Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-10-08
VERMONT HOLY ROLLERS
Waited at West Derby for End Of
The World.


The World.
A dispatch from West Derby to the
Free Press recently says:
This town has just emerged and par
TALLY recovered from an experience sim
liar to that of West Duxbury, Mass,
Derby being the mecca of Vermont Holy
Rollers during the recent end Of the
world vigil.
An apostle of this singular sect came
here several weeks ago and began IA Wig
orous csnIpaian announcing the near
approach of the millennium. 1t is said
that several Derby people, who at first
looked on the movement with amuse-
ment, became strenuous believers. 1t is
also said that the converts were given
vigorous treatment in preparation for the
great event, one stunt being to place
the candidate in a PROSTATE position and
then administer long and severe drub-
bling ito drive out evil and innoculate
the convert with the holy ghost"
One aged man, who possessed of consid-
dollars and was about to dispose Of his
farm in like manner when his SOD arriv-
ed and succeeded in getting himself sp-
pointed the old mans guardian just be-
fore the papers were drawn. Many of
the farmers neglected their crops and
there was general disregard of things
temporal
Unlike their Duxbury brethren the
Rollers gathered here did not believe
that they were on ground exempt from
the coming end of the world. They be-
lieved that after eight days Of prayer and
meditation they were to be carried sky
ward in a white cloud, while their wick
ed neighbors would be cut into small
pieces, and still living, float about in
their own blood
The local pilgrims met on each of the
eight evenings at various private houses,
the sessions being held in darkness. Al
though for the most part the community
regarded them with amusement and pity
few heartless practical jokers could not
let the situation pass unnoticed. On one
evening one of these funny fellows at
tended the Rollers meeting, while his
friends assembled on a neighboring hill
with bugle, megaphone and a large
quantity Of brushwood. When the fan
atics had worked themselves into a pro-
per pitch Of excitement he stole out and
signalled the hilltop. Immediately the
bonfire was tuched of, the shrill notes Of
the bugle pierced the evening quiet, and
the man with a m. ga phone got busy.
The effect was such a. u sa tisfy the boys
most sanguine expeC tatio, 8.
On another evening the Rollers receiv
ed an equally startling shock from an al
together different source. A Canadian
steamboat, stranger to the Vermont end
of Lake Memphremagog, came down to
Newport to be inspected by government
officials. When they tried out the search
light, with no malice aforethought they
happened to direct it's powerful rays into
the windows of house where some fifty
of the Rollers were assembled. In an
instant every person in the room was on
his feet and rush for the door followed.
The men and women shouted Its come,
it's come - rolling in the road and leap
ing In the air When they found out it
was little Canadian steamer instead of
the angel Gabriel their faith was undi-
minished and they resumed with their
prayer and meditation.
On the evening following the landing
of the party who had been up the lake
for a clambake and added somewhat
to the noise of their brass band upon
landing served as another false alarm.
After tarrying the prescribed eight
days and one or two more to make sure
the pilgrims gradually dispersed, having
received word that the finality of ma
terial things had been postponed fol
twenty years.