Turner's Public Spirit, September 23, 2022
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
Center. Mrs. William Perkins has announced the marriage of her older daughter, Elizabeth, to Durand Barrett. The young people will reside in Newark, N.J. Mrs. Barrett’s father, the late William Perkins, will be remembered as a former principal of Westford academy, and her many friends in town extend their best wishes.
Mr. and Mrs. William O. McDonald are being congratulated upon the birth of a daughter [Marjorie Katherine McDonald] on September 14.
The Westford Twilight league team defeated the Lowell Y.M.C.A. team by the score of 6 to 2 at Whitney playground last Saturday.
Friday evening meeting at the Congregational church at eight o’clock. Sermon theme on Sunday morning at 10:45, “When a revival may be expected.” Sunday school at noon. Young People’s league meeting at 6:30. Evening service at 7:15; sermon theme, “The breaking of the hallow ground, or how to promote a revival!”
Mr. and Mrs. John O’Connell of the Nashoba farm are being congratulated upon the arrival of a son [Francis Aloysius O’Connell] on September 14 [sic, 24].
Miss Mattie Crocker, of Brockton, who has been the guest of Mrs. Stanley Sargent (Grace Ranney), of Enfield, N.H., for the past two weeks, is expected in town on Saturday for a visit. Miss Crocker’s many friends will be pleased to welcome her back to Westford.
Owing to the early morning train leaving Westford depot ten minutes earlier, the first mail will close at 6:45. This new schedule goes into effect on Monday.
Mrs. Elsie (Dinigan) Perkins, of North Chelmsford, passed away on Monday evening at the Lowell General hospital after a short illness. She was the wife of Fred Perkins, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Perkins, of the Coldspring [sic] road, Westford, and besides her husband she leaves a daughter Mildred; her mother, two sisters and a brother, all of North Chelmsford.
Westford Grange held its regular meeting on Thursday evening. The program consisted of a quartet from Tyngsboro, and Mrs. Margaret Sarre, lady assistant steward of the State Grange, was the speaker of the evening, with readings by Mrs. Sherburne of Tyngsboro and Mrs. Sarre.
- Herbert McMaster, of Lowell, and his mother, Mrs. John McMaster, motored to Holyoke on Sunday taking home the latter’s sister, Mrs. Winney, who has been visiting in Westford the past three weeks. They covered 220 miles while on the trip. Mrs. McMaster’s daughter and husband, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Whitney, have also recently enjoyed a five-days’ auto trip. Others in the party were Frederick Jordan and Miss H [torn paper, two lines missing] Jacob’s Ladder and other points of beauty in the Berkshires. The party camped by the way which was one of the enjoyable features of the trip.
Misses Ida Leighton and Eleanor Fletcher, of Chelmsford, formerly of Westford, were in town on Wednesday and attended the fair.
A sunflower on the premises of John M. Fletcher, blown down by a recent storm, measured fourteen feet in height and had thirty-six blossoms—rather a large number for such a tall plant.
The agricultural fair given under the auspices of the Congregational church, as usual, proved a marked success and was largely attended both afternoon and evening. The display of fruit, flowers, vegetables, etc., was a fine one, and all the tables well patronized. The supper, which was in charge of Mrs. Perley Wright, with a corps of able assistants, was much enjoyed. The entertainment of the evening in charge of Rep. Alfred W. Hartford, William E. Wright and Warren Hanscom, consisted of musical numbers and readings, and was also thoroughly enjoyed.
The all-day meeting of the Ladies’ Aid held at the home of the Misses Mary and Winifred Green, Littleton road, last week, was well attended, twenty-two being present, and a great amount of work was accomplished. Many articles for the fair were finished. At noon a dinner was served and those present reported a very pleasant day.
The condition of Mrs. Noah Prescott, who is ill, remains about the same.
Mrs. Lucy Lambert, who was so badly burned, is slowly improving at the Lowell Corporation hospital.
