Evening journal., 1909-01-13
RECOLLECTIONS
OF MIDDLETOwN

back by the western side across the
Levels. 10 Middletown again.
AIiddletown Is worthy OF note for more
reasons than one, not least Of which are
her citizens. their impressive personality,
their success in business. climbing from
street urchins. educated in their own
public schools to places OF prominence
usefulness and success. turning out doc
tors. lawyers. some of whom have already
made their mark and others are Oh the
road to prominence. to say nothing OF the
Two governors having served full time.
with an unknown quantity Of available
timber left yet TO draw from. Who knows
but the boy who may make future presi-
dent, may lie running the streets OF Mid
dietown to-day? Great and unexpected
things have happened in the past and why
not in the future.
Middletovn has been the home for
many men who have lived FAR beyond /
the time allotted to man on earth. Among |
them was Henry Davis. who was nearing .
the century mark, besides many others 4
who still live TO enjoy life. some Of whom
will take the liberty to mention. Cyrus /
Tatman Jr.. who still likes to go fishing
with the boys. and dares them TO 80 TO
the point Of action on foot: Sowel c. I
Blggs. who used to make political speech- /
= away hd1h III llt early uAAltcs loI 1
heard some OF them myself. They were
not Democratic speeches. either but no
objection reflection for that for men
DO change ahd he had as much right 10
change anybody They do say that
fools never change. I know when first
began 10 vote I'm 1858 I was dead set
against anything that sounded like aboli-
ton. but the night that somebody egged
Nathaniel p. Smthers in Middletown and
some OF our Bell and Everett people
(which was my party) whooped and Yell
ed to disturb Mr.. Smithers while speak
ing I'm $780, was climbing upon the
fence, and stayed up on that fence tn
February. 1861 when those fellows down
in South Carolina fred on the Star Of
the West. Then I got down on the fence
forthwith. on the other side. but II the
Republican party continues to give all
the Offices 10 certain few. there VIII he
another change in my way Of voting.
am getting away from my subject
Thomas G. Hurn is walking about town
like somebody Of many years younger.
and don't expect he would tell YOU his
age any sooner than woman would.
Maniove Davis belongs to the long life
family and is active yet some people are
old I'm their ways when they are young.
and young in their ways when they are
old, and Manlove was one Of the oldest
fashioned fellows when he was young 7
ever saw. but, loved fun with a venee-
ance. He lived on tho big Hayes farm at
Nandyke school house. and Joined a
singing school at Blackbird school house
j am sure he did not care anything more
about learning 10 sing than a horse, but
he was there to make the thing 20. and
have his share Of the fun IL there was
any fun going. Consequently he bought
book and was promptly in his place in
the class. A man named Bryan "a butcher
from Smyrna) was the teacher. and one
night during the course Of the drilling Mr.
Brysn's attention was attracted 10 that
part Of the class where Mr.. Davis was.
and he came down on them IN a scoidinr
sort OF a way. saying you fellows there
are not working up right" But Mr.. Davis
was equal TO the emergency and respond
cd why Mr.. Teacher these notes are a.,
set hit and miss along here"
II brought the house down and the sing.
ing went on. but the teacher didn't bother
him any more.
On another occasion, when the fell
lows made up an evening party. certain
Young men were to 80 after certain youna
ladies. and bring them to the party.
There were four girls I'm one family.
ana the two Oldest were bouncing bie
fat girls. Some cf the fellows. know
ing Mr.. Davis was true blue. and thev
could dopcnd on him. made an enga &c.
ment with him T. 20 with others) af-
ter the four girls. Then it was a
question who should have the two
Youngest girls. Three fellows went
(all in York wagons) and the two
other fellows got there first. taking
oap11 1ans he -
for Manlove 70 bring in his two-seated
carriage. SO when he got there he
saw they had fooled i'm. but he never
1unked and landed them safe on the
ground. while .he other two fellows
who were already there were on the
lookout TO receive him after he had
tnloaded. They met him with a "Hulio
NIanlove. how did you make out and
where did you sit in that carriage"
'Why my feet stuck out clear over
the dashboard. They had fooled hin,
but they did not plague him worth a
cent. There are still others who arc
entitled 10 notice. George W. ingram
while he was not raised in Aiiddietown,
can justly claim 20 be a self-made man
for IL is not every country boy who
could 90 of to school without the con.
sent Of his pap. and get a college edu-
cation. while his schoolmates had tt
content themselves with what they
could get at the district school, but lit
did the trick.
Thus VIC might go on. relating IT..
icdents Of interest. Tor which Middle.
town is noted
II was in Middletown, where a mar
from a nearby city STAYED over SUNDAY
with friend. anl walked leisurely int.
TO church and took seat in a from
pow Just Ia time 70 hear the benedic
tion pronounced. to tie great amuse
ment Of all who looked on before h.
discovered that he had better put on
his glasses before he looked at hi
watch. They had the laugh on hin
and were not inclined 70 spare him
either for as soon az they could go
70 him they commenced 10 ply hin
with questions "What time do they &
70 church where you came FROM
N''Whats the matter with your watch
old man?" "You just got here il
time 70 so home. and the like. all o
which served to let him down easy
for otherwise he would have felt silly
Who would have thought fifty year
aeo that Afiddletown would have ha'
an electric light plant. a water suppl.