The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-05-12
AN ITALIAN AMERICAN.



Not only do We have Vermont ltal-
ian marble. but sometimes Vermont
Italian boys grow up here. The olo
friends OF Mr. fheophile Il. Comba
nave been glad TO have him In Dor
set again during the past winter.
They recall the boy OF II who In
the autumn OF 1865 with a heavy
shawl wound about him IN Jaunty for
sign fashion walked up the middle
aisle 10 Mr. Pratt 3 pew In the ola
church aud caused curious comment
among the good people who knew
nothing about his father or his grand
father and all too little about the
sunny Italy from which he came.
Charles Field brought him over 10
Dorset from the Vermont-ltalian qua
ries where he was not quite satisfied
with his work and found his pick axe
ana shovel. like Daniel Webster s
icythe. hung best on a tree,
During the winter he studied Eng
fish and hts older brother who was
with him taught French 10 clasb
in the tavern" now known as the
Dorset Inn. French and Italian they
we're equally familiar with and at
first gave their name with the
French accent as ComDe. In good
plain Vermont language this spell
ed Comb, and the name Theophile,
which the aspiring French students
we're taught to pronounce as II "
were spelled Taofeel, degenerated TO
iull and unaceustomed ears 10 Deer
field, SO Deerfleld Comb found
himself indeed in a strange land,
and when they finally adopted the
italian spelling of Comba some
and wondered how many aliases
hese foreign born brothers might
nave. The older brother In The
spring went on with his wife to
California, but the young man, Theo-
phile. remained IN Dorset, and with
.aults and virtues, abundant vitality
deep vein OF humor and withal an
attractive and winning personality
te found his way TO confidence and
appreciation In many homes.
We recall the dear housewife
who mended his stockings along
with her own boys and made up
ner mind definitely that he must
aayea good mother, all his clothes
mad such carefully embroidered G.
lone By her own hand. by de-
grees we learned that his fathef
was a Waldensian teacher and later
minister to an independent con
gregation In Angrogna that bro
ther Emile, educated in Geneva un-
der Merle D'Aubignt, was pro-
lessor Ina the Waldensian Theolog-
cal Seminary at Florence aud had
Wrlttpn history of the Waldensea,
while younger brother was also a
minister, receiving his education IN
Edinhurg and Berlin. our young
man worked on Dorset farms long
enough 10 get acquainted with the
soil and the hang of our yernacuiar
as well as the hang of seythe, out
soon found his way 10 the Seminary
Al Manchester where he studied ana
taught for two years. leaving there
Tor Mr.. Slglers school In Newburgh.
He married Miss Matte Gray 81
Dorset and from 1872 10 1881 ne
was employed Ia teaching French.
italian and music In schools OF HUI
.on. Newburgh and Brooklyn, also
turing six years OF this period, ,he
summer School OF Languages under
Or sauyeur az Amherst, Mass,
In 1887 he entered the mploy OF
The Gould Manufacturing company
n seneca Falls. n y, travelling ex-
ensiyely for them in all parts OF
Europe from Dublin 10 Moscow from
Christiania 20 Smyrna and also IN
cuba. Mexico aud fucatan. lie re-
presented them at the Paris EXPO
sltion In SO and at the Worlds falf
Chicago in 1898. Later he cam.
TO New YORK aud was connected
with the book concern OF Hanson
| Trusloye Comba. to which John
Lane succeeded 10 1907 with MT,
| romba al manager until 1898 whsn
| ~ became foreign correspondent ioi
| The National Association of Manufac
| turers where he has been for the
/ past seven years. reslgning ma pos
| zion last summer And this winter
| in Vermont among the associations
| II his early days To America has
,.en A most happy one for him and
| Tor his old friends Fond 81 his
1 RSk1kh ne mas fHS1ttsa ~ 49, FN'"-t
for reading and study Will" ne ms
| found bis axe as stimulating A. th'
golf grounds IN the height OF ths
season aiih the added satisfaction
~ a growing wood pile
Mr.. Comba with bis wife sailed
from NeH York on April 30 for
| Genoa. Italy They Sent on the
enneA al GeoRa Of the Italian nav
lgatlon line, calling al Gihfsltsr and
/ Naples on the VAS. tits object y
tsn f0ldso visit brother andfriends
ii italy and England and 20 re-
| pFesen; some American manafaetur'
/ err sho are Interested IN develop
ing their foreign trade In Europe
Por this his previous experience
elninentiy fits him. and his naany
friends will Wish him and his good
Ngfe bon voyage. and IN The autumn
safe retnrn Bennington bahher