Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-05-01


FSTTSaJ Uncle Terry once, 'an'
t&xssJ don't 'spect to be bout 60
in out. | was born on a way back farm
in Connecticut, where the rocks was SO
thick we used ter round the sheep up
once week an sharpen thar noses on
the grin'stun so t they could get 'em
tween the stunS. l walked a mile to
school winters an stubbed my toes on
the farm summers till l was fourteen,
an then the old man greed to give me
my time till [ was twenty-one if I'd
pay him half | earned. | had colt an
old busted wagon, an / took to dicker-
in | bought eggs an honey an pelts
of all sorts, an peddled notions an
farmin' tools. When l cum of age L
went to the city an turned trader an
made little money, got married an
cum down into Maine an bought
gold mine I've got it yit-that is, I've
got the hole whar l s'pOsed the mine
was. Most O. my money went into II
an stayed thar. Then l got chance
to tend light an ketch Holsters an hev
stuck to it ever since. | take some
comfort Twin, an try an pass it along.
The Wilder Leach calls me a scotfer,
but she allus comes to me when she's
needin', an don't allus have to cum ell
Their My life's been like most every
body else's, a streak O lean an
streak O. fat with lean predOminatin.
Twas streak O. fat when l found
good woman an she said yes an
streak o. lean when | was bambOOZled
by a lawyer into buyin' a gold mine.
I've KEEP that hole ever since an paid
taxes ont to prove to myself jest how
big fool a man can be an live.
give never wronged nobody nor done
much prayin', an when the Almighty
calls me 1 think I'll stand jest as good
a chance O. gittin' a harp as those
whose done more ont. The worst
skinnin' l ever got was done by this
ere lawyer, who never SOt down to
meals 'thout askin' blessin', an meb-
be that's the reason I'm a scoffer. I've
observed good deal Since 1 left the
old farm. an have come to the belief
that thar's a sucker born every mint
and two ter ketch him. When I was
young / took hold O. the big end O. the
log an did the liftin', but now l take
hold O. the little end an do the grunt-
in. Thar's one thing I've larned. an
larned it for sartin, an that is thar's
few people in this world that cut a
ham in the middle. Most on 'em cut
few slices an cut 'em thin
Among the Southport islanders I'm
Gle Terry was considered an odd stick,
and yet one who would go out of his
way to do a good turn to others. He
was seldom seen at church. though his
wife and Telly usually We're AS he
once remarked: Its a good thing for
'em, cause it takes up thar mind an
is more sociable, though prayin' allus
seems to me a good deal like man
tryin' to lift himself by his boot straps.
1t keeps him busy, though, an it's
healthy exercise"
In spite of his investment in a mine
he had been frugal and owned most
of the land between the village and
the point and was also joint owner,
with two other men, in a small trad
/ ing schooner that made semimOnthly
! trips between the Cape and Boston.
| She carried fish, CLAIMS. Holsters, hay
| and potatoes and fetched an "all sorts
! cargo useful to the islanders, from a
paper of needles to a hogshead of mo-
| lasses
The most pronounced characteristic
of Uncle Terry was his unfailing good
humor, tinged with mild sarcasm.
He loved his fellow men and yet en-
| joyed puncturing their small conceits,
but so droll was his way of doing it
that no one felt the sting. To Bascom,
who kept the only store and also post
office at the Cape and dearly loved to
hear himself talk, Uncle Terry once
said: you've got the greatest gift O.
CAB 1 ever heerd, Bascom, an you
could "a made your forth in the show
business. But if you're ever took with
religion the hull island II turn infid-
| die"
fro az Continued