Today In Brattleboro History

Stephen Greenleaf was born in Bolton, Massachusetts. He moved to Brattleboro in the autumn of 1771.

Landlord Wilkins of the American House gave an elegant complimentary supper Tuesday evening to 15 young men of the town. Coon and squirrel were served, with all the desirable accompaniments. The feast was begun at 10 and was not ended until 12.

Rudyard Kipling’s “Captains Courageous” published in book form by The Century Co., has been received in Brattleboro this week and is on sale at the store of Clapp & Jones. It contains 325 12mo pages, is printed in large type and is well bound. The book is dedicated “To James Conland, M.D., Brattleboro, Vt.” with a well-chosen stanza from Longfellow.

Mrs. Sarah Goodnow gave an interesting talk to her neighbors at her rooms on Washington street Wednesday evening, descriptive of her recent travels and the experiences among the colored population of Florida and other southern places.

The welcome fact became publicly known on Wednesday that Mr. William Henry Wells of New York has given the free library the sum of $1000 to be used for the purchase of new books to be placed in the new Brooks library building.

The excavation has been made this week for the soldier’s monument foundation, and the work of laying the stone began yesterday. A hole was cut 13 feet square and seven feet deep. The location is in the centre of the common.

A scheme is on foot to raise $10,000 to buy the fair ground property, erect buildings and put it in complete shape for annual exhibitions hereafter.

A concrete pavement is being laid the whole width of the street on Elliot street, in front of Market block. Mr. Crosby pays for the material and the town does the work. Mr. Crosby hopes by this means to show the people what good streets it is possible to have.

The barbers say it has been worth 15 cents extra to shave Democrats the past two days.

Barnum’s lecture last Thursday evening was about what people went expecting to hear - a string of anecdotes connected (not always very visibly) by a string of common-sense philosophy concerning life and the pursuit of happiness. The audience, finding plenty of plums, were not generally disposed to question the quality of the pudding.

Fred Childs, local agent of the associated press, has done a good thing in establishing a bulletin board at the foot of the stairway leading to his insurance office in Crosby block, whereon he gives the public the most important telegraphic news in advance of the daily papers.

Larkin G. Mead is engaged in making a bust of the Hon. Wm. C. Bradley of Westminster. A bust of a distinguished Vermonter by a Vermont man, from Vermont marble is singularly appropriate. By the way, we trust our Legislature will make an appropriation for perpetuating Mr. Mead’s statue of “Ethan Allen” in marble.

The two days of the Windham County Cattle Show and Fair, held the present year in this village, will long be remembered in Old Windham County. Nothing occurred to mar the pleasures of the day, and the meeting was characterized by great harmony of feeling, increased zeal in the great cause of Agriculture, and the best spirit among all classes assembled to witness the exhibition.