The Westford Wardsman, September 20, 1919
Center. F. E. Meyer, R.F.D. carrier, and Mrs. Meyer are taking their annual vacation. They were at Massapequa, L.I., last week. Alfred Tuttle is on the mail route.
Don Judd has a new telephone—7-4.
Mr. and Mrs. George F. White and son Forrest were in attendance on Tuesday at the big fair in Springfield, where some of Mr. White’s registered Ayrshires were among the cattle exhibits. E. J. Whitney has also been in attendance at this fair this week and also visiting kinspeople in Springfield.
The farms with silos are busy getting them filled this week.
As a commentary on the persistent damp, rainy kind of weather last week morning glories in one garden kept open and unwilted for several days at a time.
The Ladies’ Missionary society of the Congregational church held their meeting on Wednesday afternoon at the home of the president, Miss S. W. Loker. Some interesting sketches of pioneer missionaries in the middle west were given.
The dance last week Friday evening, managed by a committee of young me, with Broderick’s orchestra in attendance, was reported as a pleasing success, both in attendance and financially.
The millinery class taught by Miss Frances Tomer of the County Bureau, and under the auspices of the Tadmuck club, held its last meeting on Tuesday afternoon at library hall. Many practical points in the making of frames and covering and trimming were given.
The Board of Trade outing of Ayer made an interesting procession of automobiles when it passed through town on Wednesday afternoon.
Doings of the State Guard. When the alarm was sounded last week Wednesday Westford’s Company H of the state guard assembled at the town hall and almost full ranks were carried to Lowell by trucks and went to Boston on the 6:56 train. They marched through the streets to the South armory whence they were carried by trucks to a police station 17 in West Roxbury.
On Sunday they were taken back to the South armory and given a change of beats; this time between the South station and Boston common. In the meantime they had lost their captain by resignation and the last transfer was made under their new captain, Edward Fisher.
This company’s duties have been lighter and its quarters and commissary more nearly adequate than was the fortune of some others.
Saturday was its red letter day when over thirty men, original members of the company, whose terms of enlistment had expired, and who therefore were not obliged to be on duty, signed up again at the West Roxbury police station. That is the kind of feeling through the state guard as to Boston affairs. This took in all the men whose enlistment had expired.
Here are two incidents bearing on the feeling of old military men on Boston affairs. Edward Fisher, who was major of the Lowell battalion of the state guard and received his discharge at its reorganization a few months ago, was last Wednesday morning signed up with a Lowell company on its way to Boston and was a buck private that night. Saturday he was captain of Company H of Westford, whose captain had resigned. He had also been a member of Troop F, Spalding light cavalry, for a number of years.
Company H was joined on Monday at its headquarters by Edward Keyes, a former captain of Troop F, Cavalry association. At one time he was crack marksman of that troop, when the troop held the championship of the state. Trophies of those achievements are now in the Cavalry association building in Westford. Mr. Keyes is fifty-five years old and takes away from L. W. Wheeler [age 54] the distinction of being the oldest man in the ranks of Company H, although one of the officers is a bit their senior. Lieut. William Robinson came up one day this week and secured eight new recruits.
H. L. Wright at the time the call came was enjoying an infrequent vacation and was with the Lowell party at the Masonic convention in Philadelphia. When the telegram came summoning him he was in attendance at a banquet of the delegation. He hurriedly left and caught the federal express and reported to his company in the shortest time possible.
Last Sunday fourteen of the men went to church in West Roxbury. It turned out that Rev. Earl Kernahan, who will be remembered as a former pastor in Graniteville, was the pastor of the church. He and his people made our men in uniform most welcome.
We hear of one man, a farmer in Southboro, whose wife at home is not only “keeping the home fires burning,” but “the old farm churning” by milking eight cows and peddling the milk, besides other farm work.
Wedding. A very pretty home wedding took place on Friday afternoon, September 12, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Kimball on the west part of the town, when their eldest daughter, Elizabeth, was united in marriage to Gerald Osgood Miller, of Springfield, Vt., Rev. David Wallace, of Sterling, a friend and former pastor of the family, being the officiating clergyman.
Mr. Miller is a Dartmouth college graduate and has recently returned from a fifteen-months’ service with the U.S. Ordnance department in France.
