Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-04-06
Greenwood.

April LIST. As write this date my
mind fits backward TO the days when it
was customary to make fools of as many
persons as possible on the first day Of
April, aud | would like to know how
and where the foolish custom originated.
1t is encouraging to know that as the
world grows older and wiser it is dying
out, and the sooner it becomes extinct
the better.
l remember that away back in those
days my father bought a new almanac,
and looking it over to this date he read,
San fools day, but not noticed by
sensible people," Father laughed and
replied by saying, THAT is a common
sense remark, and it would be we'll for
everyone to heed it." In those days
some wag thought to play it on the late
II. W. Beecher by writing him letter
containing only these two words, "April
Fool" Mr.. Beecher replied to it by
saying he had sometimes received letters
where the persons forgot to sign their
names, but that was the first one where
the person signed his name and forgot
to write the letter.
know young man who was intro
duced into society nineteen years ago
to-day, who for intelligence would COM
pare favorably with other young men
generally, and is now clerk in store.
A passable sap day, but still rather cold
So much then, for this first day of April,
A. d. 1900.
That gale of wind last Thursday night
was quite blowout; and if anyone had
been on the broad Atlantic, one thou
sand miles from anywhere, he would
have realized it still more.
Wesley Ring and wife made social
visit at the Bennett place Saturday even
ing. Mr.. Ring declared that after get
ting his horses into the pond three
times, he thought it time TO quit hauling
wood.
We called on Delphon Brooks and
wife Tuesday morning and found them
comfortable and apparently happy in
their new home, although not fully set
tied as yet. Mr.. Brooks treated us with
several fine selections of music on his
phonograph.
Sad indeed, was the news of the death
of another old school and classmate,
Elijah Swan Berry. He was one of
family of nine children, six sons and
three daughters, belonging to George
and Sallie Swan Berry, and unless the
youngest son Hiram is living the family
has now become extinct. Thus are we
often admonished that 1--WE are going
down the valley, one by one." Mr..
Berry was born in Hartford in the fall of
1929, and was therefore nearly year
older than the writer
April I'd. Again the weather prophet
has hit wide of the mark. The day
opened perfectly clear with tempera-
ture of 10 before sunrise, and at nine
O'Clock it stood at So. Having the curl
osity to see the difference between sun
shine and shade, the glass was transfer
red to the north side of the house and
soon dropped to SO, showing contrast
Of u degrees.
One Of the selectmen has just been
round to see how rich we are after such a
fearful drouth and hard times generally.
Thanks 10 the East Sumner CORE
spondent for the interesting and en-
couraging letter, accompanied by an
Easter card, containing the familiar
name of "Slocum." Although soma
what indisposed in body at present, may
he be permitted to ply the pen or pencil
for many years yet, as he has so success
fully in the past.