Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1869-04-23
State Ne70S.

The oldest woman in Vermont, Rachel |
Robinson coored, died recently in Yer
gcnncs, at the age of l04.
Hon. William A. Howard, Minister to
China. and Hosea Rublee, Minister to
switzerland, were natives of Vermont but
have resided at the Wcsta number of years.
The Burlington Free Press of the 10Th
inst says the ice of Lake Champlain,
though showing divers signs of decay, is
almost one uubrokcn scect from shore to
snorc. III the same paper the editor says
that he has on his table two kinds of wild
flowers. Spring has come In the woods
while winter fingers on the lake.
The Calodonian furnishes the following
item: Died at Newark, VT. April 4th, 1869,
MIR. Samuel Drew, aged 81 years. He is
supposed to have been the last survivor of
the Dartmoor prisoners. He enlisted into
the United States service in 1911, as ma
rine on board the sloop of war Rattlesnake
commanded by Capt. Grafton. The ship
was captured few days after she lett
Boston, by British frigate, and Mr.. Drew,
with others, was carried to England and
m,aiccrated in Dartmoor prison (the black
hole Of British inlamy) for two years. He
was present at the time the guard fired on
the prisoners, and received slight wound
in the knee. lie has resided in Newark
about forty years.
Tho Burlington Free Press says that
contrary to the app,chensons of many, the
maple sugar season is proving an exceed
ingly productive one. The freezing nights
and sunny days, with the thorough soak
lag Of the ground from the melting snow,
makes sap flow proiuscly. In parts of the
State where the snow is the deepest, the
farmers are Obliged to use snow-shoes to
yet about in their "sugar bushes = but ON
the whole, the snow is not interfering with
sugar-making. In this county the farmers
are having famous time, the sap running
as fast, and in some cases faster than they
can collect it.
The following item concerning Isle-La-
Motto is from the Troy Times: zone of the
oldest towns in Vermont is Isle La Motto,
situated on an Island Of the same name,
ten miles in length by three in width, in
the middle of Lake Champlain near its
Northern extremity, about ten miles dis
tant from either shore, and containing
about five hundred inhabitants. The large
fnrm-houses are built of stone and bear
marks of great antiquity. Many of the in
habitants have become independent by pa
ticnt tillage of the soil, which is rich and
fertile. The principal productions are
grain, fruit, pot and pearl ashes, maple
sugar and beans. About five thousand
bushels of the latter are produced annually
and one farmer makes about one thousand
pounds of maple sugar. There are also
several valuable blucstone quarries, one of
which furnished the material for building
the famous Victoria bridge at Montreal.
During the season Of navigation the island
is reached by means of a sail boat ferry,
butt gentleman of this city visited it day
or two since by horse and sleigh, over snow
banks from three to six feet deep, and ten
miles across the lake ON ice three feet in
thickness. one year ago the farmers there
sowed their grain in fields which are now
covered with snow two or three feet in
Depth
Hon. Charles w. Willard, member OF
Congress from Vermont, was made the re-
cipient of Il handsome cane, on the 9TH in
slant, at Washington, made from the oak
taken from the hull of the flagship OF
Benedict Arnold which was sunk by his
orders after the memorable naval conflict
with the British, on Lake Champlain dur
ing the Revolution, near Fort Cassin at the
mouth OF Otter Creek. The cane was beau
TRULY finished and had the following in
scription -" -iI'or band go. w. willard,
NJ. c. VT" The cane was presented by the
donor, Norman Crane, ESD, of Vergennes,
the popular CLERK in the Post Office of the
House of Representatives, in a few appro-
PIRATE remarks, in which he referred to the
historic event when shed lustre upon the
name of the brave man, once a hero, but
who aiterward betrayed his country, and
gave II briefnarrative of the stirring events
connected with the engagement which ter
minated in the destruction of the Ameri-
can iotlla. Mr.. Willard responded in a
few well chosen and delicious remarks,
and said lac should accept the cane and
though he hoped not to need it for long
time to give him physical support, yet he
should preserve it, and ever regard ii with
much interest, us relic OF memorable
period in our early national history, in
which Vermont bore so conspicuous u part.
The occasion was an interesting one to all
the Nermonters present.