Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-09-11

sportsman blazed away. But 1t CHANGED
that at that very moment another anc
nearer bird. startled at the footsteps
took wing and In Its flight went direct
! ly In line. The result was that the
sportsman. firing at bird 40 feet dis
tant, blew to bits a bird less than a
dozen feet In front OF his gun muzzle
AS he says himself: There was so lit
tie left that even the dog was dis
!, gusted."
A lady writes US: please say some-
thing in the Reformer about the condi-
ton of the sidewalks on the main
street of the town on Sunday morning,
and of their dirtiness" There Is but one
word to say in reply, and every mer-
chant on both sides of the street knows
exactly what that word is. The streets
are more travelled on Saturday nights
than at any other time during the week.
More people are out: the sidewalks are
more used. Shoppers and strollers are
alike careless. The result is that when
the crowds go home the sidewalks are
Uttered with fruit skins, peanut shucks,
the refuse of the thoughtless. Paper
bags. decaying Feelings and the like,
sprinkling the sidewalks, do not make
an attractive promenade for those on
their way to church services next
morning. Men do not regard these
things seriously. but women, in their
Sunday finery, pick their steps more
cautiously and do a good bit of think
ing even II they don't say much. The
remedy? 1t wouldn't take five min
utes at close of business to sweep the
walk in front of the largest store in
town, brush the refuse off and put it
| in shape. Such an organized move
ment on the part Of the merchants
| would do more, even in q small way, to
make this town more attractive and
beautiful than any one thing that
comes to mind. Try it and see!
| Apparently, considering the record
for the past three or four years, it
would be a very nice thing If the Wheel
club should issue. along with its clam
| bake bids. an accident policy covering
general disability for a period of say
six weeks or So long enough at least
for bones to knit. Two years ago it
was Mr.. Somebody, who attended the
festivities and was on crutches for
some time thereafter. Last year the
bass drum took an upward flight and
came down on somebody's ribs, mot
breaking them" il is explained, only
cracking emf" This year one of the
well known men of the town has a
splintered elbow. Some funny fellow
crouched behind him. another funny
fellow pushed him backward, and
that's the way it happened. 1t is the
old school boy trick Of pulling ones |
chair from behind. and it appears to
be quite as successful as a disabler. |
Yet one would scarcely look for such |
horse play" among grown-ups! But |
then, the club pays the bills of the in |
jured. so what's all this talk about, |
anyway?
What will we do for peaches this
year? Mr.. Miller of Dummerston
picked several hundred bushels in his
orchard last year, but this year he finds
only half a dozen on 1900 trees. The
growers lay it to an off" year, but
that hardly explains it. The next
man who invents anything should in
vent something that will make fruit
grow in or years. The problem is
becoming serious.
Bright sunshine made Labor Day
Just the right sort of a day for the :
thousands who had been anticipating F:
the outing. 1t was altogether ideal
and joyous, weather. wise-just right, .
Fair skies for holiday mean so very
much to the very many that it is de- :
ightful to record perfect conditions /.
Everybody who could get out got out.
A rainy holiday is one of the most mis-
,rable things that happens, but this !:
labor Day just gone by squares up
many old accounts.
Labor Day was also film day The
ocal dealers in camera supplies tried
o close up but couldn't even though
hey had promised to do so. 1t did
eem as if everybody here for a brief Z
tay had just snapped the last shot"
while the other stores
we're closed the men who sold film
oils for kodaks and the rest were
mong the busiest. The same is true
f the fellows who sell shells for guns
Ibout every other man in town took
he opportunity to go hunting and II III
ppeared, at a. m, that nearly every ',
ne of them had forgotten the cart Il
idges. Therefore stores were open
hat should have been closed, and en-
ious neighbors made comment One Or
( the barber shops disregarded the adj VI
ance proclamation and did quite a Or
vely business up to $3.50 a m. An .
.e cream stand refused to do anything Q)
bout closing up, and is probably try
lg the continuous performance.
here were others. Taken altogether ~r
looks as IL the local merchants were u
OF very closely united in their opin- -,
ms on this question of closing on legal ~
olidays. "a
There is another phase of the situa-
on. AS If the newspapers had not
wen due and sufficient notice that
lie markets. grocers and all stores III
ere to close on Monday the girls in =.
lie telephone office were called every III
mute or two to make connections in
heir explanation that it was Labor ar
ay and that the stores were not open
d not suffice. Many subscribers to Ill
e phone exchange got irate over the
after. and made very emphatic re-
arks. One man called for a certain Ct
imber. and being told the usual story, u
sisted that It was not SO at all. and w,
knew it," In proof he called I'D
e Brooks House, sent bell boy to
1lx-e etc,