Connecticut western news., 1910-06-16
Thirty-Five Years Ago
 And Its ReCOIIeCtiOnS
PUNISHMENT MUST FIT
 THE CRIME
One of Canaan's Talented / Sons Doesn't Realize the
 Dignity of the. Painters
 Art With Reliable Data.

The following, from one of the bright. est newspaper men Connecticut ever turned out, is self-explanatory Alas. John was ever thus, bashful as maiden when it came to giving his age. It was the same in his previous reincarnation, when, as city editor of the Olive Branch. published by Noah, at the time of the flood. when he assigned the present editor of THE NEWS, then @ cub reporter on the sheet. to gathering the list of cas- ualties for an extra, at the time of that ancient catastrophe.
 John, in his present reincarnation is down in Hartford, making the senators hustle, on that spicy record of truth, the Hartford Evening Post, but he s the same old "Roddy." and in moments of quiet contemplation and solemn msdita- tion, still recalls those halcyon days of youth and sings the songs of "Canaan's Happy Shore" This is what he sends us:
 EDITOR NEWS:
 Your "Reminiscences of By-Gone | Days" are an edifying historical feature, without a doubt, and must be especially interesting to your older readers who can remember, and instructive to the younger ones who take an interest in local history and biography. But there are some, occupying the middle ground, between the frisky spring chicken and the sedate old hen periods, whose rebel lious memory is inclined to balk and back up when 1t comes to giving dates, and with whom che phrase, "when was boy" is sufficiently definite in narrating personal recollections of by gone days
 When you haul one of those sensitive individuals out into the spotlight, and without warning hit him swat in the eye with brutal date away back in 1 1S74-which means thirty-six years, or more than third of century ago-the i blow may not hurt him any, but the sad denness of it is apt to give him a chill that will make the goose-pimples, stand out.
 From another view point, THE NEWS "Reminiscences" are exceptionally val Euable-in supplying and verifying data relating to occurrences in by-Rone days. I was genuinely glad to note the follow. ing in recent issue, under Reminis. cences of July 3, 1S74
 "John Rodemeyer, Canaan, moved in to his new house, and John. Jr., was painting it."
 This item throws light on point on which the surviving members of the family have been unable to agree, and it is gratifying to have it definitely set. tied, that my grandfather moved into hls new house while my father was painting it on July 5, 1874, just three months before l was born.
 Yours for candor and accuracy,
 JOHN RoDEMEYER. Hartford, Conn.
 No use John trying to palm it off ou the 'old man." Why, bless your dear old soul, you know we'll that you were doing the anipal stunts for Barnum $ show for the New Haven papers back in 1492 and writing Patti farewells when the present editor of THE NEWS was hustling copy on that lamented relic of an tiquity. the New Haven Morning News, long since gone to the happy hunting grounds through absorption by its versitile rival, the New Haven Palla dium. That painting crime still sticks John. and the very clapboards of the old house eloouently prove the indictment