The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-02-26
STRATFORD 
A, Big Wind = One Who Knew Lincoln
 '. A High Hayloft -Shad-The Poor in <, Lent-Oyster Shells.

The fierce wind in town yesterday dried up and froze all the mud; blew several commercial travellers into the abarsiness center: uprooted a number of sour apple trees. and demolished sev-
 Aral merry widow hats. A stray breeze, which went nosing about the east side Of Main street. caught up bunch of morning papers belonging to a local newsdealer and sent them scurrying before the wind as far as the post of flee. Such circulation of the paper in question has not been seen for a long time. A lady clerk rushed out of the newsroom and sprinted up the street after the papers which were fly fnE oyer fhe barber's shop and hug EinEf the windows of the Cupheag club. F,or time the comedy of the wind and the madden was quite amusing. T Before long an old clergyman named .Merwin. from Middlefeld. this state, will preach at the Congregational church. He was a friend of Lincoln's al1d once went on a. speaking tour with dined with Lincoln on the last day of hls life. just before he went to the theatre where he met his death. He is expected in town about the 14th of March. and will speak in the after noon.
 The erection of new scaffold about tine spire of the church which has been 80 recently renovated excites consider able curiosity among the uninitiated. T1e wind blew so hard yesterday the carpenters. had to descend to the ground. The platform is as high as the belfry. and possibly it may be used sn October coming for the display of fireworks during the semi-centennial celebration which is to take place.
 MT. George Meachen. MT. Edward W. Beers and MT. Charles Holah, well known local residents, have been drawn
 DC court.
 9S, The Red Men will all themselves up with clam chowder on next Monday evening.
 The Hayloft of town held a convoca- .tion on Wednesday night, and two new tramps were taught the art of shaymakng. A number of prominent Eentlemen were present, including R. J. Talbot of Wallingford. the Chief Haymaker of the State of. Connecticut; Ndr. A. M. Young of Naugatuck: David Meyer. Alfred Holmes. B. J. Erickson and Oscar Bergland Of Bridgeport. all Of whom made various kinds of re- marks. MT. Alfred Stacy. the Chief Hornblower. worked hard and long. Mr.. James R. Vans. Jr.. was elected sKeeper of the Bundles. in place of MT: Charles Homan, resigned. The object ,of sthee order is Fun and Goodfellow- ahip."
 Fresh shad having appeared in the markets. 1t will not be long before the annual lamentations will be heard in ,the land to the. effect that shad have forsaken the Housatonic river and can not be coaxed above Capt. Judson's light house. During the years 1899 to 1904. inclusive. the United States Gov sernnent deposited shad fry in Peck's 1retaining pond in this town to the 7. number of $500, 00O The Fish and flame Commissioners say no shad fry Shave been available for the Peck pond on the Housatonic river for the past two years and the prospects for the future are not bright for ever again having a supply of fry to restock the .svhy these fish are so seldom found in the river above this town.
 Yesterday Mrs. William Bradley M ent to Paterson. N. J.. to attend .her fathers wedding. The gentleman is a Methodist clergyman. aged about 85 Mrs Bradley's son. being the only grandson of the much married grand father. will act as the best man for the sprightly groom.
 Mir. William Beard spent Wednesday in Torrington.
 Several pupils of the High school will this week send in their essays to the Colonial Danes of New Haven, who have offered handsome prizes for the ebest compositions on 8 certain number sOf gwen patriotic subjects.
 Mrs. Dell Butcher. of North avenue 3s one of the latest victims of the grip.
 Mrs. Lizzie Cullen and neice are in kPhflade1phia for a week.
 The Evening Star Rebekah Sewing Society met yesterday afternoon at the Ireadelce of Mrs. Julian Clinton. It was too windy to sit under the lilac bushes.
 t~. .A number of ladies in town observed h4enf yesterday by meeting at the tT3efbaf1y Mission to sew for the poor There is much need of this kind of work. even now. so long after the November election. when the cry was that good times would return as soon eas Mi. Bryan should be defeated. Peo- r5le do not forget these promises. which fail to materialize. The chief of the Stratford Fire De- partrnent is to have a telephone. This As an excellent idea. for if need be he gan be. called up in the dead of night 70 rx1n to a fire.
 Mr. Arthur Beardsley has been visit Ing in Hartford.
 f A number of our local "captains," nnoi the town is full of them. are hav- HE their boats overhauled ready for Ase spring outings. All predict an early anGssoft spring. M "