Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-07-14
THE MEDDLER.
"lr HE eep ms yon PIT II on"

Brattleboro's latest directory has
been distributed this week, seVer"'
months behind time on account oi
litigation between rival publishers for
this reason Il Is by no means surety
up- to date but will no doubt serve the
purpose for which II was puDiisheu'
The volume contains the usual num-
Der of misspelled names, transposed III,
itials and wrong street addresses, anu
I'm It's list Of town and village officers IL
given a board of bailifs which has mol
been In service since year ago last
May. However such mistakes have
come to be looked upon ms a matter
of course even II they are annoying TO
those who believe In getting things
right occasionally. II Is rather IN
teresting to note the surnames when
appear most prominently In the list
of Brattleboro's inhabitants. smith
as usual leads with "a persons tabu-
lated under II, while Johnson Is
close second with 40 to its credit, Third
I'm order comes Miller with SO. fourth
Clark with 81 and fifth Pratt with 30.
The names Allen. Fisher Harris,
Houghton, Knight Perry. Sargent ana
Thomas each have 20 or more bear
erS.
1t caused lot of warm discussion at
the last town meeting. did the question
of appropriating $3.50 for portraits OF
Thomas and Elizabeth Thompson to
be hung In the Brattleboro Memorial
hospital, but as The Meddler remem-
bers 1t the motion finally went through
upon the agreement of several Gnu
zens to pay for the pictures out OF their
own pockets provided the Legality OF
the action was ever questioned. Inc
Meddler has not had occasion TO VISIT
the hospital since that time, ana SIN
cerely hopes no such occasion VIII
arise. but If the pictures had been hung
1t almost seems as If he would have
heard about 1t before now. In all prob
ability the selectmen have not yet CIV
en- the commission TO any wielder OF
the brush. and this is not surprising
when one stops to think of the num-
Der of people who have had their
houses painted this season. The size
of the appropriation prevents the
thought of going outside for talent.
When The Meddler is hard up for
things to write about he sits himself
down to think up something that he
can advise the town or village ofncers
to do. and he now suggests that the
selectmen take steps toward securing
a wider and safer corner at the june
ton of Main and Flat streets. rms
could be accomplished by purchasing
"Wallie Horizons block" and putting II
out of existence and then cutting down
the old tree stump which stands near
by. Such change would give people
sI,t ST. n nh n
what was coming down Main street
hin and allow them to plan according
ly. At present no one can tell until
he swings into Main street whether he
is going to meet an automobile, an
electric car or runaway horse.
It has been called the marrow
gauge" for so many years now that
the name will probably stick to the
Brattleboro & Whitehall road for some
time to come. But after the 23rd of
this month, If present plans fail not. II
will be narrow gauge no longer.
The change will effect great improve
ment in the transportation facilities o.
the West river valley, but with 1t Will
disappear those old-fashioned, wood
burning locomotives and diminutive
tention from travellers passing through
They ought to make a
addition to any collection OF
antique railroad architecture.
An excellent illustration of the. elias
ITCHY of some peoples consciences Is
found in the following anecdote relat-
ed by local clergyman. A certain
man. who had recently given his word
10 refrain from gazing upon the wine
when it was red. received a visit from
his spiritual adviser under whose in
1uence the compact was made. AS
he clergyman entered he saw his pa
'ishioner filling a glass from suspic-
GUS looking decanter and Immediate
Y took him to task for such conduct. |
James" said the man of the cloth Sc,
,erely, didn't you sign the pledge last |
veek?" Yes was the rejoinder as
he glass of liquor disappeared. And
lidn't you understand" continued the
clergyman. that such a proceeding /
made you a teetotaller9'' ooh, I'm a
all right" answered the lay
nan unblushingly, "but l don't believe
n being bigoted about it,"
The Meddler.