The Wheeler family, who occupy the house at Minot’s Corner, will remove from town the first of October.
[About Town.] At the primaries last week Tuesday George D. Wilson, of Forge Village, and Mrs. Josephine A. Prescott, Chamberlin’s Corner, Frances hill, were elected delegates to the republican state convention to be held in Boston this week Saturday. Besides the above delegates the following were elected as the republican town committee: Julian A. Cameron, George D. Wilson, Harry Nesmith, T. Arthur E. Wilson, Leon F. Hildreth, Alfred W. Hartford, Oscar A. Nelson, Fred A. Sweatt, William E. Wright, Charles W. Robinson, Josephine A. Prescott, Clara B. Anderson, Eva F. Wright, Lena D. White, Phonsie E. Isles, Annie Precious, Miriam A. Whitley, Florence M. Jarvis, Lillie E. Meyer, Edith E. Sweatt.
Owing to many unforeseen hindrances the Nabnassett school did not open until Wednesday, after being planned for Monday. The days of final preparation have been busy transporting and setting up the furnishings for the school rooms. Last week Thursday was one of these busy days. Supt. and Mrs. Knight were present and helping to speed up the hurry up.
Dr. George LeDuke, formerly of West Chelmsford, died last week Sunday at the Eliot hospital in Boston. He leaves two brothers and two sisters. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. David LeDuke, who were former residents of this town, living at Chamberlin’s Corner in the house now occupied by Mark Jenkins. Mr. LeDuke will be remembered as working many years on the old Zaccheus Read farm [164 Main St.]. The family moved away when the children were young. As we recall it now, some of the children went to the old Stony Brook school a very short time. Their parents are about all who are remembered in town.
Expert authority states that cotton goods manufactured in our northern mills are inferior to those manufactured in the southern mills, as the result of trying to compete with more hours and less pay, and to do it goods have been cheapened. Of course the remedy is striking and more striking; at any rate Moses [Samuel L. Taylor’s cognomen for Samuel Gompers, president of the AFL] says so, and go by Moses, and if Moses doesn’t know let no one be so wasteful of time as to apply at the headquarters of the universe for a solution of industrial troubles.
We feel almost up to the point of an enlarged head, otherwise known as “swelled head,” at being credited by V. T. E. with the ability to “see through a ladder.” This is the biggest dose of appreciation of real every-day working values that we have had handed to us since almost seventy-seven years ago. It is almost too good to believe, but there is just enough of Moses in V. T. E. to make his opinions infallible. We take this opportunity to place before the inhabitants of my native town that they ought to be proud of their citizen who has “got the ability to see through a ladder.” We excuse your not saying anything about it, lo all these years. You probably did not know anything about it. Well, we did not know of it until notified. We are sorry we did not know of it before the primaries, but perhaps it is not too late now to dislodge Lodge.
Moses, in the role of impeachment of United States officials who have dared an injunction against murder and destruction of property, is not surprising when we consider that he hands down his finding on what is constitutional before the supreme court of the United States has had questions even handed it. If we were in congress and had the ability which we have been notified we have, the ability to see through a ladder, we should move, Mr. Speaker, that the supreme court of the United States be abolished and that the supreme court of Moses be ordained for the universe and no appeal from its decisions.
At a meeting of the trustees of Middlesex-North Agricultural society held in Lowell on last week Thursday, it was voted unanimously to give a free exhibition of fruit, flowers and vegetables on Thursday, September 28, in the Auditorium on Merrimack street, Lowell. This exhibition will be open all day Thursday and all the evening. There will be no admission charged to go in or to come out. After the close of the exhibition the entire exhibit will be given to the charity homes of Lowell. Solicitations for fruit, flowers and vegetables are requested. As one of the trustees of Middlesex-North we have been authorized to act as receiver for Westford. All who intend to contribute will aid much by leaving their contribution at the Old Oaken Bucket farm the Wednesday preceding the fair. If inconvenient to leave them telephone us and we will send for them, and guarantee that they will be given to charity unless they be peaches and watermelons, where charity might be tempted to begin at home.
