St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1912-12-25

Win Carleton, Poet of the Hearth
stone

stone
The death of Will Carleton, poet,
lecturer and editor, Wednesday
night, comes with a shock to thou
sands of people in Rutland and
throughout Vermont, who have
been charmed and elevated by his
wonderful lectuTe-recitals. To the
writer of these lines, it comes as a
distinct pei sonal grief, for he was
friend of his family and a student
under his father
The secret of Will Cartoons
power was largely the result of
natural genius, coupled with a
warm and sympathetic nature. In
his early student days, more than
40 years ago, his poetic genius was
foreshadowed. His production
when he graduated in 1869 from
Hillsdale college, Michigan, was
the poem Riffs in the Cloud
and before this he had written
poems that still live
At the conclusion of his graduation
poem remarkable scene was
enacted. A newspaper account of
the time says: ''As he was de-
scending from the platform to take
his seat among his class, the pres
ident of the college rose impul-
sively from the presiding chair.
grasped one of the large. bouquets
at the front of the stage and hurled
it enthusiastically at Carleton
This public tribute on the part of
the college president to one of his
students made an immense hit
with the audience, who continued
their cheering until they had given
him a perfect ovation, and an av-
alanche of flowers swept down up
on him from every part of the huge
auditorium. Such an occurrence
was never known before, probably,
in the history of any college,"
Among Mr.. Cartoons best
known opens, cover the Hill to
the Poor House." the champion of
the feeble and ill-used parent, has
been the means of taking hundreds
of old people out of dingy pauper
houses where they had been placed
by ungrateful children, and it has
made thousands of aged hearts
lighter and brighter.
Betsy and l Are Out" won
derful ballad with its happy Sc
quel, appealed to everybody. This
poem is said to have actually less
ened the number of divorce cases in
several states.
'The First Settlers Story" "The
New Church Organ" Cover Them
Over 1.-The Editors Guests" and
hundreds of others, have made an
appeal to the hearts of people
stronger than most of the worlds
masterpieces of versification.
Only six weeks ago Mr.. Carleton
charmed a Rutland audience by his
lecture 1.-THE Drama of Human
Nature" One of the most endur-
ing productions occasioned by the
Titanic disaster was from the pen
of this poet of the hearthstone, the
much-loved man, Will Carleton
Rutland News.
Town Spirit
One hears nowadays about town
boosting campaigns" etc. It's all
very good talk and should be re-
peated over and over again.
But there is a deeper side of the
subject in what might be called
town Spirit-the keen feeling of
loyalty to any cause that belongs
in your town.
In schools and colleges a great
deal is said about school spirit.
The pupils are exhorted to stand
by their athletic teams, to root for
them on the field, to support school
entertainments, as something ex.
pected of every member of the
school.
The fervor of this spirit can be
seen at base ball games, foot ball
games and basket ball games.
Now the point we want to get at
is this: If towns could have the
same feeling, how many a communi
ty might go ahead! If you root
for new enterprises as the boys root
for the athletic teams, nothing
could stop your community's
growth.
Even from selfish reasons that
spirit of loyalty pays. Every new
enterprise that can be built up
here, every public improvement
every store, factory and farm, all
professional service, all faithful
labor, the entertainments that are
given, the churches that are sup
ported and the societies that are
conducted, all help to make the
community more attractive and liv-
able. They attract new residents
and they bind old ones to our
homes.
The tie between the people living
in one town ought to be one of loya'
friendship. If you meet a towns
man a thousand miles away, you
welcome him like a long lost broth
er. Next time you see him on your
own street you pass him with a
cold nod.
In towns where there is a frater-
nal spirit between the people, there
grows up a feeling of affection for
that community. If you move
away from such a town you never
forget the cordial welcome you met
there and you never cease to speak
a good word for it. All of which
makes life pleasanter, and from the
sordid point of view it is good ad-
vertising, both for the community
and the individual.
Now, how about yourself? Are
you a Booster for your own town?
Or are you a "Knocker?" Think it