The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-04-30

nor, as he walked from his house to the
executive chamber in the old Brattleboro
House on Main street, as the ideal Of
manly form and strength and of intellect
ual vigor.
His was the ''simple life He disliked
ostentation, lived plainly but well, loved
his garden and believed that his work in
it, continued till he was past 80, pro-
longed his life.
He was an intense lover of music and
for 40 years carefully trained the Congre-
gational choir, of which during all that
| time he was the leader. He was never
| absent from his place on a Sunday while
he was governor. He sometimes remarked
smilingly to his friends that it was in the
choir that he first met Miss Goodhue who
became his wife.
e, Mg H0lb srsu was as asspy intfr
worked upon the farm and well knew
what was meant by manual labor. A few
old men remember him with coat off hold
ing the pillow and tilling the land through
which Oak street now runs. He invented
several plows and many improved devices,
and the ''Holbrook plow," through the
firm of Ruggles, Nourse, & Mason of Bos-
ton was known throughout the country.
One incident he loved to relate: His
pillow was on exhibit and on trial at
state fair in neighboring state, but the
man assigned to "hold' it, not holding
it properly, Governor Holbrook stepped
down from the stand, dotted his coat,
turned the required number of burrows
with his own hands upon the handles
amidst the plaudits of the multitude. 1t
is needless to add that his pillow won the
prize. For many years he wrote editorial
articles for the Country Gentleman. He
was for long period president of the
Vermont Agricultural society, and as such
became so well acquainted with people
throughout the state that they were ready
to make him governor when he signlhed
his willingness to accept the office.
Governor Holbrook was not a learned
man in the scholastic meaning of the
term, but he was exceedingly well read
and well informed. He had no taste for
current light literature, but he was fond
of poetry, and the leading English and
constant companions. 1t was a pleasant
incident of his old age, when his sight
had become dim, that a circle of his lady
friends met at his house weekly and read
to him Shakespeare Dickins and other
works of his favorite authors. He was
master of English composition, having
formed his style, as he often said, from
his study of Addison. All his letters and
public documents were written with ease
and elegance, and his commonest CONVEX
sation was faultless.
Governor Holbrook was for more than
half a century trustee of the Brattle-
boro Retreat, succeeding his father, Dea-
con John Holbrook, one of the original
trustees. For years he took especial over |
sight of the farming department. The |
meadow was an object of great pride with
him, for under his direction it was re-
deemed from a mere swamp and by a |
system of drainage converted into land of |
great fertility and productiveness. His in
terest in the welfare of the institution
was intense, and by his wisdom and long
experience he rendered it valuable service.
His mind was constantly upon the wei
remark of his that the question is not
now cheaply but how well we can pro-
vide for them. j. NJ. T.