Rev. Frank B. Crandall will preach at the Unitarian church on Sunday afternoon at four o’clock, subject, “Human judgments.”
The first anniversary of frost was celebrated Monday night with an overflow and encore on Tuesday night. At the Old Oaken Bucket farm there were small icicles on the grass. But a few rods from the aforesaid icicles recently sowed buckwheat three-twelfths of a foot high had not been notified of the frost. Tomatoes also had not been notified and close by the frost-ice line nature is over busy with freaks this year.
Next comes potatoes—they have taken a freak at rotting and the higher the ground the more they rot. No use to try and stop them with an injunction because injunctions have had orders to stop.
In the Boston Post of September 17, in the Ford-a-Day contest, under the heading “A charming sentiment,” the wedding of Austin [Dana] Fletcher and Miss [Ethel Minerva] Ripley was written up and con[paper torn, line missing]. Mrs. Mary Dwinell, of Waltham, was the person securing the prize for writing about this unique and impressive ceremony in the Unitarian church. Mrs. Dwinell is connected with the Dwinell family, who used to live on the Lowell road, where the Lybecks live now. A man in Graniteville won another of the one-dollar prizes. Now these two people are bringing the contest nearer—we hope next to hear that someone in Westford has been lucky enough to really win a Ford.
The electrical storm of last week Friday night gave the telephone men a lot of work. In the Long-Sought-for district, where the telephone men had recently finished putting in seventy-five new poles because of the damage from the sleet storm of last fall, every telephone went out of commission. Five old poles and a new one were knocked down.
Mrs. James Fraser, of Groton, formerly of Westford, hatched out a brood of chickens in March. One of these chickens has already laid three dozen eggs and out of a setting of a dozen eggs hatched every one. A chicken in March and a mother hen with twelve chickens in September with three dozen eggs to her credit is a phenomenal record we think. The hen is entered in the Groton fair.
The Ryan family, who lived in what was known as the Chamberlain place, near Chamberlain’s Corner [intersection of Main St. and Chamberlain Rd.] or the “Blacksmith’s Corner,” have had their household goods moved to Milford, N.H. William Parfitt has bought the place and moved in this week with his family.
Mrs. E. A. Lybeck has closed her home on the Lowell road and moved back to New York city.
Mr. Strong, on the Drew farm, has bought a new Oakland car.
Graniteville. The Abbot Worsted soccer football club defeated the Massachusetts Cotton club in an Industrial league game at Forge Village before a large crowd on last Saturday afternoon, 6 to 1. This Saturday the Abbots will play in Quincy, when they will have the fast Fore River club for opponents.
Joseph B. Murphy, local telegrapher at the Boston and Maine depot, is now stationed in Pittsfield, N.H., for a few days.
Many from this vicinity took in the Sousa concerts in Lowell on last Tuesday.
After the summer vacation the Epworth league of the M.E. church have reorganized and elected the following officers to serve the next six months: Miss Lottie York, pres.; Stanley Jones, Mrs. A. B. Carr, Miss Lizzie Wallace, Walter Fletcher, vice presidents; Walter Fletcher, treas.; John Trask, sec. and monitor.
Rev. W. E. Anderson desires a large attendance at the services on Sunday as he has something unusual to say that will interest all.
Many men have been busy several evenings this week clearing the brush and trees from the new property opposite St. Catherine’s church, the site for the new rectory. It is expected that the excavating for the cellar for the new house will be started shortly.
The Graniteville Soccer Football club are planning to hold a dance in Forge Village in the near future.
The baseball series between Concord and Maynard teams, the first game of which will be played in Concord this Saturday, is attracting the attention of the local fans. Many from this vicinity will doubtless attend.
The Groton fair will serve as an attraction for many from this vicinity, for the Groton people put on a good show and it is always a pleasure to meet them at the annual fair.
