Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-02-12

THE ROOSTER WAS AN EMBLEM OF GRIT AND
INDEPENDENCE
speakin we'll of the town. II he didn't
he'd set the folks down as vicious and
desperate and drive on to Tarrytown
or Dobbs Ferry. The squar' wanted
that ball as big as a pumpkin, and he
wanted real gold leaf fur gildin, and
he closed his speech with an appeal to
the people to continue to be innocent
and happy. Deacon Spooner was chair
man of the meetin. rs usual, and when
the squar' sot down the deacon SAID
he'd made a pint. Enos Williams was
then called upon. He headed the fac
ton who wanted a rooster. Enos didn't
90 as fur back as the squar'. He has
asthma and is short Of breath. and so
he started out with Columbus to dis
kiver America. He had bin readin up
on ROSTERS. He couldn't find that roos-
tiers was an emblem Of innocence, but
he didn't want no innocence on a court
house tower The stranger would hnd
innocence when he come to play check
ers or trade bosses with a Jericholan.
The rooster was an emblem of grit and
independence. He was bird who
went to bed at shutdown, got up before
sunrise and was huStlin around all day.
A rooster on top Of that tower would
signify that Jericho could take care Of
herself and didn't bow down to any
other town in the state. He was out
of breath and had busted a suspender
when he sot down, and Deacon Spoon
err raped with cane and said:
"Enos has not only made speech
equal to anything Henry Clay ever got
off, but he's made a thunderin big
pint in favor Of the roosterites. was
ag'in the rooster when l come here, but
I've almost changed my mind. Let US
hear from Silas Bebee."
Silas was one who wanted the p'ints
of the compass put up. He was born
in Jericho when the iown had but three
houses and had been turned around fur
30 years. The only way he could tell
north from south or east from west
was to make black spot on Uncle Jim
Green's barn door, and he never went
10 the back end Of his own cornfeld
without gittin lost and hevin to whistle
to his wife. His speech was up to
date. He didn't 60 back over six
months. he said that what had allus
allied Jericho and what would allus
keep her down was the want Of KNOWN
the compass p'ints. He wasn't the
only one who was turned around. Half
the folks in town couldn't go buckle
berryin without gittin lost and wander
In around all night. Hogs and dogs
walked around in circle because they
was confused, and every time there
was a lawsuit most Of the witnesses
said west fur east. An emblem OF In
nocence would be all right, and roost-
er would be thing Of beauty, but both
would be beaten by compass p'ints.
"Silas has made purity good speech
and purity good pint" says the dea-
con, land I'm sorter lettin 90 Of the
rooster and leanin to his side. Though
I've lived In Jericho fur % years, l
can't make out yit whether my pigpen
is on the north or west side Of the
house. I'm understandin that Elisha
Taylor has sunthin to spring on this
meetin, and we are ready to hear it"
Elisha was ready. He had bin watch.
in the growth Of the town hall fur six
long years. and he had had his eye on
the tower day and night. He had look
ed at 1t from the street and from the
roof of his barn. He had looked at 1t
at MONDAY and squinted ut it at mid
night and had come to one unalterable
conclusion-he wanted the figger Of
gilt angel to finish off that tower, and
he wanted that angel to be pintin up
wards, same as on gravestone he saw
In Buffalo. The angel would signify
the goodness Of Jericho, and strangers
would no longer stop and raise row
because they couldn't git a glass Of
beer or find anybody to take hand at
poker. Her p'intin upward would be
an object lesson to the Sunday school
children, and the sight Of her would
calm the feelin's of a man about to
lick his wife.
There was a howl Of derlsion as Ell.
sha sot down, and the deacon said that
no pint had bin made. He was dea-
con Of the church and good man, but
he'd never consent to hist gilt angel
on top Of the town hall. She might
pint upwards or downwards or any
other way, but angels didn't belong on
towers. He called upon Beverly Jones
fur his views, and Beverly jumped up
and declared himself In favor Of the
American eagle. If rooster signified
grit and independence, an eagle signi.
fed all that and dozen things more.
An eagle stood fur liberty, freedom and
equal rights. 1t was the emblem Of
glorious republic. Its wings sheltered
the helpless as well as the strong, and
its soft cooin lulled the infant to sleep.
while Its scream sent the father to the
field Of battle to fight fur the grandest
principles Of mankind. It was rattlin
speech, full Of redhot patriotism, and
Deacon Spooner said that Daniel Web
ster never approached it in his palmiest
days It didn't affect the other fac.
tons, however. They stuck out fur
the gilt ball, the rooster, the compass
p'ints and the angel, and each one de.
clared he'd fight to the bitter end.
As q compromise, Jim Shorely, who
didn't care what they put up. moved
1vp~ . I'LL