Year: 1874

From the Boston HERALD Oct ~,
Vermont Horse Trades and Law


suits.
The Spirit of Iitigious Sires Descended TO
Their sons-TwO Days Recreation with
a Cradle by IA Son OF Vulcan and what il


Cost Him.


From an Occasional Correspondent


BELLOWS FALLS, VT. Oct. IS, 1874.


Vermont is noted for suits at law, and
particularly railroad law, Vermont is,
however, not altogether in the railroad
law business, for once in while her cit
izens indulge in setto, when there is not
great deal at stake, and spend con-
siderable amount of money to contest
their supposed rights, when in reality
there is very little glory or currency at
the end of the suit, no matter how it
may be decided The custom of bring
ing law suits for the merest trifie has
been so long in vogue among the progen-
itors of the present residents, that those
who have remained on the old home
steads and felt any sort of love for their
old birthplaces, have united in an en-.
deavor to keep the memory of their an-
cestors green in persistent aim to tan
gle the threads of comluon law. Once
or twice the aim has been perfect, but as
general result the mesbes of the law
we're too fine for the litigants to unravel
or perforate. Ten cases we're tried at
the recent term of the Windham County
Court, in six of which horse was more
or less mixed up with Coke and Black
stone to such an extent that the constant
attendant was puzzled to find out which
one of the three was most prominent in
the cases, and it is not too much to say
that it would never have been decided
except for the gratuitous advise of atten-
tive reporters who favorably leaned to
the horse. A prominent judge, who
many years ago occupied position of
great honor in this county, and since
then in the State, as one of Its highest
Judicial officers, and who to-day is re-
spected and beloved by all political par
ties, once told the writer that if there
were no horses, and consequently no
horse trades in Vermont, that it would
be pretty hard work for lawyer, of su-
perior ability even, to remain in the
State more than three months without
calling on the ones VINO paid for his ed
ucation to step forward and also pay his
board. An old friend-and slight
bit of egotism compels me to say a rela-
tive-who for many years dealt out the
law at Bellows Falls, and who was re-
spected for his undoubted honor and
sterling integrity, relied, as be often told
me, upon the fees collected from the am-
alive New Hampshire swain and the
RoxaDna accompanying him for the pur-
pose of being united in the holy bonds
of wedlock, to settle bis bill at the
butchers and in part enable him to pay
for the psstursge of his COW. Marriages
were frequent in those days. Hardly a
Sunday came that the old side room of
Hyde's Hotel was not occupied by a
bridegroom and bride from the Granite
hills, waiting to be made one by the
sturdy accommodating Squire Campbell,
who never had occasion to act in case
of divorce for any one of the many hun
dreds he had Joined together. 1t was a
matter of pride with him, l know, that
no other lawyer ever succeeded in pull
ing apart those whom il was his privilege
to hitch up as matched pair.


Spawned horses swapped off as sound
ones afford the best cases for a young
and ambitious attorney. A ring -boned
and spawned horse combined is too thin
subject for an intelligent lawyer and
equally intelligent jury for the reason,
no doubt, that the plaintiff would be
considered fool in not seeing one or the
other fault. 1t makes little difference in
: this locality, at the present time, if a
horse is not brought in, as any little
unpleasantness between neighbors af.
fords an opportunity for the arbitrament
of law A ten pound lump of fresh
pork, green hide, or bunch of straw
when there is a Misunderstanding of any
sort, affords first rate opportunity tc
contest the same in the presence Of as

sembled wisdom and 81 lawyer. Some
years ago, Mr.. Milliken, very worthy
blacksmith in these parts, desiring tt
avoid the terrible pounding of his echo
ing anvil, sighed for The recreation o
the oat field and the consequent one-ffty
day and he sighed not long, for oil
the afternoon of the day he began t.
sigh, an owner of superior field of tha
graihwent rolling past as Milliken wa
bssking in the twilight on the taverl
steps. There was not much to be said
one wanted work and the other wanted
work done; but the pay for the work, a
is usual in these parts, was to certain
Is extent TO be taken in dicker, and il