Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-05-04

hills. from the falls, three miles south
easierly Of Montpelier Village, TO the
falls at Middlesex, distance Of a
bout nine miles. As evidence Of
this, | will give your readers an Incl
dent in 1907. On sinking a well in
a central part of what is now your
thriving and densely populated vii
lage, about twelve feet from the sur
face Of the earth, the workmen came
in contact with solid hemlock log,
two feet in diameter, with the bark
still clinging to the log. Six or sew
en- feet of this Jog were taken out
Immediately beneath it was layer
of leaves, in pcriec, form and pres
ervation. On opening them TO the
sun and the air they soon disappear
ed. Immediately under the leaves,
beneath the log, was layer of very
coarse gravel, exhibiting unmisiaka-
bic evidence of once having been
tho bed of large body of water
The wave-marks, found on digging
Tor sand and clay, on the base Of the
hills, east and west, north and south,
sustain this belief; and the calls at
MlddIesrx and Bolton concur in
strengthening ii. Sixty years ago,
the main road from Montpelier to
Burlington passed over what is Term
cd the Hog Backs,' aud vas
scarcely " navIgablc" for two horse
teams, aud somewhat difficult for la
dies and gentlemen to thread tll"ir
way on horseback aud on pilllons.
In process of time the road was inn
proved, and ornamenled with stage
coach, IN the shape OF a lumber wag-
gon, the rcins-man, or siagedrlvcr,
being none other than the late Par
rett Balsdell, distinguished IN carly
( life for ieais of bold daring, the loss
lG an arm by cannon, at 1ih OF Ju-
[ IL celebration at WilliamSown, aud
~ his oscar leaf for N entire change
of character, from the Lion 10 The
{ Lamb. II is related of him, by those
who were cogniztnt Of the fact, That
in descending the stone bridge
hill a very steep ono, in Moreiown,
the pole of his stage fell 10 the earth
near the top Of the hill, stage and
passengers pressing upon the heels
of the horses. At this critical Juno
lure, the driver, with bold daring,
which no one but Blaisdcll would
have ventured jumped from the stage
between the horses, seized the poll
with both hands and guided the We
hicle and its precious contents safely
to the interval below. Mine host"
of the Pavilion" in your village,
was afterwards hired relns-man Oh
the same route, poor and homeless,
but stoul-heartcd aud pcrscyerlng-
next stage proprietor and mail con-
trnctcr-now the owner OF the splcn-
did and commodious Pavilion House,
with fine farm adjoining. ! expec-
ted il of him, more than thirty years
ago when riding by his side, on. the
! foot board scat, he said to me. :"
never rise in the morning, without
coming over in my mind what |
must accomplish this day-and new
or lay me down To sleep at night
without reviewing the business of the
day, to see if | have tone what |
promised myself to d." Thinks |
TO my self, YOU will make your mark
in the world, il you keep up your
morning and evening visils BESIDES,
1 It is fine HUT for inc TO profit by,
both as relates to morals aud To bu-
sness mention tins little incident
of s,age-drlving and riding in the
" olden times" not so much to graft
~ the risen, as to benefit The rising
generation. In tbs " day and gener-
alton" The world is too much given
TO 60 by steam and lightning, II hard
| u knows where, without either morn
ing or evening reflection. A steady,
Onward progress, in the attainment
of character or wealth, is more safe
ly and surely acquired, 10y dint of
daily application, Than by the sudden
pulls aud blows Of hasty and i'll judg-
cd effort AT immediate results. The
next improvement in roads, in the
valley of the Winooski, was the old
Winooski Turnpike. |, was not a
very profitable investment To the
stockholders, save to the two Messrs.
Reeds, who eventually owned most
of the stock and sold out TO the YER
mont Central Railroad, at fair val
uaiion, and a profitable one, at tho
rate they purchased the stock. |
will end the number hy poeiical al
fusion to the old