Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-03-08
Josiah Pogram on Referen-
duming.
WOODSTOCK, March S, 1913.

Mr.. Editor: Believin' in dreams and
warning to others. / went to town
meetin' convinced of the beauty of this
yer referendum. / see moderator
Eaton aud clerk Simmons staggerin'
along with what looked like couple of
tour-foot cord sticks done up in paper
on their shoulders, and l wondered
what they was luggin', SO | followed
EN- into the hall and found they was
proposals for amendments to the con-
stitution. hefted one of the piles and
it might need team to haul the truck
when we once get goin'. And then
read over the list and wondered where
in thunder should put my mark, Eyes"
or mo" / didn't know any more about
the final action of the blamed things
than hen does when it is trying to get
out of garden where she don't belong.
This doubt followed me home and
Elviry, = Elviry is my wife. says to
me, says she, "Josi, didn't the meetin'
go right?7 Now l think heap of
Elviry, and she don't ask things for
curiosity, and SO told her my doubts.
They say Confession is good for the
soul, but it didn't help me mite, and
| bothered over it after did my chores
and went to bed. And then had a
dream. thought was a Chinee in
thisyer new republic where wimmen'
vote and they referendum everything.
1t seemed to me that they was town
meetin' and we was locked into the
booths till we referendumd the stuff and
made our crosses. l forget whether
pages each to read and referendum
but know we was shut up six months
or more. The boys would come round
outside and tell me the news every day
or two, on their way to High school,
and so had little diversion between
wadin' through them volumes; but
felt my duty as a referendumer to read
every word, and as readin' comes by
nature, and me not particular gifted, it
took some time to spell across the page.
One day the boys came round sobby
and teary and cried out that Ma was
dead. ~Great Ebenezer Jones, says
in Chinese, land me locked in to read
these volumes The constable came
and said he would let me out for the
funeral; but thought of them old
Romans who shot their sons with
r Noivers when they didn't behave, and
said I'd be an old Roman too. He said
something about an ''old fool ~ but
didn't mind, Elviry bein' dead. So sat
and read and the tears run down my
nose and made a puddle on the pulp
wood paper till couldn't see to read;
bat humpted it up and KEEP ahead.
About a month after this the boys
came round and said the wilder
Spragueses hens had got into my bed of
sweet peas. Now I'm like MIR. Mac
kenzie in lovin' flowers. could stand !
Elviry's death and being away from
my motherless little folks for months !
but couldn't stand them hens in my !
sweet peas; so hollered for the con-
stable TO let me out, and him not COM |
ing quick enough began to smash .
things and pound the door. Then he
came fast enough and began to shake !
me 80 woke up and found me sittin' up
IA bed and Elviry sayin' wake upl I
JOSH, wake upl" And there was safe
1t home. and Elviry want dead. |
gathered her up and says. And so your
Tot dead, Elviry r. And says she, "Not
quite; but you nearly kicked me out of
1ed.'' And SO write this as e solemn
yarnin against havin' anything to do
With referenduming.
his
JOSIAH - PcGRAM.
mark