The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-04-08
WAS A NOTABLE DAY
April 7 An Anniversary Date of
Unusual interest.

Monday, April 7, was historical
anniversary of unusual interest. 1t
was not so much any one thing as
the remarkable number of things
that have happened on that day.
Some of the more interesting are the
following.
St. Francis Xavier, Christian mis-
sionary, born, 1906; DR.. Hugh Blair,
author of Lecture on Rhetoric" etc.,
born 1913; William Wordsworth,
poet, born, 1870; Francois M. c. Four
Ter, French socialist, born, 1772; r.
w. Elliston, actor, born IVA; Sir
Francis Chantrey, sculptor. born
1882; Giambattista Rubina, the great
est of tenor singers, born 1895; Sir
j. E. Tennent, author of works on
Ceylon, Belgium ETC., born 1904.
Charles VIII of France died 149S;
Jerome Bignon, French historical
writer, 1856; Sir William Davenant,
poet, 1868; Charles Colardeau,
! French dramatic writer, 1776; Peter
Camper, Dutch anatomist, 1888;
Rev. William Mason, poet, 1877;
William Goodwin, novelist, 1885; Sir
James Scarlet, (Lord Abinger)
Chief Baron of the Court of Exche-
quer, 1874; William l.. Bowles, poet,
1850.
On the evening of this day beau
tiful woman was shot dead as she
came out of Convent Garden Theatre,
London. The woman was Miss Reay
of humble origin, possessed OF great
beauty, intelligence and an amiable
character. She was the mistress OF
the Earl of Sandwich, by whom she
had four children. The Earl had al
ways treated her with the utmost
tenderness and affection. The man
who committed the murder was an
old lover of Miss Reay's and the
tragic affair broke in upon the dull
tenor of English aristocratic life as
nothing else had done for genera
tons. The young man even went to
the extent of studying for the church.
took orders, and actually entered
upon a curacy that he might be bet
ter equipped for matrimony. But
Miss Reay could not find the sufficient
courage to break her bondage with
the Earl of Sandwich, the result of
which was to unseat the young cur
ate's reason, ending as We have
seen, In this atrocious act One of
the Earl of Sandwiches sons by his
mistress became a writer OF consid
cradle merit and was the author of
life of Lord Bacon.
On this day in 1882 wife-sale
took place. Joseph Thompson, far
mer had been married three years
without finding his happiness ad
vanced. He and his wife at length
agreed to separate. 1t was prevail
ent notion amongst the rude and
ignorant In England that man, by
setting up his wife at public auc-
ton, and so parting with her, legally
dissolves the marriage tie, and es-
capes from all its obligations. The
day Of the sale, Thompson placed his
wife on large oak chair with
rope or halter of straw round her
neck and addressed the crowd as fol-
lows; Gentlemen, / have to offer
to your notice my wiz, Mary Anne
Thompson. otherwise Williams,
whom / mean to sell to the highest
and fairest bidder. Gentlemen, IL is
her wish, as well as mine, that we
part for ever. She has been to me
only a born serpent. / took her for
the comfort and good of ry home;
but she became my tormenter, do
nestle curse, a night invasion, and
daily devil. Gentlemen, speak
truth from my heart when / say,
may God deliver us from trouble
some wives and frolicsome womenl
Avoid them as you would a mad dog.
a roaring lion, a loaded pistol, chol-
era morbus, Mount Etna, or any 9TH
er pestilentinal thing in nature.
Now | have shown you the dark
side of my wife, and told you her
faults and failings. | will now In
troduce the bright and sunny side of
her and explain her Qualifications
and goodness. She can read novels
and milk COWS; she can laugh and
weep with the same ease that you
could take a glass OF ale when
thirsty. Indeed, gentlemen, she TO
minds me OF what the poet says of
women in general:
Heaven gave to women the peculiar
grace"
ITO laugh, to weep. to cheat the hui
man race"
She can make butter and scold the
maid; she can sing Moore's melodies
and plat her frills and caps; she
cannot make rum. gin or whiskey,
but she Is a good Judge OF the quail
ty from long experience in tasting
them. ! therefore offer her with all
her imperfections and projections
for the sum Of fifty shilllnge.