Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-01-29
For the Freeman.
4 Journey from Vermont South.
THOMASvILLE, GEORGIA, }
.IanuarY u. 1874.

a few weeks since | left Middlebury,
Vermont, for Bellows Falls and New York,
by the Connecticut river. On the train
met leading organizer of oranges in
Vermont, Mr.. Cotton of Irasburgh, for
merly member of the State Senate. He
is engaged in this matter now, in COM
panv with member of the State Board of
Agriculture. The organization is bound
to be popular in Vermont. and will exert
a great if not controlling influence in the
next elections. There was also on board
Jsmes Slade Jr., young lawyer of note.
from Middlebury. whose name will also
be conspicuous, probably, in the future
politics of the State, and hope always on
the right side, and for what is honorable.
| separated from these parties at Rutland.
The Connecticut river next engrossed
my attention. New England's river, it
constantly suggested to me New England
life; both town life and country life. and
my thoughts may have wandered far up
on its branches in Vermont, near to one
Of which, surrounded by mountain land
-cupc, tranquil in vale. though 1900 feet
above the sea. stands the Bread Loaf Inn.
where we have been living till within a
few days
The train reached New York at II
o'clock. | rested ut Brooklyn a number
of days. l attended the trial of Maggie
Jourdain for her part in the escape of the
murderer Sharkey, the last day, when
the jury We're ont. The jury had been
locked up in the Astor House since the dav
previous, and did not come in at the open
ing of the court The prisoner sat in the
back part Of the room behind a partition.
hut | seated myself near the partition
where | could see her Brave little girl 4,
she had done what she could. and the law
now had pounced down upon her; it must
be vindicated, and as this poor trembling
bird was the only thing it could lay its
upon her. She sat there, and talked and
laughed quietly, or looked down upon her
foot But | noticed ut times that she would
start suddenly. and look around nervouslv
and once when she thought no one saw
and when she herself had forgotten, she
partly extended her arms. her hands
clutched the air, and a sigh escaped from
her breast which told full we'll the trouble
that surrounded her. The waters wave
come in unto her soul. The jury at last
reported. not agree ed. and the girl was re-
manded to the Tombs. Now it seems to
me plain case for mercy, and mercy die
tateS that the girl he released Mt once.
We left New York by boat for Savannah.
passed by Long Branch. and saw its many
fog and afterwards storm. | kept on
deck much in the night to avoid the pitch
inc of the cabin At one time, when
stepped back, the SKY was clear overhead
In the depths OF the heavens the silent
stars lent their power. | thought they
had never seemed to me so bright. although
the moon hung a little to one side, dim
ming their light. We entered the river at
Savannah Thursday morning, four days
from New York The low shores. former
" rice fields, with myriads of black birds,
and numbers of shanties or negro huts,
were before us In the near distance.
protected by a settling smoke, low rising
from the waters, appeared Savannah
Among our passengers was an American
from Albany, mighty son of Nimrod on
his way to Florida to hunt He said he
made it a principle to go every winter, and
be gone from two to three months; the
rest of the year he gave to business. We
had. too, an Englishman born at Essex,
perhaps fifty years old. He was English
clean through, had been Il blockade runner
in the late unpleasantness, and now owned
plantation on the Savannah river. There
were three Jerseymen, young men going
south for 4 warmer climate: 4 Boston
gentleman going south to buy. He had
been in Florida last winter and was now
bound for Thomasville, south of Georgia.
1t was through acquaintance with him that
l was led to come to the same place.
Lastly, our ladies. One girl from Brook
lyn going to Macon, was the representative
of them. In snuppleness she was like the
witch hazel, and in beauty fair as an or
chard in bloom. She was kind, too, when
you spoke to her, and as abounding in
spirits as fresh mountain spring is
abounding in water. Somebody's sweet
heart, we must bid her good by.
We left the boat and walked to the hotels,
of which there are several large ones.
Pulaski. the largest, 81 a day. Marshall
House, good, S3 day. Savannah is call
ed the finest city of the south, being hand
somely laid out with wide streets and