The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-20
Pretty Tough on Mod. ern Youth When Silent
 4th of July Arrives

customer who was glad to buy all the bones that I could get. With Yankee caution I kept my opera tion to myself as much as pos- sible to avoid too much compe- tition and explored the whole country round to learn the extent of the supply. They were to be found in the woods and fields where old and sick cattle had gone of alone to die and after theyy h-I been cleansed and bleached in the rain and sun I gathered 'em up and took 'em to myy ware house. which was one of my fathers old barns. So I guess I was probably the best-informed small-boy about the one business in this part of Connecticut.
 Another source of revenue to me was picking and selling berries, which were very plentiful in sea- son. And as had one good cus- toner for all my 'bones, SO I was lucky in having one customer for all my berries,-a very kind and lovely lady, the wife of one of Waterbury's largest manufactur- CTS, who bought my berries both for table use and canning"
 "Where did you live at that time, MT. Porter?" I asked.
 % yes, I'll explain. told you that was born in house on East Main street at the corner of Mill street. But when was 4 years old my father bought 200 acre farm on Bucks Hill, and we moved out there.
 Did the Waterbury boys play baseball them" I asked.
 Sure they did," the old soldier were different in some respects. replied with gusto. Our rules For instance, you couldn't put a player out by touching him with the ball. You had to throw it at him and hit him no matter how near you were to him."
 Did you every play two old cat?
 Sure we did-and -four old cat'!" exclaimed the 94-year old ster with enthusiasm.
 How about 'guns'-Were boys allowed to carry gus in those d..ys?"
 After we got to be about 12 years old we were all allowed to use shotguns and kill wildcats foxes, of course"
 And now. the youngsters and grown-ups aren't even allowed to shoot 'fire-crackers' on the 4th of July! What do you think of that?"
 Pretty tough on tn kids!"
 By tn way, MT. Porter" I ask ed, twas there band in Water bury when you were boy?"
 Did Waterbury have 8 band when you were boy" asked. This question brought out all of the old patriot-soldier's enthu- siaSm.
 "Did Waterbury have a BAND when I was a boy?" he repeated. "Well I should say 1t did! And it was the best BAND that ever led a parade. It had come straight down from Revolutionary war times and its members were all sons of soldiers of the Revolu- tion. Sherman Moulthrop and Levi Atkins were the leaders then. marched proudly behind it when I was a little child, through the village of Waterbury. As a youth of IS I marched behind 1t in the parade of the 'WIDE-AWAKES' during the campaign of 1860 for ABRAHAM LINCOLN FOR PRESIDENT! And down the years since Waterbury has become a large city, I have marched be- hind 1t many a time with my dear old comrade veterans of the Civil affection for the MATTATUCK DRUM BAND-that has so faith fully and truly brought down to alone survive. We all had a deep war. And now of all of us-I the present generation its sacred traditions. And I understand that now a large majority of the organization are descendants of Soldiers of the Revolution"