St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-10-18
Letter from Former Vermonter.
"Reminiscences Suggested by
the County Fair.
Editor of the CALIFORNIAN

"Reminiscences Suggested by
the County Fair
Editor of the CALIFORNIAN:
My annual letter is about due, is it
not? And besides, the annual county
fair has come to pass, and wasn't there.
see by the last CALIFORNIAN that it
rained, the second day, as usual, and
that there was wee bit of an agricul,
tural boss trot on the first day. But
what l want to know is, did George
Cross bake any of those thick slabs of
gingerbread for the occasion, and did
the Universalists and Methodists "have
tents" and serve turkey dinner? And
how did old Floral hall look, anyway?
looked over the premium lists. There
are some familiar names, that have
figured in the lists for half century, but
there recognition ends. I'm glad there
are some Hastings, and Spauldings, and
Higginses and Morrills and Harveys left
still on the old farms.
And where were the "Sno wfakes and
"Kettlebails," and "Patchen Stars" and
Chestnut Dans' of yester-year?
But, what's the use? To me the most
remarkable thing was the presence of
delegation OF distinguished Southerners
at Vermont county fair. Pray, what
did the governor of North Carolina say
to the governor Of Vermont? And what
did the governor OF Vermont reply?
Joking aside, that was an occasion
worth while. It was in great contrast
to certain other occasion, something
like thirty.fve years ago, when 1 saw a
really and truly "rebel" for the first time
in my lie. 1t must have been about
1870. l was in my uncle's grocery store
on Railroad street, when fine looking
young man came in presenting card
showing him to be a representative of
a Louisville, KY, tobacco house. 1t
developed that he was southerner, and
that he had fought in the confederate
army.
Around the stove were seated half a
dozen men, none of whom had been in
the union army, and they "butted in" at
once. Their language was little short Of
insulting; they didn't seem to think that
man from the south had any right to
live. I'm glad now l can't remember
their names. The Louisville man kept
his temper through it all and he certainly
appeared to much better advantage than
the home-guard representatives of "the
side that licked"
How different it is now, and how
much changed for the better. We are all
color blind on the old blue and gray
question nowadays.
Are you all coming to Southern Cali
fornia next winter? Even now it is
difficult to stand in the middle of tn,
street in Pasadena and throw a stone il
any given direction without hitting /;
man from st. Johnsbury, or thereabouts
The Rev. bob" Burdette lives there too
, l saw him on a street car the other even
= ing and reminded him of his little iok
about boxing up the marble statue il
. st. Johnsbury to keep it from freezing
, "Ah, my boy" said he, "those were tn
r happy days when l stuck to the col
I facts" And now he is preacher!
Come on. You will be glad you came
. Los Angeles has increased from 10000
$ to 100000 population in the last 6v
: years, but there is room for few hur
dred thousand more.
!. And say! Bring me a small cake {
e real maple sugar when you come.
II haven't tasted of the genuine Vernon
= article for so long, that I'd have to tax
out naturalization papers if went bac
= there Why can't oranges and map
e. sugar grow in the same latitude?
1T CHARLES V. BARTON.
In Los Angeles, Cal, Oct. g. 1908.