Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1871-08-24

| same hight as the mountains running
around the town, with the exception OF
Spruce Knob, at the north end, which
overlooks all others in the town, if not
all others in Western Vermont
Barber Hill has history, and with it,
too, are associated many of the incidents
of my childhood and youth, and still fresh
in my memory, and for these reasons I
determined to visit it once more, which ]
did on one of the pleasant days of last
week. I assembled from the hotel, and ira.
versed the entire length from west to east
and back again, turning aside now and
then to get view of points of interest
as we'll as localities made memorable by
incidents of other days.
In going east, as was approaching 8
bluff, my eye caught tall tree stand
ing on the top of this bluff, which called
to mind famous squirrel hunt when ]
was in my "teens." Some twenty five Of
US youngsters came together on day ap
pointed, "chose sides "and made elaborate
preparations. The most that I recollect
was " to see which side would kill tn,
most squirrels" Barber Twill was selected
as the ground for the hunt Nearly al
day the sounds from our pieces amused
the villagers, and those within hearing
who were waiting with no little anxiety
to obtain the result. Sometime in the after
noon we all came together by preconcer
at the foot of the bluff above named, wher
one of our company espied red squirrel
perched on the top of the tall tree stand
ing on the summit of the bluff. or ledge
as it was then called. This, Of course
but the talking ones said the squirre
was beyond the reach of our guns. But
it was agreed to try our skill and fire
once round y so we did. All fred each
in his turn, except myself, and the squir.
rel was yet in the top of the tree. My
gun brought him down then went up n
shout, our game was counted, the party
beaten paid the forfeit, and we repaired
to our houses. For years afterwards
was foolish enough to exult over this
mere accident as a remarkable feat. Well
ascend this bluff and go on eastward
[ come to another bluff. Here under q
| ledge of rocks is the money hole
Here some money diggers in tie year
1900 went to the depth Of seventy feet.
/
The diggers said they were after money,
which hazel rods had indicated to them
was here in the ground The people
thought they were counterfeiters. They
were digging here through the summer,
and several of them were in the excava-
ton most of the time, night and day,
through the fall and part of the follow
winter. Whether they were coun teri, ting
or not perhaps no one now living has any
positive information. 1t il known, how.
ever, that those money diggers were as.
ISOLATED with religions movement,
which begun in this town and cnlminated
in Mormonism But must pass on A
full history Of this affair brought to mind
by view of the money hole" would
fill volume; can stop to give no more
of it now. go on and on to the east end
of the hill, then return so as to get good
view of that part of the town, lying south.
I see many houses that look familiar,
some grown old and dilapidated, Others
repaired or rebuilt; | see not far eff
field where frat began to u.s. the sickle
in field of rye, and cut my fingers Sc
verely another where pulled fax until
wished it oil in the bottom Of the-ocean
another whore [ picked up stone until
my boyjsh patience was exhausted. a
little stream where my fr-t fishing ex-
ploits were had brought up more
pleasing recolleciops.
[ came to the western summit of 3 arb It
Hill, from which is obtained the finest
rural view l ever saw; that is. it appears
to me as such. Here I am reminded Of
love aff4ir of olden time, which, on being
told, sounds like p romanoe, but is true
nevertheless. Two brothers, not long
after the year 1900, paid their addresses
to the same young lady. She ard the
older brother bad been for months en-
gagged, and a time was Mt length fixed
upon for the marriage. The banns were
published, and all the ordinary prep ara
lions made by the families OF each party
Tor the wedding On the day appointed
he younger brother WAS at the house of
he young lady at az early hour, and in
sisted that himself instead of the elder
brother should be the groom The l4dy
assented, and her family.
hough more reluctant still, nl-0 asSented,
nd the wedding took place on the same
lay, to the great discontinue and we'll {
Ugh ruin of the elder brother An old
.entleman, many years in his grave, told {
he writer that be saw him, he next morn /
ng after the wedding, come out OF the
ouse whers be lived, and take h"ld of \
be crank of n grind-stone, which he +
lrned for minute very rapidly, thea b
IT go and sat down on the crank while !;
ne grindstone was rapidly in motion
lie wandered about during the Day. with
is head down, wearing a detected ooun- t.
nance, and towards night was seen to 2
, onto Barber Hill. Self-destruc'iop n
as feared by his friends aud my inform al
1T, by request, followed him. The dis E
'pointed man was found at the point W
st described, to wit: on the western L
mmit OF the hill. He sat there on the M
'ound 80 my informant told me- "the p
ost woe-begone picture" he ever saw. CT
ne man in search, uuperceived, called 1C
1t sharply, when he sprang up suddenly, SO
ID with two or three jumps re 4ched an
most perpendicular descent of thirty
et, and went down. There were some CT
shes and limbs of trees from below st
1ich n sOme lesSopeJ h;a q