The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-22
ON SECOND THOUGHT
The Observation of an Anniversary
BY JAY E. HOUSE.
(From Philadelphia Public Ledgsr.D

Poughkeepsie, n. Y, Aug. 16.
We celebrated the anniversary OF
the Battle of Bennington today by
driving from Springfield VT, to Pough-
keepsie. That, of course. is no way to
treat a battle. especially one of such
Importance to the Continental army.
But we didn't know anything was go
ing on 1t wasAnot until we found
flags flying from the farmhouses of
southern Vermont that We suspected
the day Of any deep significance. II
then was too late to do anything about
it. ~However, We saw the beautiful
green hill on (which the battle was
fought and were permitted to observe
the graceful and impressive obelisk
with which the government has mark
ed the site. Almost as impressive as
the shaft itself is the fact that
beautiful and enticing golf course
winds it's way around the base of the
hill. 1t is the custom in this country
to mark points of historical and ma
tional interest with a garage and fill
ing station. Most of them are so
erected and no filling station installed,
tourists will find a gift shop. The
battlefield of Bennington has neither
garage nor gift shop and. for that
reason alone, is well worth seeing.
AS a battle Bennington does not
rank high. 1t gathers its Importance
from the fact that it was Continental
victory. There were few Continental
victories that year. Battles that were
so decided became significant. Ben
nington, however. chiefly is remem-
bered for two uncorrelated incidents.
One of these is the reputed remark
of General Stark. I can give only the
substance of General Stark's remark.
since its exact phraseoiogy long since
escaped me. But, in effect, he Is al
legged to have said he'd win the battle
or Molly Stark would be widow that
night. The other incident relates to
the heroic conduct of a lady whose
name also for the moment escapes me.
1 shall add, parenthetically, as it were,
that hotel-room is no place to re-
fresh ones memory. Be that as 1t
may, the lady in question was the wife
and was present in person during the
alteration. Some time during the
forenoon her husband fell while serv-
ing his gun. She promptly took his
howitzer hot until the British retreat
ed in disorder.
They are beautiful stories and I
should like to go on believing them.
But I know that sooner or later some
authority will arise and place them in
the category of historical myths. Tt
has been so With all my other favorite
historical Incidents it will be with
these. For years I was able to get
an ever-recurring thrill from the story
of William Tell. 1 refer to the Swiss
gentleman of that name and not to
the overture. Then an authority arose
and branded it as a myth. Many
times in my more youthful days I de-
cided, if occasion arose, to emulate the
example of the boy who stood on the
burning deck The thought that I
might some day match his act of alb
negation was tonic to my soul. The
clear light of research has dispelled
both the boy and the deck. No his
torical incident is safe. p hope some
one soon will get around to the one
concerning General Israel Putnam,
thru whose country we travelled to-
day. I have never accepted that story
and I would like to have the lowdown
on it. You will remember that Gen
eral Putnam in his haste to join the
Continental Army unhitched his oxen
from the pillow and left IL standing in
the furrow. General Putnam was a
Yankee. 1 don't believe he left his
pillow in the furrow. To do so virtually
was to ruin it. A pillow rusts scan
dalously if left in the furrow. What
I think is that General Putnam car
ried his pillow to the house. creased the
moldbpard carefully with a strip of fat
pork. put it undercover in the barn
and then>joined the Continental Army.
Readers of the column who contenl-
plate visiting Lenox this year for the
purpose of participating in its social
activities will regret to learn there's
rothing much going on. The society
set is at Newport or Southampton, and
Lenox is having the dullest season in
years. The soda jerk who mixed me
a pousse cafe in the drug store in
Lenox was low in mind about it.
Well. I asked for a pousse cafe.
wouldn't go as far as to say got it.
The soda jerk said only a few of the
real people had come to Lenox. that
most of the houses were closed and
the estates for sale. He expressed the
hope that things would be better in
the fall; but could see he lacked the
optimism his spoken words indicated.
What I have virtually decided is
that an ordinary plug citizen cannot
with comfort or credit to himself
coax a motorcar all day and write d