The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-05-14

a constitution Of iron and a capacity
for work that would soon break down
q more youthful man. His hair has
1, cen thilned by the passing years,
and his mustache Is whitened, but
his eye Is as clear and bis mind as
active as ever.
His hobbies" are various, but the
chief point Is that these same hobbies
are invariably directed toward the.
benefit OF the race. Mr. Hapgood is
an altruist of the first order.
He Is O foe to ostentatious wealth,
and the evils which II brings In Its
train when established IN rural dis
trict. He Is an incorporating en-
envy Of the touring automobile, driven
at breakneck speed over the country
road, soaring horses into the bushes
and spelling the highways. He be-
lieves that the damage II does more
than Offsets the pecuniary benefits
which may be derived from Its coming
II he had his way he would bar auto
mobiles from the crossroads altoget'
her, leaving the main thoroughfares
open.
He has waged successful war
against defacing signs In Peru. Go
where you will, through the length
and breadth of the township, you viii
not find, on bowlder, barn, or fence
any advertisement OF bitters or boots,
or chewing gum or selfraising -four.
Exclusion is complete. and Mr..
Hapgood delights to tell OF the plight
of one enterprising artist, whose spe-
cialty was some sort OF magic yeast
and who one afternoon walked into
the store at Peru, flushed but triumph
ant, and announced that he had plas-
tered magic yeast placards all the
way from the next town boundary.
A committee OF Peruvians took
charge OF that young man, accom-
panied by the town constable. and
under theat OF arrest, compelled him
to spend the rest Of the day In scrap
ing of the posters from the board
fences and blank walls to which he
had affixed them.
Mr.. Hapgood is Prevent admirel
of the late Rev. w. II. II. (Adiron
dack) Murray, author, minister. ant
lecturer, under whom he sat wheI
Doctor Murray was pastor OF thu
Park street church, In Boston. Mr.
Hapgood is strongly identified will
the Adirondack" Murray associa
|tion. whose object Is the preserva
ton Of the Murray homestead ant
relics at Guilford, Conn, and the car
land education of his four daughters
Mr.. Hapgo0d believes In the dc
velopment OF the hill towns OF Vel
mont as summer resorts and want
their sons and daughters to stay a
home and grow up with the country
His hotel Is run more as big clu
than as a hotel, and he delights {
entertain noted men around the fan
Gus outside fireplace.
This feature, which Is the pride @
his heart. opens on the piazza and. 4
1.-THE cool of the evening when the bi
logs are glowing In its ample ell
brasure, II Ii certainly somethin
tempting The idea has been copie
by cottagers In the neighborh0od an
also In New York state.
This odd Vermonter runs his mill
by his own private telephone system
He has put up thirty-five miles {
wire and dozen instruments. II
owns farms and houses and is int
ested In the public library and tn
, school, He is a pillar of the Congr,
, gational church believes in woma
suffrage, and, In the campaign jn!
closed. did yeoman service In beba
Of "no-license" by speaking at til
I rallies In the nearby towns He hs
Ia log-built lodge, high up on III
mountain side, whence magnificei
lprospect Is obtained and where II
deer come boldly up to the very dot
!. Ito be fed.
He Is at the head Of the Peru ID
: Ivelopment Association, has marked q
the historic sites In town, and W;
instrumental In erecting monumel
to mark the spot where Gen. Jof
Stark camped Oh his march to Be
, lnington to fight the British. TT
place was located by means OF OF
) lof Starks general orders, which r
corded that a recruit was sent bat
for fresh supply Of rum and m
lasses for the staff. Excavations {
), the hillside brought to light son
= rusty bayonets and other evidence
; ancient occupancy.
Il 1t is money, not exactly In yo
: pocket, for obvious reasons, but
!. your bank. to be born In Peru. N
!, !, Hapg00d looks after that. Eve
y baby born In the town has IS plac,
u to his credit by him in the bank
Bennington. there to remain on int
e est until he or she Is twenty-on
e Vital statistics show that Peru, unlil
some other Vermont towns. is gainil
: In population. Here are the figur
> in the last auditors report; Birth
u seven; deaths. four.
+ "They are trying to bankrupt me
. said Mr.. Hapgood with chuck
y but l have assurances that II tn,
y do others will not permit the go'
9 work to fail"