Hartland News, Vermont Journal, July 26, 1884

One of the wildest storms within the recollection of our oldest
inhabitants broke over this village on Saturday last. During its
continuance a large maple in front of W. E. Britton’s house was split down the middle and blown across the street. The same fate awaited another maple in front of Mrs. Augusta Bates’ house in another part of the village. The water poured down the Ed Hoisington hill, in front of the newsroom, flooding the main street to the depth of more than twelve inches, while the garden of Cullen F. Sturtevant was entirely submerged. At the lower end of Lull brook lightning struck the house of J. F. Lyman, tearing off a few shingles and passing off by way of the waterspouts. An ancient elm in front of A. A. Martin’s house which had grown in three main branches, had two of them blown down, one falling on the house, broke the chimney off even with the roof and otherwise damaged the house.

Mrs. W. R. Sturtevant is away from home making her annual visit with her father, and other relatives and friends in Chelsea, this State.

Lucian Dunbar left here last week for railroad work in Central America.

Rev. Joseph Crehore preached at the Universalist church, last
Sunday. Rev. Mr. Noyes preached at the brick church last Sunday, and the Sunday before. Mr. Noyes has preached here on several previous occasions, and will probably become the regular minister in a few months.

John Stillson carries on the farm of Mrs. Melinda Tinkham and the crops give evidence of good care, being worthy of the farm which is one of the best in town. Mrs. F. P. Barstow, at the Four Corners, noted as one of the best farm and dairy managers in town, takes personal charge of her garden, and if she could manage some way to take it to the county fair just as it is she would be sure of the first premium in gardens. The only other gardens in that locality that would stand any chance as competitors are those of Mrs. Phelps Hunt, Mrs. Dana P. Atwood, Mrs. C. C. Thornton and Mrs. Lorenzo Wood, by the side of which no masculine garden would have any show at all.

A most beautiful floral sight has been noticed during the past two weeks, in the front yard of Mr. George Sturtevant. It consists of a clump of lilies with petals of the purest white that can be found in nature, and of the sweetest odor. Fifty of these blossoms were counted at one time. The plant is quite old, the present owner having received it as a present from Mrs. Cullen F. Sturtevant, nearly twenty years ago. The name of the lily is Lilium candidum simplex. It seems to flourish in almost any variety of soil. At the same time it is advantageous to plant in a soil composed of mould, sand and well rotted cow manure. All lilies require deep planting and will do better if not disturbed for several years.

Mrs. Samuel Jewett of St. Johnsbury, with children, is visiting with her father, Mr. Jacob Bates, and other relatives in town, and Mrs. James Stone, of Windsor is visiting with Mrs. Melinda Tinkham at her farm residence.

The sympathies of our people are universally expressed for Rev. A. J. Hough and family of White River Junction, in view of the recent death of their little daughter after months of painful illness. It is hard to part with the little ones, even when the passage from the home below to the home above is attended with little pain; but when, as in the case under notice, each step on the way, through months is taken in intense suffering, then one can hardly regret that the suffering is ended and that the little innocent child is at rest.

One of the county papers stated last week that a branch post-office had been established at Martinsville. Such is not the fact. A. A. Martin and others employ a person to get their mail at the post-office and deliver it twice a day, but this does not constitute a branch office; if it did every hill and valley in town would have a branch post-office.

H. B. Watriss had cucumbers and new potatoes from his garden Monday.

Delegates to the Congressional convention this week at Montpelier, with the number of votes each received at the caucus: James G. Bates, 36; Wilson Britton, 36; D. F. Rugg 37.

While Wallace A. Burk was at work in his barn a hawk made a descent upon his poultry -yard, and, fastening upon a chicken, started for the upper air, but before getting above arm’s length, Burk caught the hawk by the legs and brought him back to earth. A brief fight, a few scratches on the hands of the captor, and the feathered chicken thief was dead.

Col. M. K. Paine, of Windsor, is having a large number of boxes for packing Celery Compound, made here by Martin & Stickney.

Our neighbor, Curtis Flowers, lost a valuable three -years old colt Sunday from injury caused by running down a steep pasture hill, producing internal rupture. The colt had developed remarkable speed and had a very high prospective value.

Mrs. Dr. Fuller of Brooklyn, N. Y., formerly Jennie Keyes, of this town, is at P. B. Smith’s.

The school in district No. 12, taught by Nannie Darling, closed July 18. Whole number of pupils was 10. of those, Mabel Bagley, Maud Hadley, Jennie Tarble, Flora Walker, Stanley Spear, Orimer Bugbee, George and Freddie Stillson were neither absent nor tardy. Ernest Spear and Julian Burk were absent during haying. The people in the district speak in high terms of Miss Darling as a teacher. Miss Gertie Walker, a recent graduate of Windsor high school, is to be her successor.

*Information supplied by Ruth Barton.

Transcribed by,  Joan H. Bixby

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