The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-04
STRATFORD
lThe Lewis Excitement A New Hose
 FlouSe-SWan BrewSters Horse -Alr.
 Noon-The Stratfield Whist - Fan For the Boys.

But for. the fire at Mrs. Lewis on Tuesday afternoon, and the ding, ding ding of the church bell, there wouldn't have been much to talk about in town yesterday. All agree that there was & fire, and that Mrs. Lewis would make fine chief for the department. When some one was anxious to try the new hose, and pour a stream or water into the building, she held up the proposition, thinking household effects might as well be burned as drowned out. While the origin of the fire is not definitely known, few people speak Of the old joke about rats gnaW1ng matches If accounts are true, there were timbers inside a chimney, queer place for them, and some got overheated. It is said the bell did not ring until 25 minutes after the fire had been discovered. Mrs. Lewis did not care to have the whole town rushing through her house, and she kept the matter as quiet as possible. Nor did she wish to have all sorts of holes dug into the floors and walls. All she wanted, according to current re- ports, was to have the fire located and extinsuished. So she took the manage ment of matters into her own hands. in the absence of a regular chief, and directed what should be done. Of course a wave of excitement ran all over the town from Fresh Pond to Bong Brook, avenue, and the people made a grand rush for the Lewis res idence. If she could not prevent the excitement, she could keep out the crowd, and allow her china and chairs to remain in the house. AlPs well that ends well, and since the fire was ex- tinguished without much difficulty, the local furry quickly subsided, and now the problem is how to build a chi1n ney and not have it full of timbers. There is report that the apparatus was hauled from the truck house by MT. Beach's automobile and that the kids drew it back.
 Shortly after the fire the male vot- CTS of the town, in large numbers, gathered at the Town house and voted to spend the sum of SIP in building a fire proof annex to the cooler, in which to place some of the new hose There was no special objection to this propo- sition. considering the small sum re- Qufred,, but a number of amendments were offered and all were voted down except one to let the contract to the lowest bidder. It was somthing of an astonisflment to the oldest inhabitants to see such a large meeting, when the business was so unimportant. But it is remembered there were no whist clubs, or embroidery meetings In pro- gross to distract public attention. It was also agreed to put telephone into the Town clerks office. This will be a great public convenience. for often people call and ask where the sheriff, or the judge of probate, or the town clerk may happen to be stopping. Be sides the numerous newspaper cores pondentS can fish out many an item if they have the free use of a town telephone. But can they?
 Yesterday MT. Thomas Noon, who 40 xyno a o resident nF dropped into the Town clerks office from Hopkington, Delaware Co.,, Iowa, just to look. up the old town records and see when he was born, etc. He Mound every incident duly recorded None of the clergy, or doctors, of to- day were in town when he left, and the new Congregational church was but 100 years old, and there was no High school house and no soldiers nonu- ment on Academy Hill. He remem- bered the Housatonic, but was surpris- ed to see how the steam railroad had been elevated and the depot moved, when 1t used to be in front of the 'Hurd- -Falken residence on King street, or in that immediate neighborhood. The library and the Bunnell residence are notable additions to the town since he went away. Some of the asses
 
 clothes and long stockings when he knew them. Even bridge whist has been invented since he went to Iowa. Although it has always been noon with the gentleman, 1t now begins to look like the evening of life, when he comes back and finds so many of his former acouaintances married or living like old maids, or even in the Union ceme tery.
 The social event for the town yes terday was the Patterson Rhoades luncheon and bridge whist given at the stratf7eld. A round dozen of local peo- pie sat down to the luncheon in the breakfast room and after enjoying the good things a whist for two hours fol- lowed Next Tuesday afternoon the same happy group will meet with Mrs. Fillmore Hawley The ladies who at tended the Stratfield luncheon were: Mrs. F. O. Rhoades, Mrs. Charles Sil- l1man, Mrs. William Bristol, Mrs. Her bert Elwell, Mrs. Charles Judson. Mrs. frank L. Curtis, Mrs. Edward Jud- son, Mrs. Sidney Beardsley, Mrs. Ed ward Beers and Mrs. J. A. Peterkin of -Netnerwood. N. J., Mrs. Peterkin, Mrs. Patterson, as a substitute for Mrs. Geo. aircnlld who has gone south.
 MISS Hattie M. Alvord is on the sick