The Westford Wardsman,
Center. Mr. and Mrs. Abiel J. Abbot are in Boston for the winter months.
Misses Sarah, Lillian and May Atwood started Tuesday for Jacksonville, Fla., for their usual winter sojourn in warmer climatic conditions.
Charles H. Wright [32 Hildreth St.?] is painting his buildings, changing the color from yellow to white.
Miss Connors, of Medfield, is the new commercial teacher at the academy in place of Miss Cohen, who recently resigned.
The Red Cross drive closed this week with a total of about 600 paid memberships; to be exact the number was 595. Those at the Center in charge were Mrs. H. V. Hildreth, Mrs. Charles L. Hildreth, Mrs. A. W. Hartford and Mrs. H. M. Bartlett.
Mrs. Alice M. Wells, of the Abbot Worsted Co., is attending Friday and Saturday of this week a two-days’ factory nurses’ conference in Hartford, Conn. A visit to the big Cheney silk mills is part of one day’s program.
Armistice day, while a legal holiday and which all had a deep appreciation of its significance, was quietly spent in town as far as any regular celebration went. Many families entertained company for the day. Flags were in evidence throughout the village.
The dance given by the young men on Armistice day eve proved a very pleasant gathering for the young people and older ones as well. The Colonial jazz orchestra of Newton provided music for the dancing. At midnight the orchestra played “The Star Spangled Banner,” and red, white and blue streamers were used by the dancers with pretty effect, and later for a few minutes a demonstration of noises with whistles, rattles, etc., was indulged in to express the joy of ushering in the victory day.
Mrs. William C. Roudenbush has been out of town for a few days, visiting friends, and on Thursday attended the autumn meeting of the State Federation of Woman’s clubs in Brockton.
At the Congregational church on Sunday morning the pastor will speak on “Our leaders in council,” and at the evening service his subject will be “Getting into action.”
The Westford men serving on state guard duty in Boston have all been equipped with leather jackets and warm woolen gloves by the town. They have also been furnished woolen uniforms by the state. It looks now as though they might soon be released from their long tour of duty, dating back from September 10.
An exhaust pipe belonging to an auto was found in [the] village street on Wednesday morning. It was rescued and set up by the sidewalk and with a little telephoning its owner was located, who came and recovered his lost property.
Tadmuck Club. The first meeting for November of the Tadmuck club, which came on Armistice day, proved appropriate and well attended. In the absence of the president, Mrs. Roudenbush, the vice president, Mrs. Buckshorn, presided and introduced Miss Eva M. Lord, the public health nurse, who gave a most interesting account of her nursing service overseas. Miss Lord read from letters written home and further told of life at camp, the voyage over, and of the hospital work, all of which was related simply and sensibly and much interested her audience.
Mrs. William R Taylor, chairman of the music committee, arranged a patriotic musical program. A trio, Mrs. Taylor, Mrs. Bartlett and Mrs. Blaney sang “America the beautiful” and “Battle hymn of the republic,” and there was also singing by the trio and audience.
The next meeting, November 25, promises another interesting meeting when Dr. Lily Owen Burbank, educational organizer of the State Department of Health, will lecture on “The parents’ responsibility.” This will be an open meeting and each member has the privilege of bringing one guest.
About Town. Miss Ella Wright, who has been spending the season at her summer home, the old L. F. [T.] Fletcher place at Brookside, has returned to her home in Cleveland, Ohio. Her companion, Miss Helen A. Whitney, has returned to her home in Lowell. Both were individuals of culture and inspiring ideals and entertaining conversationalists. As such and more they contributed to life at Brookside and the town generally.
