St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1907-04-17
Pioneer Normal Schools In Vermont.
Anecdotes of Public Men.

A st. Johnsbury man brings back from
his recent tour of several states Roose-
welt story which sounds reasonable, and
which we venture to repeat at the posi-
BILE risk of being relegated to club
whose membership seems to be growing
at the present time.
When Mr.. Roosevelt was on one of his
hunting trips some years ago in the wild
and woolly west, he dropped into a
saloon late at night to get warm by the
stove, this being the only place open for
business. Soon COW boy dropped in
and Shaping him on the back rather
roughly, said:
Come on, old chap, and take drink
with me-"
Mr.. Roosevelt mildly demonstrated,
and intimated that the other fellow bet
ter mind his own business.
This elected more insulting remark
from the plainsman, and upon that the
Fastener pulled himself together and
with one we'll aimed blow laid the COW
boy out. When he attempted to rise
again he received another blow, equally
effective. The COW boy then took &C
count of stock and looking up to his an
tagonist said:
What is your name?"
" Mr.. Roosevelt"
"All right, Mr. Roosevelt, we'll drink
without you"
| am reminded by the recent anniver-
sary OF Bishop Doane of Albany of a
good story which visiting clergyman
told at st. Johnsbury dinner party a
few years ago. The Bishop was very
English in his manner and always signed
his official correspondence William of
Albany" This was too much for his
associate in the clergy, the broad-minded
Bishop Potter of New York, and the
latter once said to him, "It's mighty
lucky, Bishop, that you don't live in
Buffalo,"
why" asked Bishop Doane.
Because then you would have to sign
your letters, Buffalo Bill"
Some of our best story telers are
found in the clergy and at a recent
ministerial gathering in this state this
one was easily awarded the palm:
A Japanese student studying in Ameri-
ca who prided himself upon his pure
English was calling on young lady one
evening and stayed rather late. As he
rose to depart he said,
II have enjoyed myself very much this
evening, but | have stayed so long am
afraid | have cockroached upon your
time"
"You will pardon me, sir" she said,
but you have used the wrong word.
You should have said encroached."
oh, thank you, kindly. l was afraid
l had used the wrong gender"
The late editor of the Burlington Free
Press, Col. George G. Benedict, had a
rich and varied experience in manv
walks in life and as a raconteur had few
equals. Once during the civil war, he
said, he happened to be riding through
Washington in one of those "bob-tailed"
street cars which were then in service
and was accompanied by the late Col.
George w. Hooker of Brattleboro.
The latter was very talkative and his
conversation annoyed an old lady who
was vainly trying to read a book.
FINALLY they passed store where an
auction was being held and Young
Hooker burst out,
My, see that red flag. Must be
case OF small pox there. l shouldn't
think they would run this car along here
and let us risk catching small pox."
This was too much for the old ladv
and putting down her book she frowned
on the Vermonter and said in a high
voice,
Young man, you won't catch small
pox II you keep your mouth shut"
Gov. Proctor told good story on
himself few weeks ago and it has been
given much wider circulation by ap-
pearing in Harpers Weekly. This is the
way Col George Harvey relates the
incident:
We do not know much about the intel
lectual conditions of Chittenden in the
state OF Vermont, nor did we know
m n about the teaching capacity of
Governor Proctor of that state before he
mace a captivating confession at a
recent banquet of the Schoolmasters'
cluD IN Burlington. Governor Proctor
is an Amherst man, and like a good
many other college men, he seemed to
think, after graduation, that he could