- J. LeDuc and family have recently moved into their new house on Broadway.
The motion picture shows will start here on September 29.
Clipping. The following story by our good hunter and naturalist, Henry A. Fletcher, appeared in the last number of the Y.M.C.A. paper, “The Skeeter,” at Nabnassett. It was an account which the boys enjoyed immensely. The story was under the caption “The best fox hunt I ever had—two pelts in a day,” by Nimrod:
One February morning with the dogs, Hunter and Spot, I went for a fox hunt. It was a poor day to start as it had snowed all night, so the tracks made would be covered. But Hunter had a scheme of his own to find a fox under these conditions. Going into the woods he would run in a circle about a half mile in diameter, barking as he went. Having made this circle he would run another one outside to pick up the track of any fox that had been scared out, and keep doing this until he found a track.
Arriving at the woods I had selected to hunt in, Hunter proceeded to put his plans into execution. He had made this first circle and had got part way around on the second when by his eager barking I knew he had found the fresh track. Spot soon joined him, and both being fast barking dogs with good voices they were making the woods ring with music dear to the heart of the fox hunter.
Soon a fox came out of the woods and crossed a clearing, giving me an easy shot. Going to the fox I place my foot on his neck and tied his front legs together. Until I do this I do not feel sure of the fox, for Reynard never loses his head no matter what happens, and when not hit in a vital spot, but knocked out for the moment from shock, he will play dead, watching the hunter through a mere slit in his eyelids. Then, when he has recovered and the hunter is looking another way, he is off like a flash and many a hunter not wise to the ways of the fox has seen his prize vanishing in the woods.
Leaving the fox where he lay I waited for the dogs to come on his tracks and shake him, as this is their only reward for their labor, but instead of coming on his track they crossed a road about 200 yards away and I knew they were after another fox.
Taking the fox I had shot, I went to the place where they had crossed and stayed there a while, thinking the fox might come that way again as it was a famous runway. The dogs were running in a circle a short distance away, so I started to go to this place, thinking I could get on the track where they had been. The fox might come that way again. I had gone only a short way from the road when fox and dogs again crossed the road. Going back to the place where I had been standing I found the fox had jumped in the tracks I had left there. Then I said a few things to myself, something like this: “Well, you bum fox hunter, you have certainly made a nice mess of this. You knew this was [illegible] for a fox to cross [illegible] you might have had an easy shot. Now stay here till day.” And stay I did all day, in the pelting snow storm, I kept my post, not an easy thing to do. If you doubt it, try standing in one place five or six hours.
All day the dogs ran not a great distance away, their eager voices seeming to say, “Come on, why don’t you come and shoot this fox for us?” Many times I started to go, but the thought of the fiasco of the morning drove me back. The fox was now running in a circle, going many times in the same place, then he would jump as far as he could from this path and run a short way, thinking the dogs would keep on. Failing in this he would run another circle overlapping the first, then running first one, then the other, hoping in the maze of tracks to baffle the dogs and make a getaway. All the foxes’ favorite places of throwing the dogs off his tracks, such as rail fences, hedges, stonewalls and glare ice were covered deep in snow, but the dogs being old hands at the game, the chase had settled down to a test of endurance.
About dark, as the fox came down the road, he saw me, before he was near enough for a sure shot, and made a flying leap for a stone wall that ran beside the road. The shot struck him while in the air, and he went down a kicking heap in the gutter. Here I made the second mistake of the day, for instead of running up nearer I fired again and was surprised to see the fox start for the woods as if nothing had happened. Quickly putting another shell in the fun I fired again, and he went down—this time to stay.
Shouldering my foxes I started for home, arriving there long after dark, tired buy happy, for I had done what seldom happens to a fox hunter—got two pelts in a day.
Henry A. Fletcher
Ayer
News Items. The following real estate transfers have been recorded recently from this vicinity: … Westford—Margaret J. MacGregor to Jennie A. Trull et al., land on Main street. …