Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-02-18
Mistellanu.
From the Boston Journal.
4 Green Mountain Festival in Worcester,
Massachusetts,.

BY her children. no sweeter rs heard"
Such was the sentiment born in the
breasts of over three hundred of the sons
and daughters of the Green Mountain
State. now residents of the city of Worces-
ter. and who testified by reunion there
last night February ~ that the loyal fires
kindled around the native hearths are still
aqIow in their hearts. Affections sincere
offering was laid upon the social altar in
Washburn Hall, where the l'rge family
purity assembled.
The idea of the reunion had its birth
some time ago in the home circle of one of
Worcesters active citizens. 1t entered the
society of the social city as live topic for
consideration soon after. and as it was
bruitcd about. the city was canvassed and
some eicht hundred or nine hundred sons
and daurhters were found who could claim
Vermont as the state of their nativity.
From a pleasant question of domestic con-
Germ. the movement for permanent or
,ranization grew through the small initia-
tive into an important certainty, and now
the Vermonters of Worcester are formal
ly banded together and marshaled under
such leaders as Hon Clark .Ellson, Presi-
dent of the Association S E. Hildreth and
Ira f. Blake, Vice President, Samuel +.
Stone. Secretary, J. S. Rogers, Treasurer,
and an Executive Committee consisting of
II. NJ. Gould. c. f. Parker, J. j. Russ,
Charles f. Parker, f. l.. Spalding and
G.. l.. Bliss. To the efforts of these gen.
tlemen are due the honors of the reunion
which was Il rare social achievement.
TIE SUPPER
Called the company together about seven
o'clock in the evening, and was one SIM
ple vet uncommonly inviting. The we'll
to-do Vermonter' noon-day meals of the
old time week were every one represent
ed. and rs a gray haired oracle approving
ly said. things looked much as they used
to- A. old and Young sat at the long
rows of tables there was an air of sOciabil-
itv in the hall which was very pleasing to
experience Rev. DR.. Cutler said grace,
and the season of refreshment was opened.
After the company had been at the table
an hour or so Hon Clark Jillson, ex-May-
or of Worcester, was introduced to preside
over the intellectual part of the entertain
ment, and ut once began his address, which
was highly cdifying.
THE PRESIDENTS ADDRESS.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Sons and Daugh-
fCr,S Of Vermont w hatever may have been
the inclination of my fellow citizens of
Massachusetts, to place me under Obllga-
tiuns to them for honOrs conferred, or for
anv mark of respect heretofore shown in
private or public life, have never been
impressed by a more profound sense of
gratitude than now feel for being permit
ted to act rs presiding officer of an organ
ization embracing so large a number of
the intelligent sons and daughters of Yer
mont. We come here to renew and per-
pctuate the memory we cherish OF our ma
tive land. 1t has been said that - he who
forgets the fountain from whence he drank,
and the tree under whose shade he gam
boled in the days Of his youth, is a stran-
ger to the sweetest impressions of the hu-
man heart"
The social gathering, in this beautiful
city Of our adoption, bears the strongest
evidence that we have not forgotten, even
i'm our mature wears. the home OF our child
hood, where We were first touched by an
inspiration which no other nativity could
produce. Those beautiful valleys, teem-
inc with the results of persistent enter
prise; those rugged hills and mountains
whose sides are furrowed by the clear wa
terS of the restless streams that leap ant
foam and wind through the lowlands like
silver threads; those primeval forests
whose icy branches catch the first light o1
the morning sun and gllmmer and sparkle
like a universe of diamonds set i'll burnish
cd steel. and in the sober autumn, scatter
their diving foliage tinged with the splen
dor of a thousand hueS, cannot fail Il
quicken imagination and inspire lasting
reverence for the Green Mountain State.
The President then entered upon the
historical portion of his address, whicl
sources, taking the hearers back to the dis
covery of Vermont in 1909 by Samuel De
Champlain. who left Quebec for the pur
pose of exploring the country. lie treated
the period Of conquest when the State wa:
the common battle ground OF various In
dian tribes in most entertaining man
ner. and as he proceeded he gave the date:
and traditions of the settlements as they
now appear in the annals of the State. a:
civilization only broke the sublimity of the
forests through battles, the laurels were
woven afresh on the brows of Ethan Aller
and the Green Mountain boys.
Among the many incidents related by
Mr.. Jillson were the following:
Ebenezer Marvin was a surgeon in the
army. and during the battle of Saratoga
Oct. :. 1777, the house used as a hOspita
was 50 near the scene of action that he die
not dare to expose his wife and daughter
to the fiving bullets. They We're PLACED
in the cellar. where they prepared lint anC
bandageS during the day and night, pass
ing them up through the hole in the floor
On the morning after the battle Ebeneze
Marvin. Jr, was born. 1t was sool
thought hest to send the women and chill
dren to Connecticut for safety; and Mrs
Marvin with her infant of a few days old
on pillow in her lap,a her eldest daugh
ter behind her on the same horse, starte,
under escort through the wilderness b,
marked trees to Connecticut. The fal
rains were prevailing, and they were oblig
ell to camp out in the woods ut nigh
among wild beasts and hostile Indians.
Hon Nathaniel Niles of West Fairlee
first member of Congress from Vermont
was man of great intellectual ability, bu
occasionally II little eccentric. He was
preacher of considerable note, and ma
of unqueStionable integrity. On Il certain
occasion in the midst of his sermon he Wa
approached by his wife. bearing a privat
message, whereupon he said that service
would be suspended for Il few moments
and passed out through the room in whic
the congregation were seated, prepare
with hat and veil, and hived a swarm {
bees, came back, commenced where h
left off, and finished his sermon.
When Burgoyne's army was attemptin
to invade Vermont, the wife of Andre,
Hawley, well known in Arlington a
Aunt Ann" was surprised by party III
der Captain Ormsbee, while filling he
oven for baking. Two soldiers were de
tailed t. wait till the bread was baked an
then bring it away. After the Captai
and his squad had departed, Aunt Ann OIL
dered the two soldiers to 60 about thei
business, and with a broom-stick drov
them from the premises. In their retrea
one of the towards discharged his muskt
at the brave woman. the bullet passn
just over her head.
Ths SEA of the State of Vermont wa
first engraved upon Il horn drinking cul
with .jack-knite, by an English office
who frequently and secretly visited Go,