Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1904-01-25

pupils to love that which was pure
and true and to hate that which was
immoral and degrading. Those of his
old pupils who knew of his plans at the
time of his last visit here among US
had looked forward with great pleas
ure to the reunion of the school which
he intended should take place this last
summer; but now we must wait until
the great reunion when all those who
love God and have tried to serve him
here shall be reunited. And l feel
sure we shall find Mr.. Thrasher there
for he must have had the love of God
in his heart to have made him the
man we all knew him to be. And if,
through the mercy and love of the
Heavenly Father l am permitted to
be enc of that company-as l look
back over the way have been led
shall see more plainly than even now
how much l have to thank not only
my old teacher but my old teachers
for. To me, "He being dead yet
speaketh," and thank God that he
gives US the help that we find in such
lives as that which Mr. Thrasher lived
before US.
AN OLD PUPIL.
Max Bennett Thrasher as Business Man.
am asked to say few words in
regard to the social and business
career in Newport of Max Bennett
Thrasher, more Familiarity known
to most of us as Ben Thrasher.
My recollections of those days
are so pleasant t b t l am in
danger of making my remarks more
lengthy than you Will care to hear,
buG will condense as much as posi-
BILE.
He came to Newport when about
twenty year of age, having already
gained good reputation as school
teacher at which work he had been
very successful. His first situation
was with Fl. S. Lawrence as assistant
postmaster and he very soon mastered
all the details of the office and so
capable did he prove to be that he
practically carried all the work of the
office, leaving Mr.. Lawrence free to
give all his time and attention to his
other business. At the expiration of
Mr.. Lawrence's term of Office, the
administration in the meantime
having changed, Mr.. Thrasher made
application for the appointment of
postmaster and so popular had he
become that he received the appoint
ment with little or no opposition, to
the satisfaction of very large part
of the patrons of the Office of what
ever political faith. He was an
honest and sincere democrat, but his
thorough and systematic management
of the Office and his pleasant and
obliging ways with all with whom he
came in contact gained him the good
will of very large part of the men
whom he served, without any regard
to the political party to which he
belonged. His term of office con-
tinued from 1886 to 1890 and the
administration having changed faith
again, he was obliged to give way to a
man of opposite political faith. On
his retirement from the post office
he purchased a half interest in the
drug store of ]. r. Hall, recently de-
ceased, where he spent about a year,
devoting himself to the business with
the same close application with which
he had devoted himself to his former
occupations. But it soon became evil
dent to him that he had not found his
life work as the details of the work of
a drug store left him too little time to
devote to literary work, where his
inclinations were, and an opportunity
having presented itself, he sold his
interest in the drug business in 1892
and moved to Boston, where he found
more congenial occupation.
His social career exhibited the same
qualities which gave him success in
business. His tact and gracious man
ners gained him friends and his oblig-
ing disposition and genuine kindness
of heart served to retain them. He
made himself welcome in any society
his originality in conceiving plans and
his push and persistence in carrying
them out marked him as born social
leader. One of his chief social inter-
ests in Newport was known as the
Clio Club, branch of the Chatauqua
Literary and Scientific Circle, COM
prising many of the leading young
people of the place, and throughout
the four years course his genial man
ner, breadth of mind and depth of in
L