Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-04-14
THE MEDDLER.
"IfMr coot IT'S yoa PIT F." on"

Amonp the new laws recent
nossed Inv the state OF Maine IL on
entitled IAN act 10 prohibit the I'M
proper use Of telephones me sur ,t
ute imposes a fine on all persons WI
I shall wilfully, wantonly or mhilcioua
Inv vex, irritate, harass or torment an
person by conversation over VI
phone, and on any person VINO sun .
give a false alarm TO any nre' pore
or municipal department by mean
-, ,ba instrument. This law Is al
right ms far as II goes but there ar
numerous abuses of the telephof'
which are not covered. For instance
there Is no penalty attached Tor run
herring" on party lines, very com
mon practice In this town at least
nor Is there way TO touch the I'M
nudent person who persistent!
breaks into conversations not meant
for his ears. It permits the woman
with n lot of gossip to hold the line
until she tells long. inconsequeh :
tial story to her next door neighbor'
and furnishes no way or investigatihs
the yeracity of the operator VINO con
tinually tells you the lines busy
These omissions should be borne IN
mind when Vermont gets ready TO
pass similar law.
Al present there seems to be good
prospect of warm contest In village
meeting, and the issue seems TO rest
entirely ON the question OF having
day police That the majority OF
property holders In the village are
willing to stand the small additionaf
expense necessary to pay an oihcer
for day duty there is not shadow oil
= at ha ligt of names
on the nomination papers of the
Citizens ticket" will show this. There
are, however, numerous citizens who
believe that a day police Is luxury
that the village can easily do without
and they figure that any money spent
for such a purpose is nothing more
than extravaganza. While everyone
has right to his opinion In TINS
matter the wishes Of the largest prop
erty owners ought to be taken into
for 1t Is they who have
to stand the largest portion of taxa
ton,
Personally The Meddler is inclined
to believe that other questions aside
from this are at issue. One of the
first duties of the next board of
bailiffs will be to make a new contract
with the Brattleboro Gas Light COM
pany for street lighting. the old
agreement which has been in force
'or the past five years, having ex-
oired a few weeks ago, The village |
has a right to demand that its rep |
in this matter be unen- |
numbered with any private business |
and this could hardly be /
he case if a member of the board
we're a director in the gas light COM
,any.
No fault can be found with the adj
of the present board Of
'ailiffs Their annual statement
hows the funds of the village to have
zen handled wisely and well, and
he prompt manner in which they
verted a water famine not long ago
] proof positive of the sincerity of
heir interest in the villages welfare.
n light of these facts there would
ppear to be no good reason for
lrning them out on account of any
Inference of opinion that may be
cid in regard to the day police |
lessrs. Blodgett Crosby and Foster
the old board are candidates on :
le Citizens ticket" with two other {
ell qualified men, ID. p. Dewitt and
WI 50 IL 4 Va IA pifi't VI 4hls lbdNoIs l.
no is no longer a resident of the 4
llage, and Mr.. Calvin, whose name,
he Meddler understands, will head
lie opposition The election of this
cket will show that the majority of
tiers know a good thing when they
e it and believe in letting well
ough alone.
A local flour merchant, whose iden- :
y The Meddler will withhold for =
mily reasons, was treated to an r
lpromptu shower bath Wednesday
the extreme amusement of several
his friends, who had been butts of I
veral of his jokes recently. While
e merchant was out of his office
! derby hat was filled half full of
Ter and then deposited bottom up
table. On his return he re-
we'd message to the effect that
wanted TO see him at once
d with his customary alacrity in
to such calls the merchant |
rted out at top speed, grabbing |
head-piece and clapping ii on as
went. The result hardly needs
'cription. Let it be enough to say
It about a pint of ancient APPLE II
&c went down the merchants neck
lie an equal amount soaked into J
wearing apparel. -
iere is another appendicitis story:
certain man, upon going home to
ner recently, was told by his wife =
I she had been to the dentists and
four teeth out that morning.
d you take anything" asked the
n. of course replied his spouse,
you suppose l could stand il !.
hout? | guess l must have been n
Ter the influence of ether for at
It Is minutes" We'll. why in
nder,' said the husband didn't
nave your appendix removed at
same time?" The Meddler
ne creditors of the Bradford Saw
bank and trust company have r..
"a TO accept compromise of I'll
90 in settlement of their claim -
INST the stockholders of that in -
ltion. They have so far received II
per cent in dividends Tho offo;r, III