Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-05-22
.xBY THE WAY~

%*BY THE WAY*
There are seven persons at Newiane
Jail at present and they all complain
Of lonely feeling. But they are able
to smoke and play cards, so the hours
are not so very dreary after all. Inc
menu at the jail Is not elaborate. yet
it is substantial and nourishing. Yes
terday, for instance, there was meat,
baked potatoes and coffee for break :
fast, roast beef, potatoes and rice for
dinner, and pie, cake and tea for sup
per No need to take tonic for that.
n y r. n
Everything points to the increased
prosperity Of Brattleboro this summer
Everything. Rents are scarce, the
builders are busy, real estate men are
on the jump, people are looking for
homes there are not cars enough to
carry the freight, the expressmen are
busy, the hotels are so full there
is scarcely room for another, peo-
pie are coming every day, the towns
life is livelier and, in short, business
is good, very good, and growing daily.
X
So, then, let's turn to and help; let's
make this beautiful and attractive
town more beautiful, more attractive.
The very best is none too good for US,
is it? Don't rest content at the half
way post. The very best we can DO is
to do our very best-nothing less,
nothing better. And when we start
on this very fine plan of improve
ment along all lines why not begin at
the depot, which we occasionally visit
and where all our visitors must OF me-
cessity get of.
y
Get those clouds of dust subdued-
choking, dirty, binding. What an
impression they give the stranger step
ping from a musty, moth eaten car
Then clean out that very pretty water
fall at the first turn of the road. Now
it is the receptacle of everything.
Some scientific, wholesale dispenser of
garbage threw thousands OF labels into
it day or two ago. 1t is the
dump" of the railroad men, the sew
er of the thoughtless. Clean it, let 1T
be as beautiful as nature made it, give
this bright spot chance. Don't clog
it with the towns refuse. 1t is a
shame!
Among the Personals" of this week
should be mentioned the Oriole family
of Baltimore. They came Friday morn
ing last, early, and they will spend the
summer. The oriole is beautiful chap,
very atfectiopate fellow, and his note
is good anywhere. He will make
friends with you on half a chance; let
him know that you like him, begin to
understand him, and he will follow
you, even long for you. He will miss
you if you 60 away. Mr.. Oriole, by the
by, is so named because his colors,
orange and black, are those of Lord
Baltimore. He sputters when be is re-
minded that he is third cousin to the
crow, but SO he is.
Trout brooks have been so thorough
ly whipped the past month that old
fishermen say the season is about over.
About all the big trout have been
caught. There have been from three
to dozen fishermen on every brook
daily and the speckled beauties have
had no peace in this relentless pursuit.
1t is generally believed that the pres
emit poor fishing is due more than any
thing else to the wholesale raid on the
brooks weeks before the law went off
and fishing became legal. True sports
men hereabouts are so incensed at this
violation that steps will be taken be-
fore another spring insuring protec-
ton and providing heavy penalties for
the unrighteous poachers.
He was we'll dressed; looked like a
kind, good hearted man, the right sort
of citizen. 1t was the other morning, a
muddy morning, after the nights rain.
He drove up to the Main street curb
and as he left his carriage he thought
lessly put his gloved hand on the mud
dy tire. He seemed surprised to find a
big wad of mud in his palm. Yet it
was for but moment. He glanced
up and down the walk furtively. No
body was watching He went to Dob
bins nose and with atfectionate, ca
ressing strokes wiped all the mud
from his glove on his faithful friends
face. 1t was touching display of
mans devotion. His glove now clean,
he smiled with satisfaction, hitched
briskly and departed. Name withheld
out of respect for the horse.
The late Sheriff Starkey was in his
prime an athlete of more than local
note. 1t is said of him that as catch
as-catch-can wrestler he had no super
ior in this part of the country. An
amusing story is told in this connec-
ton. One day the sheriff, driving along
near the Retreat, was stopped by
stranger who said: "Where can / find
Sheriff Starkey? I'm from Leominster,
in Massachusetts, and | can throw any
man. hear Starkey can wrestle pretty
we'll, and l come up to find him. " The
sheriff, who had a bit of humor be-
meath his badge, entered into the spirit
of the joke directly. Said ne: NOW,
stranger, | know Starkey; he's good
'un and pretty strong, but | can throw
him, I've done it lot of times. Now,
you tackle me, to begin with, and if
you can throw me you bet you can
down Starkey" This plan hit the
strangers idea to T and they had it
out right off, on the grass beside the
road. In jiffy the muscular sheriff
has his man on his back, and twice
more he did the trick with little eff
fort. Then he explained the situation.
The Leominster man howled with glee
when he found out what he had been
up against and the two men were fast
friends ever afterward.