Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1920-06-25
WINDHAM COUNTY STORIES
WINE IN WiNDHAM
BY
JOHN G.. VIRGINS

noise in his house had been terrific,
and there, to bear him testimony. lay
the pond, its surface covered by the
eorpses of the afflicted croakers. This
tale became famous, and was repeated
far and wide as an example of the
power of an excited imagination. But
in the sober reflection of later ages,
is it not reasonable to suppose that
we are attributing bit too much to
fearful fancy, and not quite enough
to stout, and ale, and cherry flip?
In the brief periods of peace be-
tween the French and Indian wars and
the Revolution it is said that jamaica
rum was as common as cider, and
when the first Continental troops
marched northward from Windham
County to meet the British regulars at
Bunker Hill, it was after a series of
military treats" which though they
may have had demoralizing effect
dered a great deal of courage, and
complete scorn and contempt for
things British.
During the gloomy days of the
Revolution, four seamen. who had
been captured on II. NJ. S. Bombrig,
We're having pleasant and much
needed rest in the little Jail on Wind
ham Green, but after twelvemonth
they began to tire of it, and had a
hanEering to get out. In these dull
periods they involuntarily turned their
thoughts to that divinity, always a
favorite with them. the aforemention-
ed Baccrus, and to pass the time they
carved a figure of him, surrounded by
punches of wooden grapes, astride
cask, and clad in a winning smile. 1t
may be that Bacchus pitied them and
was touched by their devotion, or 1t
may be that he was as much favor
lite with the prison guards as with the
sailors: at all events. shortly after the
completion of the figure, their door
was left aiar, and they made their es-
cape. The Bacchus was swung over
the tavern of the Widow Carey, and
there he hang to meet, with his con
tinuous smile. the war worn Wind
ham boys when they came marching
home again.
Early in the last century the QUIZ
Zical Club was formed, which met ev-
ery week for entertainment, and from
all accounts they had it, and the Jo-
vial spirit held considerably sway. 1t
was about this time also that fishing
trips became the fashion, and these
fishing parties certered about the Will
Iimantic Tavern, the fame of which
spread many miles through the coun-
tryside
1t was the custom in many public
schools of that day for the master to
treat his pupils to liquor on the last
dav of the semester One Kllingly
;nha bitant having waited for his three
small sons an hour or more after the
usual time, went off to school to fetch
them. 1t was just as well he did, as
they were quite unable to get nome
alone. So irate was the father that
he drew up the first pledge in Killing
" and promptly signed 1t, Shortly
before. a certain Dr. May had become
an advocate of total abstinence, ana
had started temperance society III
Brooklyn. Lyman Beecher was thun-
dering against the evils of drink IN
Litchfield. and little by little, temper
ance societies sprang up throughout
large part of the state, and nearly
squeezed Windham County dry.
So the temperance movement start
ed and grew, and that movement act
ed as an ominous forerunner OF the
most colossal drought ever known IN
the history of nan.