Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1902-01-03
WESTMINSTER WEST.

Mrs Myron II. Edison OF Bellows Falls
has spent several days with her parents.
Mrs and Mrs. J. l.. Ormsby.
Chester II. Brden of Pawtucket, r.. L..
was at George Gould's a few days last
week He is soon To be employed In the
office of the city treasurer as assistant
The entertainment by the dramatic
club last Friday evening was we'll at
tended and passed off in creditable
manner. The financial result exceeded
expectation, the sum of $lS having been
realized after payment of expenses.
The ladies missionary societies held
their annual meeting Tuesday at the
parsonage. Reorganization vas effected
by the choice of Mrs Alfred p Ranney
rs president for the home work and Mrs.
f r. Chapman as secretary and treas
urer, Mrs. Jennie NJ. Gould as president
for the foreign work. and Mrs. Augusta
F. RanneY secretary and treasurer.
There has been a very good attendance at
the monthly meetings during the year.
The young cattle belonging to Levi
Houghton, which have been roaming the
hills a month or more. much Of the time,
have at last been secured. They We're so
wild that no one could approach them in
the fields But they were finally drawn
down To Deacon Campbclls barn by scat
tering fodder from the pasture along to
the barn. They would come down at
night to eat but would then go back be-
fore daylight. After several days they re
manned in the yard, and when the fitting
time came they We're captured and by
roping them in pairs We're taken home,
Thus a long chase has ended. with the
creatures in very good condition. There
We're nine at first but two We're secured
some time ago.
The large elm in front of George
Goulds residence has been feled. 1t was
north to south and four and one-half feet
from east to west. 1t had double
centre and the appearance of two trees
grown together at the start. No one
supposed IL was other than single tree
from the outward look of trunk or top.
If there were two they had grown to-
gether so entirely as to appear like one.
Attempt has been made to count the
rings to ascertain the age of the tree but
II proved to be no easy task In the mid
die of its life it grew rapidly, increasing
at the rate of a quarter of an inch or
more between the rings but in recent
years the growth has been slow. II is
evident il was considerably more than 100
years old, and perhaps was placed there
near the time the first house was built
about no. David Heaton settled upon
that farm. He was prominent citizen
of the place. one of the members at the
time of the formation of the church and
it is said of him in the early history
that at the Sunday service he generally
set the tune to the psalm. He died in
1916. Edward II. Harlow bought the
place about 1880 He lived there until
his death in 1883. His son, Henry G. Har-
low, now Of Keene, lived there some
years. Since then the farm has been
owned by Capt. D. c. Gorham until sold
this last year TO the present owner.
The elm has been a noted landmark for
two generations having been apparently
at nearly its present size for as much as
forty or fifty years. Probably If Capt.
Heaton did not plant the tree where il
has stood, he spared it as a young tree
when he cleared the spot of its original
timber Doubtless it would have stood
much longer had ii not been struck by
lightning a few years ago. Since then
il has shown marked signs of decay. The
large branch on the south side fell more
than year ago and the original beauty
of the tree was much impaired thereby.