Miss Kimball is a graduate of Westford academy and Fitchburg Normal school, and has been a successful teacher and is a highly esteemed young lady.
Only the immediate families were present—Mr. and Mrs. George A. Kimball and entire family; Mr. and Mrs. Carlos Foster, of Concord, N.H., the groom’s parents and Rev. and Mrs. David Wallace, of Sterling.
The bride was beautiful in white georgette crepe and was escorted by her sister, Miss Jeannie Kimball, and the groom by John Kimball. Helen Kimball played the wedding march, and the double ring service was used.
There was a beautiful array of wedding presents. Following the ceremony a delicious wedding luncheon was served. The best wishes of a large circle of friends follow the young people to their newly-prepared home in Springfield, Vt., where Mr. Miller holds a responsible position.
About Town. John A. Taylor left last Saturday for Grand Forks, N.D., after an absence of one year to assume where he left off teaching at the University of North Dakota.
Mrs. Oliver Dejardins, who has been at the Tewksbury hospital for several weeks, has returned to her home on the Stony Brook road, Pigeon hill.
The Misses Caldwell, of Scranton, Pa., great-granddaughters of the late Francis Caldwell, after visiting at Augusts F. Whidden’s and elsewhere in town, have returned to their home.
The Old Oaken Bucket farm has a stalk of popcorn with five ears on it and opportunity for the sixth.
The delightful piano duet as reported last week at the Grange should have been given as Mrs. Sydney Shaddick and Miss Precious.
The Lowell Fish and Game association, who have many members in Westford, will hold their annual outing next Thursday at Willowdale, Tyngsboro.
A special town meeting was held on Wednesday evening, called to order by Oscar R. Spalding, chairman of the board of selectmen. S. H. Fletcher was elected moderator and Edward M. Abbot, clerk pro tem in place of Charles L. Hildreth, who is patrolling Boston as state guard. The articles were to see if the town at the next annual meeting would elect a board of health; to appropriate an additional sum of $5000 for roads; to appropriate an additional sum of $2000 for schools; to appropriate the additional sum of $300 for health nurse; to hear report of committee in regard to advisability of town operating the electric railroad from Westford to Brookside. Considering that so many are absent on state guard duty at the cradle of liberty to prevent its being rocked dizzy, it was voted to adjourn to October 1.
Graniteville. A committee of young men held a gala day at the Abbot playground here last Saturday afternoon, during which a good list of sports were run off, including a ball game between the married and single men. The single men won by the score of 8 to 7. In the evening a social dance was held in the Abbot clubhouse, with excellent music by Hibbard’s orchestra, of Lowell. During the evening Joseph H. Hibbard, former state senator, in behalf of the village people, presented Private Fred M. Stuart with a beautiful gold watch, chain and charm, and also a purse of money. Private Stuart is the only Graniteville boy now in the army. He was with the 5th Division and lost part of his right leg on the Argonne front last October. He is now stationed at the Walter Reed hospital in Washington, D.C.
Miss Bertha Cote and Romeo Julian were united in marriage at a nuptial mass celebrated in St. Catherine’s church on Monday morning at eight o’clock by Rev. J. Emile Dupont. The bride and groom were attended by Mr. Adams and Henry Cote, father and brother of the bride. After the ceremony a wedding breakfast was served at the home of the bride. In the evening a reception was held at the Abbot clubhouse and was attended by many friends. After a brief wedding trip Mr. and Mrs. Julian will take up their residence in New Hampshire.
Miss Emily and Hilma Hanson spend the next two weeks visiting friends in Buffalo, N.Y., and Scranton, Pa.
Edward Quinn, of Boston, has been a recent visitor here.
Lieut. William J. Robinson was rounding up new members of the state guard here this week.
Mr. and Mrs. James M. Sargent, who have been absent in Arizona for several months, are stopping at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Sargent.
Now that practically all Westford boys have returned from overseas duty and have been discharged from their army and navy, it is expected that the Westford selectmen will take some action in relation to a public welcome home celebration for the boys. It has been suggested that October 12, being a holiday, would be a suitable time to hold some form of celebration in the center of the town, when all the people from the different villages could take part. All of the other nearby towns have already held an official welcome home day for their returned soldiers and sailors and it appears to be up to Westford to fall in line and show that it appreciated what her boys have done.
