of young bear, the pet
and property Of a neighbor named Truax.
The Truax bear had been raised from cub
and being thoroughly domesticated rosmed
at will during the day around the neigh
borhood, to the dire apprehension Of Uncle
Roger. He registered a threat to shoot 1t If
it came on his premises. and for that pur-
pose had his old Belgian musket loaded to
the muzzle sight. Incidentally he owned q
large black hog. Late one evening Erastus
informed his father that he could see big
black animal prowling around the foot OF
the garden, and swearing long-delayed
vengeance on the bear, Roger annexed the
old musket, took the best possible aim in
the darkness, and turned loose. "There"
said Uncle Roger, "let Trusx come and get
his bearl" The next morning disclosed the
Hubbard hog deceased and stiff in the
bushes, .pickled with several pounds Of
lead. More heavy weather.
thank thee, Lord, for cloudy weather,
We soon would tire OF blue;
1 thank, thee, Lord, for Pain, our brother
Whose rude care holds US true.
1 thank thee for the weary morrow
That makes the past more sweet;
l thank thee for our sister, Sorrow,
Who leads us to thy feet.
Rev. Mr.. Judkins' illustration of "Being
VS.. Existing" in his sermon last evening"
was given q lively local turn. He said an OK
turned out to pasture In the spring would
eat and sleep nearly all the time, scamper a
little and frighten few people, but the end
and aim of his life Is TO eat, sleep and ac-
cumulate fat. just 80, Mr.. Judkins said,
with many men in this city. They exist to
eat and sleep, varying the monotony only
by scampering little and occasionally try
ing to scare somebody. The highest smbi-
tion Of both the OK aud the man is to eat,
sleep and put on flesh. Any higher life for
their own improvement and elevation or
that OF the world around them, is never
thought Of.
The Democratic members OF the House
held caucus at committee room at
the Capitol this evening at 1880 to formulate
o program OF action as to candidate for
speaker and also for the candidates for the
Supreme Court bench and for minority re-.
presentation ON the commissions. A he