Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1874-09-19
A visit to the old Homestead.

i
pleasure trip in Summer is now very
much relieved by the arrangements
Of tho railway companies; their
round.trip excursion tickets serving
TO mark out course for going and
returning so as to carry one to vari.
GUS interesting points, and through a
range of beautiful scenery.
Sometimes these excursion tickets
can be made available for business
as we'll as for pleasure, being cheap.
er than the regular tickets for the
same distances.
Wishing to start from southern
Pennsylvania for the old homestead
in Vermont, I purchased, on arriv.
ing at Harrisburg, a ticket that
would carry me up the Hudson aud
down Lake Champlain to Burling.
ton, and thence back to New York
by way of Philadelphia to Harris.
burg.
This gave me an opportunity of
seeing the "Hudson by daylight,"
and Lake Champlain in the same
state of solar illumination. The
weather being the very finest, there
was in my case full realization of
all that the excursion over those
beautiful waters promised. After
leaving the Lake at Burlington and
arriving at Montpelier, my objective
point led me to vary from the path
Of excursiOnal rectitude, and go
over the Montpelier and Wells Riv-
er r. r., whose eastern terminus is
within the limits of the town con-
tanning the "home of my childhood"
Next the "Passumpsic" carried
me along a line of beauty, richer
perhaps in landscape than any other
eight-mile ride on the globe, to South
Newbury, where l now write. The
recent almost ravishing vision OF
the Hudson, and of Champlain had
not, 1 found, in the least blunted
the sight to the exquisite finish OF
nature on the Connecticut.
About the old home will say
nothing, as there are things both
pleasant and sad about visiting an
old homestead not especially inter-
esting to the public.
But having had from my earliest
years special interest in the me-
chanical arts, was soon led, in my
walks to look after the prosperity of
the various enterprises in this line
on the brook. The old saw and
planning mill l found to be doing
still successful business, notwith-
standing the axe has been for near
ly a century doing it's work upon
the timber of the Halls Brook Val
ley. Next the new chair factory
new to me at leaSt-seems to bo
furnishing in very considerable
quantities an article which may be
applied conveniently, and with the
utmost safety to the relief of any
unrepublican swelling of the stand
ing army.
Then the grist mill which, about
three years ago, rose to life from it's
ashes, having had during the time
of low water and depleted corn barns
a sort of Summer vacation, is just
now having it's grinders put in
prime order for Fall work, by sci
entific workman in burr stone and
granite dentistry.
The kit mill, too, which one while
was supposed almost to have finish
ed it's work, is now furnishing to
millions of fishes a chance to put
themselves in the way of greater
usefulness.
On the whole affairs in this vicin-
ity, both mechanical and agricultu-
raj seem quite as flourishing as
could we'll be expected. The fields
are beautifully green, appearing
somewhat in contrast with the wheat
stubhle and weeds which at this
season from a large part of the
landscape of the Cumberland val
ley.
1 will close with a statement Of
the advice which | have already
given in private to several Of my
friends, namely: That if they
should propose to emigrate to south
ern Pennsylvania they should do as
1 did two and half years ago, 60
in the winter, when the beauty of
northern summer landscape is not
vividly in memory. A.
Sep. S, 1874.
TEXAS is full of mysteries. A
man was put in Jail the other night
at Bryan, and the next morning he
was found hanging to a tree aquar.
ter of mile away.
THAT reverend hereto Swing is