St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-10-14
MUSEUM NOTES.

60 envelopes from the Spanish War. As
far as known, this is the largest collec-
ton of these unique documents in the
country. MANY thousands of them were
printed from 1S61-'65, but the high price
offered for waste paper ait the war,
tempted people to sell all old envelopes
and now but few are to be found.
/ Many of the envelopes are decorated
with pictures Of Washington, some with
that OF Franklin, while Others show por-
traits of various generals, Scott, Ere
mont Mcclellan Anderson, Banks,
Burnside and many more. Lincoln was a
favorite subject with the makers OF these
envelopes, and one of the most interest
ing pictures is that OF a Virginia rail
fence with Lincoln's face beneath, and
the legend, The Fence that Uncle Abe
built"
Notices are as much in evidence as
pictures, and most of the famous sayings
OF those stirring years were put on these
envelopes. Whatever our Politics, The
Constitution must be sustained; The
Union now and forever; and, "Disun-
ion by armed force is Treason, show
the sentiment of the times Some envel-
opes are decorated with the seals OF va
rlous loyal states; some with symbols OF
different regiments or army corps; some
with pictures Of cities or public buildings,
especially hospitals; many show the stars
and stripes. The humor OF a designer OF
these envelopes must have been some
what akin to that of a cartOOnist OF
today. For example, Jeff Davis is figured
as a photographer Taking Washing
tom with a camera. A few of the envel-
opes came from the South, and show the
other side of the picture The stars and
bars, with Southern Rights, or the
same flag being nailed to a staff by
soldier and labelled. Death before DIS
honor, are two OF the best styles among
these. The Lincoln mourning envelopes
are unique, as are also the lettersheets
OF nearly fooscap size with a patriotic
song or poem on the first page, the other
three being left blank for correspondence.
The Spanish War envelopes show the
crossed flags of the United States and
Cuba, and many representations OF the
former alone, with such legends as Ike
member the Maine, aud ION to
Havana" But the chief interest in this
collection centers in the cartoons which
decorate many of the envelopes, Uncle
Sam is represented as presenting Span
Ia sick infant with a coffin, and saying,
1--WE a nice little new cradle for you.
On another Federal and Confederate
soldiers are supporting the flag, while
Uncle Sam looks on with a proud smile
and declares, I'm match EN- agin the
world" What is, perhaps, the best en-
velope in the collection, has fine repre-
sentation OF old Glory with the
motto These colors never run The
collection may be seen by application at
the Office OF the Museum.
About three weeks ago bird was
found dead on the piazza at Elmwoode,
apparently having flown against glass
and been killed. 1t was brought to the
Museum and there identified as the Con
nectcut warbler, bird which has been
reported bv the Misses Clark six years
between 1901 and 1907, but which has
been reported bv but one other person
in northern Vermont. The authorities
of the Biological Survey have always
wished for visual confirmation of this
report and SO this bird in the hand,
was sent to them, and elected the follow
ing letter from Mr.. Cooke:
U, S. Department of Agriculture,
Biological Survey,
Washington, D. c.
October s, 1908.
DEAR Miss GRIFFIN:
Your favor OF October 9th received,
and also the bird that you sent. 1t is
the Connecticut Warbler, as suppose
you had suspected VIII you please give
me the exact date of its capture, and /
want to congratulate you on the record,
for it is probably the second sure record
for Vermont, ard not only the most
northern record in that state but the
most northern for the whole of New
England. | return the bird to you in
! today's mail.
Very truly yours,
WELLS W. Cooke,
Assistant, Biological Survey.
Bird-students of the town will be in
terested to know that through the
courtesy of Prot Henry Fairbanks, this
bird will be placed in the Museum col
lection.
An interesting relic has been loaned to
the Museum by Horace Warden of
Barnet, 1t is an upright board saw
and has been used by at least three
generations of the Warden family. These
saws were wrought before the age of
machinery and the wooden handles were
fastened on by hand-riven bolts In
using the implement, one man stood
above, one below, the log, which was
sawn vertically, instead of across as is
the fashion today. In India and other
of the far East countries, the upright
saw is still in use, but in this country,
modern methods have supplanted it, and
it is seldom that one is to be seen This
saw has been placed in the collection OF
colonial articles at the north end of the
Museum.
Organ Service.
After being thoroughly repaired and
some much needed improvements made
st. Andrews church organ, (Memoria)
was reopened last Sunday with BETTING
f services. Rev J. A. Thompson, the rec
tor, preached an appropriate sermon on
"The History and Language of Music in
| Divine Wnrcbfr1 - o,,1 ha oLD.