The Newtown bee., 1906-07-13
The Late Senator
 o. H. Platt.
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF HIS EARLYCHILDHOOD AND BOYHOOD
 DAYS.
By an Old Playmate, School mate and Friend, Stanley
 c. Fowler.

os w
 Orville H. Platt? Of course knew him intimately in the good old town of Washington, Conn.,, where both of us were born and raised. But always as plain Orville, while he never ad- dressed the writer but by his first name and this mutual habit we have never varied from. When he arrived at the dignity of a United States Sen- atorship, it was no lack of apprecia- tion of his high rank and title, that deterred me from addressing him as Senator, but simply because I had called him "Orville" and nothing else all my life and the "Mr" was similarly absent whenever he wrote or spoke to me. The familiarity of early years, spontaneous and hearty, strengthened and frightened our friendly relations through manhood to old age. Orville was always friend to any one he liked whether he deserved it or not, and this trait made him beloved by all who were fortunate to earn and hold his good opinion. Orville Platt was born in Washington, Conn.,, in 1927, about a year fin advance of the writer. My father was the family physician and of course was present on that auspic- ious occasion. The infant was plump and healthy and in time became a strong, robust lad, though he reached a six foot height before he concluded to stop growing. His brother, Simeon (younger), was of much more delicate build and is still living, 1 think, in Torr&ngton, one of the oldest towns in the state.
 OF HIS PARENTAGD.
 Orville's father, Daniel Platt, was a man of fine face and figure, intelligent, kindly and courteous. He was an ex- cellent citizen, took prominent part in town politics and religious meet ings. He spoke frequently at such and always had something to say and said it forcibly, but modestly, and in a convincing way. About that time the abolition movement began to excite discord and factions in this and other communities. Parson Hayes, a good fashioned Puritan of the Calvinis- tic type, God rest his soul, he meant well), out-Heroded even the Southern CTS in his defense of negro slavery. It was a divine institution, especially created for the benefit of slaves and masters alike. Servants obey your masters" was a favorite text and he argued .therefrom that the manifest duty of the enslaved was to yield a blind unquestioning obedience to the slave holder. When that sweet voiced and kindly Quaker lady, Abby Kelly, came to impress on listening ears the sufferings of the oppressed black man, Parson Hayes denounced her from the pulpit as Jezebal, unworthy even of social recognition. Her only reply as he walked into the exit hall when leaving the church was May God for give you, MT Hayes, as freely as do."
 To Daniel Platt such doctrines and sentiments were abhorrent. So he, with John Gum, a brother of Freder- ick w. Gum, who established the Gunnery Ia celebrated educational in- stition of which Holland has written so pleasantly in his "Arthur Bonny- castle'), William Leavitt and others, absented themselves from Sunday services. For this heresy they were brought to task before Parson Hayes faithful tribunal (he had strong fol- lowing) and were formally excommu- nicated. It was not so long after, however, when Parson Hayes himself was busted by majority vote of church members and his place filled by another clergyman, "no lineal heir of his succeeding" The whole town was in ferment of abolition excitement and Orville, like the rest of us boys, heard much, said little, and didn't know what to believe until the pathet- ic story of "Uncle Tom. captured the hearts if not the consciences of all it's readers. That was the primal cause that evolved the idea of emancipation, the precursor of the Civil War. Or ville's mother was stately, handsome woman, quiet in manner, prudent in speech, but positive in her convictions. She seldom mingled in social gather ings, but found her greatest pleasure in the simple home life, attending to her domestic duties, reading the Scriptures, and teaching her boys by precept and example the virtues of goodness, charity, sobriety and what. ever else that contributed to the de- velopement of sturdy self-reliance and manly manhood. In all the essentials of wise character r-building she was never lacking. Her influence was INTELLIGENT, NOBLE
 HEARTED MOTHER, and as such she was respected and loved by her dutiful sons. The i'm press she left upon Orvilles mind was wholesome and lasting. She was ever a living memory in his heart and he never spoke of her except in terms of reverent affection. She was withal an excellent housewife, baked her own bread, made her own butter, delicious and golden, and kept the wearing ap-