Putnam patriot., 1909-09-17
Letter from a former Resident Of Wood.
 gf0ck

| | stock.
 | EDITOR OF PATHfoT.-My vacation | is over, and am back again attending to the many duties Of my city parish. 1 While in Woodstock l had in mind to send to the PATRIOT, especially for the interest of its Swedish readers, a little account of my observations and a few events that happened in the 5we- dish Colony, while on my vacation, ss | nothing has been seen in the PATRIOT | for some time about The Swedish pso- pie Of Woodstock, but every day was occupied in visiting and driving, and attending outings, that scarcely had time for anything else.
 | It masa pleasure to learn how highly 1 Rev. MT. Carlson, the pastor. was es- 1 teemed and how the work Of the church has pfospeTed under his charge. New members have been added to it, and improvements to the property have been made. While l was pastor in Woodstock l did not have the pleasure Of seeing the basement Of the church finished, although quite fund had been raised for that purpose. was pleased To hear, therefore, that com tract had been given out, and that the basement k to be finished this fall. The young people especially will ap- preciate this. 1t will give them the opportunity 10 have pleasant and help fnl entertainments and social gather ings during the long and dfeary win ters. It will help make life in the coun- try more pleasant, and will aid in keep ing young people from moving to the cities.
 The cemetery has been improved with gates and stone pillars, and Is soon to have an iron fence around it. With walks through it, ,land trees and shrubs to adorn il, in time il will be an attrac- tive spot.
 A few new Swedish families moved in and brought with them means to establish themselves. They are the kind Of people any community might well be proud of, being honest and in- dustrions, and will help build up the waste places and make them fruitful and beautiful, and will also be the means ot bringing To Woodstock other ! families.
 When any of my city parishioners, l who are interested In locating In the country, have spoken to me about IL, l have not hesitated to sing It's praises, so that sometimes fear 1 may be left alone here some day If 1 kept on.
 IL was pleasant for myself and faf'i- fly, on this visit to Woodstock, to be treated with so much kindness and whatever l did, while pastor, that ap- peared of real worth, has been duly ap- prcciated. Especially to arouse my peoples ambition for higher education and to take more interest in the affair. of the town, and to make for themselves name yet more respected and honor ed, was my object in everything said or did. Already the seed sown k bear
 ing fruit. The children are found in
 the public schools, forming the charac'
 ters of the men and the women of to morrow, and Woodstock x future gene ration.
 At the dedication exercises of ths Touflellatte Memorial High School oas of the participants, who sat on the plat form as one at the honafed and trustee
 Seleetmen oi the town of Thompson
 was mem mfser of the Swedish church and yet, uet many seafs ago, this maf came ta Woodstock as an emigrant knowing nothing of Inc English Ian guage of of the customs of the people among whom he had come to dwell. Rut again noticed and felt the neet
 of better transportation, anu advocated ! the consttuetloa ot an electric trolley
 line through various sections of Wood
 stock, without getting any response
 Then asked myself, VIII the day evel come when ears, loaded with passcn
 gers and freight, will run through th,
 villages and over the roads, bringins life, prosperity and hope to many back
 sections, where now they seem as in !
 state of death, ruin, and despair
 1 shall never forget the feelings thai
 would overcome me, al times, aher
 the summer residents had closed ui their residences for the winter months
 and returned to the city, and we were,
 leit, as NC felt. alone to ourselves. Il
 was feeling somewhat like that which, imagine, must overcome the
 inhabitants of Labrador when they ses the last steamer departing for the south
 leaving them shut in from the outside
 world through long, drears winter,
 Rnt with regular transportation by elec-
 trie ears. the iwellers in the most iso.
 lated parts of Woodstock would enjos
 cheerful life.
 And, to conclude, allow me to eN-
 press, though the columns ol the PA.
 fflor. my hearty thanks to all my friends for the many kindnesses ee- slowed upon my family and myself. cannot help saying that sometimes feel hosnesiek for The sreen fields. The woods, the brooks, the birds, and the real home feeling that can he realized alone V here man can have his own lil- tie cottage in which 10 reside, little plot of ground around il h plant, and 1 hakfa f.skN .shtseknsa< fta n q "a rxA tAf