Norwich bulletin., 1909-06-26
CHAPTER XVII (continued).


Now, had heard a great many chest
nuts, but Il had not seen one in thirty
years. Now said /, you can tish;
/ will gather chestnuts."
Soon after my arrival in my native
town i met an aged gentleman whom
had known as a prominent and Well
to-do citizen in the years gone by. l
introduced myself, and he was quite
pleased to meet me, and We had
very pleasant chat about the long ago.
A few days after l met him again al
the hotel and he informed me that he
had lost a pocketbook containing a
small sum of money, although it was
4 great deal to him, and it had been
found. and was in the possession of
the barkeeper Of the hotel. He had
applied for it, but as the barkeeper
did not know him he was told that he
must bring some one to identify him,
and asked me if / would do so. Now
here was a man whose home had been
in that town all his life coming to me,
who had been away from it for thirty
years, to identify him with a hotel
barkeeper. The situation struck hne
as rather sad and yet little bit COM
ical However, l consented for if
there was any one man connected with
the hotel that / knew better than any
other it was the barkeeper, and after
Identifying my friend, and he had re-
ceived his pocketbook, l invited him to
| join me in a drink. He declined with
! thanks, adding that he never INDUCED
| in strong drink. I was glad to hear
him say that, as it was evidence that
his reverse in the possession of this
worlds goods was not brought about
| by dissipation. But the little incident
impressed me with the fact that an in
dividual may so as completely out of
sight in the community which has al
| ways been his home as he can thou
sands of miles away.
1t was during my stay in Norwich
| that Thanksgiving was observed, and
there is one popularity about the
| observation in Norwich which is not
| known anywhere else on earth, and
| which is, that while the old people in
the churches are rendering thanks, the
boys on the various hills are preparing
| for the evening bonires, composed of
| the hundreds of barrels which they
have been busy for weeks in purloin-
| ing for the occasion. And, oh, how l
enjoyed witnessing the preparations
| during the day and seeing the bonfires
in the EVENING" For the scene wildly
| recalled my boyhood days, when ash
| barrels, water barrels, or barrels of
| any kind left out over night would be
missing the next morning. In those
days it was called stealing barrels, but
| found the term had been softened
| down to simply hooking them, and the
boys who would prowl around nights
| hunting barrels would scorn the idea
of their taking anything else not their
own.
1t has never been positively settled
as to when. where or. how the custom
| originated, but almost every year some
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gin was, it has come to stay.
| During my three months visit east
| spent several days in New York
| Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, New
Haven and Brooklyn. In each of these
cities | found relatives and old-time
| friend, who gave me a hearty well
| come, all of which filled my eastern
! visit brimful Of solid enjoyment; but
| the browning glory of my delightful
experience was in my arrival at Chi
| cago and going to Morgan park
where L met my only sister and hel
/ ldiullN, anu lOI Two WGChs
| I experienced Just about as lovely q
| time as any man ever had. Then, bid
| ding them all good-by. / left for Chi
cago, to take the night train across
the continent l found, however that
every berth in the Pullman car was
taken, and the only accommodation
was the passenger car with no berths
But that didn't feaze me a particle
| for had started for home and | was
| going and | did go, and arrived safely
at Oakland mole, having done all my
sleeping in an upright position.
mention this simply to give the reader
to understand that l was equal to the
| emergency.
On my way home from the ferry
Grifted in at the Bohemian club, JUS
| to say How do you dO?" to the boys
and they were having an impromptl
concert in the Red Room. When
| entered. the shout that went up was
something startling, and as they came
| hand and bid me welcome. / was really
cutie overcome by the genuine out
| pouring of feeling, and | felt overjoyeC
| to be alive and there. And then we
al! took a welcome home drink, which
was heartily enjoyed by every one
present Then I went home.
| notwithstanding the lateness of tht
hour of my arrival. and that the fam
lily had retired. when / rang the door.
! bell and made the startling announce.
ment that the wanderer had returned
| and was ready for the fatted calf, thai
| family was up and dressed in quicker
time than was ever before known, anC
| ] was received with open arms and {
4 right royal welcome. all of which quo.
| without saying. and then. amid the 10,
! and rejoicing. | talked of whom anC