The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-10-17
Western Letter.

Dear Register BY decree emma.
tion from our own breast, we entered,
Oct. Cd, upon q brief voluntary exile
from our cherished home and pleasant
village. The day was beautiful. Ma
ture's calander contains no record Of any
thing finer or more charming. The wood.
lands were robed in their autumnal tints.
The elm had donned his golden coat the
maple its crown of fire.
The cornfelds, the meadows and the
hill.tops were bathed in liquid sunshine,
and man, beast and bird rejoicod that the
frosts of August aud September we're ig-
norcd for day, and the summer solstce
seemed in the ascendant.
We renewed our acquaintance with the
Trojans at 8 o'clock, and twenty minutes
later we took cars for the suspension
bridge. At Schenectady we entered a
palatial sleeping car and soon managed to
put ourself into dreamy nap, 400 miles
long.
Either from the roar of old Niagara on
the 6ckleness Of Morpheus, we were awak-
ened and rushed from our lodgings at 7
next morning to gaze again upon por-
tion Of the widest and grandest scenery
on the American continent.
We thought as we gazed upon the
seething waters 300 feet below the bridge
that we saw the same identical globules
which since our last visit had made their
way TO the ocean-been taken up in
mists, carried far and wide over the land,
been cooled and condensed and descend.
ed in showers to moisten the fields and
feed the streams and springs, had found
their way to Lake Erie, thence over the
fall- and down the river to meet our gaze
and challenge our admiration of all that
is wild and grand in the revelations Of
this strange Niagara
The train was rather late in reaching
this point which was only accounted for
by the fact that Commodore Mutt with
his big wife, with their carriage and po.
MES were on board, which Of course ma
terially added to the load imposed upon
the engine
We entered the Queens dominions un-
der leaden skies and tokens of coming
storm. Throughout the entire day we
ploded along making poor time and ar.
irving in Detroit nearly two hours be.
hind time When disposed to half cen.
sure the conductor for his poor speed he
loosely replied, you forget my dear sir,
that we have come by the way OF Lon
don and Paris and now here we are in
the very centre of the American CONT
nent We yielded-he had the ar.
gument.
A train Of cars nearly one fourth of a
mile long was at length started on its
western course. The cars were crowded
with representatives from all classes, in.
cluding the spectator, the laborer, the
farmer, the mechanic the rich and we'll
to-do, the pleasure seekerers and the vo-
taries of fashion, tricked out in all the
fincry Of this era of extravaganza and
show.
One lady deserves special mention and
praise for her laudable example of in
dustry. She was apparently Of the age
OF 30, well dressed with pleasing intel
igent countenance. She was engaged
with her knitting work and as We will
testify, knit a seam 40 miles long i. e.
from Detroit to Ann Arbor during the
evening.
Previous to leaving the Canadian cars
7 and its slow and tircsome voyage we
4. summoned our muse to indite the fol.
loving
ODE TO SLEEP.
Rest for the night. Weary and faint stand,
e Watching the shadows lengthening Ger the lea,
Extending wide and far eye see,
Changing the golden cape to dusky land
Ny heart goes out that all the world might be
: Cradled in sleep calm summers sea.
. Full we'll knew that He who wrought my fran.
Needing for growth, not only bread but sleep,
Would quench the light Of day and faithful keep,
= Ny quietude until the morning came
{ Refreshed renewed in nature and in name
Rest for the night-While my unrested eyes,
Are bathed in darkness, and the ruby light,
. Is held captive by the reigning night,
Till morn intrudes and bids the sleeper rise,
And charge the mission that upon him lies
Going forth to battle for the truth and right
For rail roading we have little or nc
affection. Like the fellow with new tight
: boots and half crippled, We say of this
mode of locomotion sit is comfortable
because it enables us to forget all other
: griefs and miseries.
At Dexter we stop for day, for rest
and recreation. Thence we shall proceed
to Chicago or Bay City. More anon.
s. B. r.