The Newtown bee., 1906-10-12
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ADvERrlsns0 RATES {:
LITCHFIELD COUNTY.
WARREN.

LlIN0E1EAO NOOlN Y.
 WARREN.
 AN INTERESTING LETT FER READ AT
 THE REGENT CHURCH CELEBRATION
 FROM A FORMER WARREN GIRL.
 Sparta, Wisconsin, August 31, 1906. To the Congregational church in
 Warren, Litchteld Co.,, Ct. have learned that you are plan ming to celebrate the 15Oth anniversary of your church this coming month. It Is well that you should; 1t is 8 grand and historic church. It's house of worship standing on the Hill" has been . beacon light many years, send its sons and daughters to newer states to plant not only educational work but the sure teachings of the New England religion, which has stood the test for yeara
 And now, before I write more it may be we'll to introduce myself; as SO many years have gone by since l had>a home there, no one will know me as sign my name, Mrs B. Can field, Sparta, Wisconsin. My father, the Rev Harley Goodwin, was your pastor some eight or nine years, q have not the exact date), only know that he was there in the years of 1888 and 43. Your records will tell. He tn Pnv Mp To1Noftn coming from his first pastorate in New Marlboro, Mass, where I was born. I was about nine years old when we went to Warren.
 do:not know as there is one living there who will remember me as Abi- gail Goodwin, a rollicking, fun-loving minister's daughter. It may be that some of the Curtis family are living and remember me and our family. am now in my 77th year. It is now 51 years since Mr Garfield, myself and two children came to Sparta, Wis, from Salisbury, Ct. It is almost seven years since MT Garfield died, but we lived to celebrate our golden wedding with our five children, our oldest daughter has since died, three sons and one daughter, seven grandchil- dren and three great-grandchildren are my toy and comfort as inarmities have come to me. l am not alone; my fathers God is my God and will care for me until the end am sure.
 Last year we in Sparta celebrated the 5Oth anniversary of our church and it was feast of good things, es- pecially the letters from those who had gone from us, and perhaps this has inspired me to write you; yet, please understand me, shall not be hurt if this rambling message does not get hearing in your busy days, but I cannot help this writing. The years of long ago are more real to me as I grow older than later years and my thoughts often go back to that hill town of my younger days; to the graves of my mother, sister and broth CT and second mother, who was sis ter of the Swifts, and often l have wished that my father had been buri- cd there, but 1t was his wish to be buried in South Canaan where he last labored. can see the white climb ing rose that covered those graves as I last saw them. have bush from it in my Wisconsin home.
 I remember the girls who were the associates of my school days; Amelia Hopkins and Patty Carter, my most intimate ones and at whose homes I often visited. They are both dead and do not know that one of my girl friends are living. There may be but often 1t all comes back to me and wonder if the hill is just as steep as 1t was then. How hard 1t was to get up when icy. (No rubbers in those days.) recall one Sabbath when my mother was i'll how my father, hold ing child by each hand and myself, the oldest, holding onto his overcoat behind, climbed to that venerable old . church.
 : can see the corner pew where tn minister's family always sat. The little footstove. filled with coals and moved around to keep our feet from freezing; yes, and the noise we chil dren sometimes made when moving it. and the sheds behind the church for the horses; the schoolhouse nearby; and IstAink the Academy building where the praye meeting was often held on Thursday afternoons. l wonder if all are gone. am sure I could find the flat rock where we cracked butternuts in the springtime; and the row o1 chestnut trees down the mill road ant often have longed to crack the burr. with my heel as school children always did.
 I have never forgotten the New England Sabbath which commenced Saturday night at sunset and ending Sabbath night at sunset; how Hr Gill bert's store on the hill and MT Swift'i at the foot were closed just as the sur set; not one moment later; our play. things all laid away; the shoes al blacked; the gates closed so tight. Oh the stiffness of those Saturday nights Time to get our Sunday school lessons so different from this day, ywhen often we jump into the Sabbath without 8 thought of preparation; and yet l can T.