The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1908-03-18

tain high schools and academies to
lose many of their brightest and most
ambitious boys and girls? Let us re.
member that Union is part (although
SO tiny part) of a great republic,
and If she can send out such earnest
and efficient workers az Rev. George
Ourtiss, Judge Reed, Tax Commits
sioner Corbin, Miss Susie Lawson,
and many others in whose careers We
take a pardonable pride, is she not
doing as much for the welfare of
mankind as she would be if all her
young people remained upon the
farm? American families leaving
town! Empty houses" Are there
many cities or large towns in the
United States from which some
American families are not moving at
frequent intervals, and do not these
cities and towns often contain many
empty houses? Conditions which
are given scarcely thought in a
larger place naturally appear and are
more serious here. The American
farm in many New England towns
moves to change his occupation or in
the hope of lettering his condition.
To prove this we have only to glance
at the thousands of New England
farms offered for sale by real estate
agents. Some families have left
Union to be near high school or
academy, some have gone to spend
their declining years with relatives,
some for one reason, some for an
other, but we have yet to hear of any
who fed to escape from taxes and
falling trees It has been said that
the previously mentioned capitalists
are willing and anxious to repair and
make comfortable and attractive
homes of the buildings on their recent
" purchaked lands, if desirable
families can be found to occupy them.
The churches? The one which is
practically closed" was the center
of q good and earnest work for a mum
Der of years 1t was in the natural
order of "human events that manu-.
featuring should decline or be removed
from Mashapaug as it was from the
Center. This change was SO natural
to this town, and other towns removed
from railways, that it needs no com
ment. In recent years this church
was greatly helped by umbermen,
their families and workmen When
they went away, not enough people
remained to support the church. How
ever, those who are left are gladly
welcomed at Union Center. Some
have already been great help. en-
tering heartily into work of church
and Sunday school. 1t is to be hoped
that all may come, for they are truly
welcome. No doubt many small
towns and villages like Staffordville
and Westford. for instance } would be-
wiser to support only one church. If
all would meet in Que building, be.
come better acquainted and comhiue
their efforts, far greater good might
be accomplished. Our friend men.
tions the small attendance at 6 Con-
gregational church, aud states that the
reason for small mum bers is that the
families who have been it's support
are steadily leaving town, and there
are none to take their places. " Yes,
some have left town, as was said be-
fore, for various good and sufficient
reasons, but not few were laid at
rest in the cemetery close by and in
the east side yard. Truly there are
none to take their places in the sir:
rowing hearts of those who loved
them, but there are still left in Union
enough American families (not count
ing a considerable number living near
the borders, who attend churches in
neighboring toWns) to make goodly
congregation 1t is not necessary to
go to India or China to find a field
for missionary work. May not these
families be made to see that they need
the social, as we'll as spiritual help,
that the church alone can furnish in
such little isolated communities The
church at Union owes debt of graft
tude to the noble clergymen of Stat
ford and Holland, who have so I'M
selfshly come long distances to con.
duct services here throughout the
winter. The faithful and unselfish
work of the late PASTORS family, who,
while enduring great sorrow, have
been untiring in their efforts to help
in church and Sunday school should
be an inspiration to all. What
Unions future is to be none can tell,
but there are still comfortable homes
here, occupied by loving parents and
healthy, happy children. With a
comfortable church, whose doors are
gladly opened to all who come, with
choice, well-kept library which
might we'll be source of pride to any
town, with a grange which has for
many years been power for good,
with. earnest and efficient teachers for
the schools, with telephone and daily
mail, have not the people of Union
still much to make life desirable? Let
us not allow the 'almighty dollar
to loom up so big as to hide from our
vision much that is higher and more
beautiful beyond. Let us not "look
mournfully into the past, but go forth
to meet the future without fear and
with manly heart.''
ONE Who HAS STILL FAITH IN UNION.
MaShaPaug.
Joseph Valliere has sold his gray
horse to Weld & Beck of Southbridge.
Mrs Luman Turner. has been visit.