The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-05-08
ABOUT TOWN.
Reflections aud Observations.

The coming OF "spriug time" Is accom-
panied now +dsys by n co fl CT more or
less viOlen ly waged, bet tween the claims OF
athletics that have grown to be so prom
inent part In the youths curriculum, and
the scholastic pursuits which his teachers
and, in most cases, his parents still consid-
er deserving II his attention. The develop
ment OF the first has bsen aged be-
cause It has served to round out the educs-
ton which use TO be one-sidsd, aud, in
con5eq 4 nc, som 3jImes lOp- lid sd. But
how lar II may Contribute, and Just where
IT begins to infringe, is q nice question.
Athletic games are good training, bee tuse
they teach the participants prompt, de-
cisive action. But the other kind OF train
ing teac les thinkinR-A necessary prelimin-
airy to any kind Of doing, and, II prelimin-
airy, then first TO be considered II the par
ents OF pupils in our pu1l c SCHOOLS who are
naturally inclined 70 mig rhs time for
game from their required school hours will
back up the efforts of the teachers to keep
this tendency within reasonable bounds,
they Will b. aiding the good work Of train
ing useful ctiz sns, whose duty It becomes
to keep the laws and not to break them.
For straight is the line OF duty" and,
though the pitcher may vehemently con-
tend that "cnrved is the line Of beauty" hs
must admit thAt the first is the shortest dis
lance between two 9oins. Yet it is not to
be denied that these small violations OF the
law aud order of school community fur
nish the most satisfactory material for rem
inisceuce, lacking which the elders would
find life insupporteble-a long record OF
lost opportunities. They afford subjects for
conversation at stag supper5," and, doubt
less, II overheard by the present genera
ton, would tend 10 render less effective the
parental cours prescribe above
Measured by the significance of the names
AnOlia1 ThA q GA yua1Hiuu m
versaries Of figs 5eu, tWenGy five and fifty
year,, the M ariel state grows more ami
more valuable to all Concerned, till in some
fortunate instances IL reaches golden age.
Longfellow,in This Htnging of the Crane"
makes this allusion to the celebration Of
such an event ~ Col. and Mrs. Brown 80
pleasantly observed last Wednesday:
what see now2 The night is fair;
The storm of grief, the cloud of care,
The wind, the rain, have passed away;
The lamps are IT, the fires burn bright
II is the Golden Wedding Day.
The guests come thronging in ouce more,
Quick footsteps sound along the floor,
The troopng children crowd the stair,
Flashes along the corridor
The sunshine Of tt cir golden hair"
-.
The surprise party for Miss Tromblee last
Wednesday evening WAS a greater success
than that recorded as given TO the redoubr-
able Samantha Allen. The latter lady, it
will be remembered, took hers hard, and
absolutely refused TO be surprised--in fact,
the affair was in no way q social success,
the participants being summarily dismissed
by this masterful person, whom they de-
sired to honor. Perhaps it was not prop
erly conducted. History states that they
proceeded to Samsnthas house in large
body and, meeting her, were repulsed and
scattered. Miss Tromblee found her guests
already ASSENT led, and, perhaps because
she is a small body, and perhaps because
glA ia friandlV aha NADIA nj xyiOlant
resistance TO the occupation OF her castle by
her friends, the enemy.
-.
So1sa played Thursday afternoons time
OF day not calculated to bring out large
audience in town where the leisure
class" is not numerous, But such are the
attractions Of his name, borne out by the
good work OF his former visit here, tn at the
opera house was we'll filled. Many who do
not possess leisure were observed to beg,
borrow, or steal it, in order to avail them.
selves OF the privilege of listening to the
music Of the band" 1t pays have it here
at any time of the day or night.
-.
Holidays are none too numerous in Yer
mont--and, now that there's some discus
sion about appointing Memorial Day to a
certain Sunday in May, in order that its OBJ
servance may be kept more in accordance
with the spirit suggested by its NAME the
workers are alert to see II they must lose
that day out of the spring time. Holidays
are good investments. Many large institu-
tions, notably in this vicinity the National
Life Insurance Company" have found the
half holiday during the summer time pro-
moter of good conditions, interest, and en-.
ergy, among their employees "Oft was
weary when 1 toiled at thee" the galley
slave carved on his oar-handle, and the
same inscription has been writ upon thou
sands OF different tools that men WELD
now Given more relaxation, they will be
less inclined to carve discouraged verses, or
to rise up some day when Ito transpose the
heartless old motto) "the deluge" is latter
u.s." and use their oars as weapons in often
sive warfare.