The Abbot Worsted Company are making valuable improvements about the environments at their Brookside mill. Tarbell, of Lowell, the landscape gardener, has laid out the grounds at the Hamblett cottage for driveway and walks, shrubbery and many other landscape improvements. The front yard fence, so long thought to be an ornamental necessity in ye olden days, has been removed, the buildings are being newly painted and everything in environments is being arranged to spell prosperity. On the opposite side of the street much the same is being ushered in with the addition of a garage midway between the two cottage houses, and Brookside is on the map like all else that the Abbot Worsted Company touch and their generosity and love of betterments.
The McMaster family on Main street have recently installed one of the modern heaters and they are expecting inside summer comforts when zero is producing ice to cool off summer.
Oliver Desjardens is busy these moist days haying his meadows. He is related to the same individual who has been employed in drying Hungarian grass for the last six weeks and is still employed.
A recount for senator in the eighth Middlesex district is in progress between Putnam and Sparks. Thus far Sparks has gained seven votes in Lowell. Outside of the other towns in the district Putnam would still have a majority of 98.
Election of officers of Westford Grange will take place at the next meeting, Thursday evening, November 20.
Joseph Wall, our local game warden, has been liberating a supply of ducks and pheasants, hoping that they will be unmolested during the open season. Let us see how good we can be and obey the request of our efficient warden.
Pleasantly Surprised. A surprise party sprung a move on last Saturday evening towards the Banister home on the Lowell road. This spontaneous movement was in honor of 1st Sergt. Seth W. Banister, recently returned from war service. The contributors to his honoring were generous in gift and personal attendance. About seventy, more or less, were at the party. The house was well trimmed for this occasion and everything went smiling and inviting. After everybody had spoke their piece of sociability to one another and shuffled cards and played games generally, came the real come together spirit of the occasion, when W. R. Taylor, in behalf of the contributing inhabitants assembled and some not assembled, presented Sergt. Banister with a traveling bag with all the modern inside conveniences of a traveling bag, an up-to-the-minute umbrella and a purse of money with its world-wide innumerable conveniences. Sergt. Banister responded briefly but to the point. Every word had a point none of them being dull.
After this came ice cream and cake several times around to some folks.
Sergt. Banister, after enlistment, was at Camp Devens for two months, five months in England, thence serving in France and Germany. After returning home he was stationed in Boston, New York and Virginia. In all this he was tagged as per military promotion as 1st class sergeant in the aviation department of warfare. We congratulate him upon his efficiency in this promotion. We also take this opportunity in behalf of the new disbanded gathering to congratulate the Banister homestead on its wide open-door hospitality.
Grange. The meeting of the Grange on last week Thursday evening was a real overflow affair, such as neighbors’ night usually brings out but a little unusual overflow this time. Groton Grange was special neighbor on this occasion. Tyngsboro Grange was over, bringing with them like Groton Grange the friendliness of a spontaneous good time. Other Granges were also represented, Pepperell, Chelmsford, Ayer and Littleton all added to the cheer of a full house. It being degree night the ladies’ degree team worked the third degree in a manner that received generous applause. The team was directed by Mrs. Eben Prescott. The fourth degree was worked by the officers of Groton Grange. If anything was lacking in the efficient manner of working the fourth degree we have yet to discover wherein. Everything went as per regulation rules.
Henry Adams was efficient as violin soloist for music for the fourth degree, accompanied on the piano by a lady of skill whose name we did not learn.
Mrs. McMaster was chairman of the supper committee for 200 who were served. It was a jolly, friendly time, plenty of food and plenty of appetite. After this jolliness came greetings and replies. Mrs. Starr, of Pepperell, responded in her usual off hand eloquence. Others who responded were Mrs. Sherburne, of Tyngsboro, Miss Stone, of Waltham Grange, Elmer E. Sawyer, of Groton Grange. After this came the young people’s turn in the upper hall with music and much graceful feet swinging.
