Springfield 1636-1886, History of Town and City, by Mason A. Green ...

384 SPRINGFIELD, 1636-1S86.
g^reatest of which is freedom, after which our public schools, at the head of
which is our High School." The audience was Avith him as he sat down, and at
that moment a creaked, squeaky voice was heard at the other side of the hall
" The gentleman just seated says he nursed at the breast of a republican mother;
if so he must have lost a good deal of the cream." Such a sudden descent from
the sublime to the ridiculous will never be forgotten by those who heard it.
When age began to tell its inevitable story of lessening powers
and ambition, the venerable judge was in the habit of dropping in at
the " Old Corner Bookstore " and chatting and arguing with both old
and young. It so happened that the judge once took his Sunday-
school class of boys, forty in number, over to the parish house, and
there gave them some very good advice, after reading the sixth chap-
ter of Proverbs. On the following Monday Maj. Edward Ingersoll,
one of his Sunday-school scholars, entered the bookstore and found
the judge discoiu'sing upon old-fashioned morals. The major made
a remark concerning the judge's zeal, which prompted this reply, that
lament
has been often quoted before the firesides of Springfield : "I
and condemn the degeneracy of the times. I do not like to see so
many strangers here. There was a time when I could hang any man
in the village ; now 1 have trouble in keeping myself from being-
hung." There are several variations of this repl}', but the above ap-
pears to be the most authentic. Major Ingersoll was encouraged to
dispute with the judge about the degeneracy that so distressed him,
and he asked —
:
"• Do you remember the ordination of Rev. Dr. Osgood?" — "I
do." — " And do you remember whether there were any refresh-
ments? " — " Yes ; a feast, and a ball also." — "Do you remember
Avhere you were, Judge, after the ordination?" The judge Avas
greatly taken aback, for he did not know that it was common talk
that he with three other church-members repaired to a chamber over
Elijah Blake's shop and played euchre, — and it was not a dry game
either.
The figure of George Bliss, Jr., also, stands out as a marked
: