The Press., 1909-12-15
WTT.T.TN1g gsrON1.
"Reminiscences of WiIlington, Conn, by Native
 of the Town.-Na. 6.

of the Town.-No. 6.
 In my last article I referred to the religious element tat pervaded the whole community of Willington at the time of which I have written. In the winter of 1885 and 6 an incident occurred In she Hollow that made deep impression upon my young mind
 It was time of deep religious in terest. and meetings were being held in the old red schoolhouse under the direction of the new pastor of the Baptist church. the Rev Horace VII. COX. man of considerable ability as an evnnRelistic preacher.
 During one meeting of very deep interest Joel Smith, a young man. called out "Pray for me. ]" A young lady who was quite active in the meeting. Miss Eunice Rider, was tie first to respond to the call, aud falling
 ppm her knees prayed earnestly for the young man. and he very soon be- came an active Christian.
 He afteIward married Eliza Tay. Tor, daughter of Dea. Aron Taylor and sister of Solyman and Franklin, and moved to Leominster. Mass where he spent quite a long life. Miss Rider was afterwards she wife of Al. fred Curtis and they went to West. field, N. Y. where. I believe, some of her descendants still live. There was at that time 8 good number of young people in the Hollow, as we'll as in other parts of the town, who were earnest Christian workers, and not ashamed to have their voices heard in the social meetings Among those that I recall as workers were the Vinton girls, Belinda. Lucinda, Eliza and Miranda, and althoug h Miranda was then only a child she could then lead a childrens' prayer meeting, several of the Westons, both of the Timothy and Widow Weston families. the Stiles girls and my old est sister. Lovina, all converted young and witnessing a good confession.
 Another characteristic of Wilmington in those early days that recall was the musical alent that was developed. Almost my earliest recollections are of the orchestra of the Hollow, and the evening concerts on the summer evenings in front of John Heath's comb shop on the little green. It usually consisted of two violins, a voiloncello, clarionet or flute and Q fife.
 Harvey Vinton, the cello; Rufus and Origen Weston, the violins; my brother, Samuel, the clarionet or flute, and Tho mas Russ, the fife The Widow Weston family were 8 full chorus choir of themselves, and I cannot remf mber the time when there was not at least three stringed instru ments to | ad the choir in the Baptist and for 25 years the Baptist church in Willington was noted for it's fire chorus choir of from 12 to 20 voices.
 The music used in the early years was of the old Handel and Hayden type, and those old fuge tunes such IS Exhorlation, Complaint, !" aud "J5hovah" were favorites with my father, and other favorites, common tunes. such as Duke Street." "Msar," "Oorona tion, Dundee" 3'Lyors.s and many other of those old tunes that have been handed down to these modern times and have never been ex. celled.
 Lowel Mason had already issued his collection of church music, The Boston Academy" which soon came into general use in the choira, and some three years later took my first lessons in singing under B F. Taylor in the hall in the tavern on the Hill, now Maple Oorne~.
 The leading bass singer at the time of which am writing was Joshua Preston, and for some years later un- til the double bass viol was given to the choir by Stephen Weston. wh n MT. Preston always played that. An incident occurred one Sunday that made lasting impression upon me. was some 10 or II years. perhaps