An Efficient War Family. Harry O’Brien has recently returned from war service across yonder, near where Germany dealt out slaughter. He entered as Private O’Brien and returned as Lieut.-Col. O’Brien, and was wounded twice. He has been calling on friends in town. He was born in Westford at the Henry Chamberlain place on the Tadmuck road, and is well remembered by most of us. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. John O’Brien, are also well remembered. The family moved several years ago to the state of Washington. Harry was a bright, genial boy and was a student at Westford academy, when William E. Frost was principal. His brother-in-law, John Goode, will also be remembered as living in town for several years. His son, George Goode, saw service in the world war sufficient to make him a cripple for life. Agnes O’Brien, another member of this large family, was an efficient nurse in France. Altogether we congratulate this family, former residents of Westford, upon their war-time efficiency.
Forge Village. The local soccer football team scored another victory on Saturday when they defeated the Lawrence Thistles with a score of 3 to 2. On Tuesday they went to Manchester, N.H., but were defeated by the strong Manchester eleven with a score of 3 to 1. On next Saturday they will meet the Methuen team on the home grounds at Abbot park.
The Sunday school of St. Andrew’s mission is planning a concert entertainment for the benefit of the Sunday school to be held in the near future.
Mrs. George Sanborn, jr., and little daughter Geneva of Fitchburg were the weekend guests of Mr. and Mrs. George Sanborn of Main street.
The Misses Hazel and Blanche Comey, now residing in Fitchburg spent the weekend with their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Comey of Pine street.
Mr. and Mrs. Lionel T. Goucher announce the engagement of their daughter, Miss May E. [Mae Edith] Macomber, to Norman Young of Portland, Me.
Graniteville. Fire broke out in the house of Mr. and Mrs. Adelard Brule in Maple street early Monday afternoon, but by quick work of Chief E. M. Abbot and the local members of the Westford fire department, the flames were soon under control. The fire caught in the closet in the kitchen and when the firemen reached the house volumes of smoke was [sic] pouring from the windows in the ell part of the house. The good work of the firemen in checking the blaze so quickly was highly commended and was all the more appreciated owing to the fact that many other houses were situated close by. For a country town this place has good fire protection, aided by a high pressure water system and an excellent fire department that is always on the job.
Although there was no formal celebration of Armistice day here many of the younger people attended the dance that was held in Westford “the night before,” while others took in the many attractions in Lowell during the day.
William Welsh, who has been on the sick list for several weeks, appears to be on the gain and takes short walking trips during the fine weather.
Many of the local football fans accompanied the Abbot Worsted Co. eleven to Lawrence last Saturday, where the A.W.C. team defeated the Lawrence Thistles by the score of 3 to 2. A large crowd of Forge Village fans went to Manchester, N.H., on last Tuesday when the Abbot Worsted Co. team met with defeat at the hands or rather the feet of the strong Amoskeag club by the score of 3 to 1. On next Saturday afternoon the strong Methuen team will play the A.W.C. eleven in Forge Village.
The Ladies’ Aid society of the M.E. church met with Mrs. L. A. Blood on last Thursday afternoon.
A daughter was born to Mr. and Mrs. Owen McNiff of Harvard on Saturday, November 8. Mrs. McNiff was formerly Miss Helen Furbush of this village.
Mrs. Ida Harrington of Waltham, who has been conducting a series of cooking classes here under the direction of the Farm Bureau Extension, finished her course here last week Friday. She was well pleased with the attendance and the interest shown. The committee in charge is also grateful to the Abbot Worsted Co. for the use of the hall for the lectures.
Walter and Fred Longbottom with their mother, Mrs. Longbottom, Mrs. J. W. Bowker and son Gerald, of Lexington, have been recent guests of Mr. and Mrs. Fred M. Defoe.
The new garage being built by Russell Furbush is rapidly nearing completion. It is expected that the building, fully equipped, will be ready by the first of the month.
The Abbot clubhouse is now undergoing repairs, preparatory to installing a new up-to-date moving picture machine. A new furnace has also been recently installed in the basement.
Many people from this village attended the big dance that was held in East Pepperell on last Monday night. All report a very enjoyable time.