The Newtown bee., 1905-06-09
LITCHFIELD COUNTY.
WASHINGTON.
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE.

i BIRTHDAY SURPRISE.
 Robert Black, of Washington, wa spending his SOth birthday, on Satur day, June 3, quietly attending to hi chickens, garden and bees, as is hi! won't, when he was suddenly made aware that the day was an unusua one by the unexpected visit of score of his immediate neighbors and rela | tlves: The relatives present were: his daughter, Mrs Jesse Smith of Bethle hem. with MT Smith; his grandson Herbert Smith, with Mrs Smith; his granddaughter, Mrs Tracy of Middle. bury, with MT Tracy, and his great granddaughter, the infant child of MT and Mrs Tracy. Thus four genera. tiOnS joined in the pleasant celebra- tion, an unusual occurrence in most families. The party met in the late afternoon at the home of MT Black, and taking possession soon had an eX- cellent informal supper prepared. MT Black was req fly surprised but greatly pleased that his friends should remem- Der him on such an occasion. In en- deavoring to give expression to the feelings of himself and wife and to thank the friends for coming, MT Black quoted the following: prepared by him many years ago and recorded only in his mind:
 I once was man of strength and energy,
 But now a cripple, you know,
 Alas do not know.
 The party broke up early in the evening after very pleasant and hap py time, leaving as remembrance of their visit, three very comfortable and usable rocking chairs, thus unwitting- ly providing for the esteemed guest of the evening, his good wife and the neighbor or friend, who always finds welcome at the freside. MT Black came to Washington in 1849. from the northern part of Ireland and for 56 years has been resident of the town. For long time MT Black made use of the brook that runs merrily by his door, to turn the wheels of series of shops and mills, which made his little bit of valley busy place. An unfor- tunate fire and the change of the ways of the world as to the use of power in manufacturing caused a gradual de- cline in the business. MT Black has always been ready, however, to turn his mechanical skill to the service of others as many neighboring farmer can testify. MT and Mrs Black have always been regarded very highly by their neighbors for their goodness of heart, their gentleness and quiet ways helping all so far as possible. Hence in giving a surprise to MT Black the friends were giving themselves pleas ure in that it gave chance to express their feelings for MT and Mrs Black and the wish that many more years may be added to their already long life together.
 c. T. WOODRUFF's HOUSE STRUCK BY
 LIGHTNING.
 During the midnight shower on Monday evening, lightning descended the chimney of the main part of Charles WOodrutf'S house and passing out the stove pipe bolts scattered all around the rooms of the lower story, passing out of the south east corner of the addition, tearing off the corner board at the sill. Mrs Woodruff was standing at the dining table in the act of lighting lamp, but had not re- placed the chimney when the crash came, putting out the lamp, shocking her into rigid position for few se- condS, in which she could not move or stir. The other three members of the family were badly shocked, but none losing consciousness. The most singu- lar freak was the tearing out of piece of ash timber, from the end of a bureau, IS inches long, two inches wide and three-quarters of an inch thick, when there was no other mark it. How could that piece of tough grained timber silver out of it's place without any apparent cause?