The members of the Girls’ Canning club were entertained at a meeting held in conjunction with the Westford Girls’ club at the town hall in Westford on Wednesday afternoon. The Graniteville girls were highly pleased with the courtesy extended. During the afternoon refreshments were served.
Forge Village. Miss Carolyne [sic] E. Precious entertained Miss Edith Crosby of Medford, a classmate at the College of Liberal Arts, Boston University, over the weekend.
Philip Lord has been confined to his home the past few days with a severe cold.
Miss Ethel Collins is attending Rogers hall in Lowell.
The Ladies’ Sewing Circle will hold its first meeting of the season the first week of October.
Miss Eva M. Lord spent the weekend with her sister, Helen Lord, who is stationed at the naval hospital in Newport.
Miss Beatrice Hosmer has entered the Lowell Normal school for another year of study after teaching the past year.
Miss Margaret O’Hara has returned from overseas. She was with the Red Cross nurses in the army of occupation in Germany.
Wedding. The following account of the wedding of Miss Marion L. Blodgett of Medford will be read with interest by her many friends here. Miss Blodgett was born in this village and when six months old went to live with her aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards. She remained with them until nearly two years ago, when she returned to her parents in Medford in order to continue her studies in music. She received many beautiful wedding gifts from her friends here:
“The marriage of Howard Monroe Woodbridge and Miss Marion Louisa Blodgett at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur T. Blodgett, Medford, was performed last Friday evening in the presence of the families and immediate relatives of the bridal couple, Rev. Denton J. Neily officiating, using the double ring ceremony. Mr. Woodbridge is the son of Mrs. Warren S. Woodbridge of Cambridge and is a lieutenant of the Medford fire department and a veteran of the late war, with the rank of sergeant. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur T. Blodgett, Medford, and is a graduate of the Lowell Conservatory of Music.
“The bride was attired in ivory satin and georgette and carried a shower bouquet of bride’s roses. The best man was Lieut. Arthur I. Blodgett, brother of the bride. The bridesmaid was Miss Elizabeth Spinner of Forge Village, who wore pink crepe de chine and carried pink roses. The flower girl was little Edna Violet Edwards of Forge Village, who carried a basket of beautiful cream roses. The bridal couple and attendants entered the parlor accompanied by music played by Miss Lillian L. Baker, cousin of the bride, Forge Village.
“A wedding supper was served immediately after the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. John Edwards from Forge Village assisted in the arrangements for the occasion.
“Mr. and Mrs. Woodbridge left Saturday morning on an auto wedding trip to New Hampshire, and will be at home after October 1 at 30 Walnut street, Medford.”
Ayer
Clipping. The following, written by an army officer at Camp Devens, is taken from Harvey’s Weekly, a New York magazine, under date of September 13, and is headed “Imperial Inefficiency”:
Sir—I was horrified at the implication in a recent article in your weekly, entitled “Acquitted,” that the Imperial Postmaster was guilty of anything but the grossest inefficiency in his competent misdirection of His Majesty’s Post, Telegraphs and Telephones. Your decision, however, that such colossal inefficiency would in itself by a preventive of any intentional criminality, was highly gratifying.
If it had not been such I should have felt it my duty to offer new evidence in the case which would have proven conclusively Lord Burleson’s innocence of any crime except the rather ordinary one of inefficiency.
For the past twenty months I have been in His Majesty’s Service in the American Expeditionary Forces fighting, all unwittingly, to be sure, in defense of His Majesty’s Own Fourteen Points and the Confederation of the Universe. Upon my return to the Empire I was naturally rather eager to see and hear from my immediate family.
In consequence I communicated with my brother, who resides only two or three hundred miles from the camp at which I am stationed. In reply he sent me from July 1st to July 18th two telegrams, three night letters and three (so-called) special delivery letters. Of the above, I received only one telegram, a day late, two night letters, late. Of the special delivery letters I received only one mailed July second and arriving July twenty-third—only twenty-one days to traverse a distance which one could hardly walk in less than a week; from Philadelphia to Boston.
Of course, the Imperial Mail Service is not what it was in the days of the Republic, but, then, one should not be over-critical. Even a King “In His Own Name and His Own Right” can hardly be expected to direct the movements of the Universe and the United States without neglecting one or the other.
Furthermore, let us all remember that “The King can do no wrong.”