The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-08-03
CsluiDIsEN'S DEPARTMENT..
letters TO the tsOyS.

Ibhl ll'ONpfh'AsA. DulN
This letter is for "my boys" who have
several times gone through that fine chron-
illogical table-Anderson History
is SO full of bones, with the smallest posi-
bic fraction of flesh aud blood. Jump
aboard the half-past seven train in the
Fitchburg depot. No matter about "thc
HISTORIES if you have little blank book.
We will have an object lesson to-day.
Away we speed through Concord and Ac-
ton full OF revolutionary memories stop
to- breathe at Aver Junction, rcchristcncd
after the great pill merchant ditto at
Fitchburg, the virgin city, and we then
hurry on TO the lovely village of Kecnc,
aud are soon after gazing upon the cas-
cides of the tumbling Connecticut, at the
picturesque village of Bellows Falls.
Here we lunch. OFF again-over the green
decliyities of Nermont's beautiful noun
tains, and through Rutland. and on till we
reach at the gently aullled waters Of
Lake Champlan. The train hals for the
closing of the draw, and we slowly pass
good fellows, to stretch our limbs before
supper. Across the llelds.-no fences here
by the great well, which Il hundred years
ago supplied the garrison with the best of
water, but which is now nearly cho>ed up
with stones, and serves for The home of one
solitary frog. We now strike Col. Aliens
trail-thc very path he and his brave fol
lowers took when they captured the fortfi-
cation, nlnety-nine years ago. Up the zig
gag path that leads to the eastern parupct.
and behold the scene and the Grand ruin
are before you. Are you out of breath
with this little run of half mile? SUP
pose we sit down. upon the outer wall of
the old fort. Notice have purposely led
you to the south wall. Looking in a south
erly direction, we see the broad expanse of
the upper part of the lake toward White
hall. 1t stretches away from near our feet
and winding to the left Is lost from view
behind Mount Independence. The ledge
forming this promontOry is seen in various
places and extends into the lake some fifty
rods beyond the fort. AT its extremity Won
will find it very abrupt, descending some
seyenty-five feet before the water level is
reached. If you look in that direction you
will see the remains of the grenadier bat
terry, built of stone and earth, designed for
heavy guns. and commenced by Baron
Dieskau in 1855. From the foot of the
bluff, a little east of this fort, formerly
chain bridge extended to the point on the
opposite shore. Here were water battery
and breastworks The lake at this point is
very narrow and was thus, you see, very
strongly guarded. AS the abbots and friars
of England chose the most lovely spot for
their monastcries, so the French here, as
well as i'll many other places, showed very
great common sense and taste in selecting
place beautiful by nature, and by nature
well adapted for stronghold. Whoever
held this spot of rock held all the vast re-
gion round about. But notice onc thing
farther, boys, even this place had its KEY,
as | will tell you. Please turn to the right
and look toward the setting sun. Across
the intervening valley there stands the grim
and threatening elevation formerly called
sugar Hill. Its abruptly slopng sides
are partly hidden by the profusc vegetation
growing thereon. From all sides it seems
wcll-ngh inaccessible. AT least, so thought
and acted st. Clair when in COMMAND of
the fort. On the night of the Fourth of
July, III, everything was quiet as usual
III the old fort. But Burgoync's faithful
men were then dragging up the northern
slde OF That mount, in the most perfect
silence, heavy cannon and ammunition
Elated with their success they changed the
name from Sugar Hill to Mount Defiance
When the morning of the next day broke
st. Clair and his garrison beheld with as
constituent and dismay the guns of the
English on the summit of the mountain,
not more than two miles distant, from
which, you see, they could easily throw
shot and shell into the fort. The stars of
! i.t.f ,t,,.r AZ. 4, Il.
grim fortress left silent and alone. ard
upon ST. Clair and his men moving with
nOlseless step across the chain bridge and
away towards Castleton and Fort Ann.
Many OF them, alas bit the dust before
morning, for one of the soldiers contrary
To express orders, on abandoning Mount
independence, set fire to "A house, and the
hight streaming tar out across the lake, re-
vcaled the retreating Americans to the
watchful foe. They were, of course.
quickly pursued by Burgoyne, who captur-
ed many stores and killed many men.
Now, my boys, ii you arc half as hungry
rs | am, YOU are ready TO take a recess till
tomorrow and good supper at the hotel
File :" eek.
Some Bears Who Kept House.
In the beautiful gardens in the Regents
Park the Royal Geological society enter
tans crowd of distinguished guests, try
ing with true hospitality to make them all
feel at their ease, and to give each one, as
nearly as possible, that which he has been
used to at home.
All the world is represented here. Hot
countries and cold the arctic regions and
the tropics; African deserts and polar
SHOWS Indian jungles and South American
forests, and our own temperate zone, all
send their strange inhabitants to the gar
dens of the Royal Geological Society
A flight of steps at the end of the broad
walk leads up to wide stone terrace, and
at the top of the steps you look down on
your right into square paved court, with
a high pole in the middle and little sleeping
rooms on each side. Three or four fat,
clumsy bears are tumbling about on the
pavement in rough, good-natured play,
laaninu papb nm owe on the paranat above