Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1875-10-01
FIFTY YEARS AGO.

"Oh, yes, we had an elegant time,' said
Miss Geneva Wilbur, as she settled her
RIFLES and puffs. 1--WE secured private
room in palace car, and were just as retir-
ed and as much at ease as though we had
been travelling in our own drawing room.
1t was furnished magnificently, all in scar
let and gold, with panels of polished rose
wood and mahogany, and a lovely Wilton
carpet. The windows were of French plate
glass, with curtains and lambrequins all
complete. Then there were luxurious ca
sy chairs and sofas, great mirrors, an up
right piano, and lunch tables, and card Ia
bles, aud everything one could devise for
comfort. Aud it seemed so much like an
Arabian Nights tale, that fancied had
only 10 rob one of the silver plated lamps
which hung from the ceiling, TO make a
genie appear, who would execute my bid
ding. Alb, it was superbr'
Seems TO me times have changed little
since 1 was young" said old Uncle Ezeki-
el, taking advantage Of the nome ntary
pause Miss Geneva made. "Then people
couldn't go scootng about the country in a
parlor; they had to put up with good ma
ny Inconvenience, not 10 say prlvations,
If they wanted to travel but then guess
they took as much comfort, on the whole,
as they do nowadays. At any rate they
looked healtl Ter aud whol2somer than the
young folks of this generation do with
their airs and their graces, their lolderOls
and their pinched looking forms and faces.
snow, when was rising one and twenty
I tppl- a cLo 10 a,
little of the world. You see had always
stuck close at home, only now and then go
ing to the nearest village to muster, or 10
trade of some apples or butter. SO spoke
to, father about it, and he said that after
haying and harvesting 1 might take the
three-year old colt l broke in the spring
aud go up aud visit my relations in Ver-
mont. Well, this idea suited me nightly,
and I'll warrant set more store by ii than
boys nowadays would by trip TO Cali
fornia. There didn't much grass grow un-
der my feet for The next few weeks, 1 can
tell you, and we got our last load of grain
in uncommon early, so that one morning
in September was all ready to start
81 got up early and fed my pony, and
mother baked a shorlcake before the fire
and made good cup Of tea for my break
fast; then, while / was eating she put a
generous allowance of doughnuts and
cheese in my bag, and showed me the new
cravat and socks she had got ready for me.
Mother was always thoughtful for us, and
besides she wanted me to make hand
some appearance up country so she had a
tailoress in the house for a week, making
me suit of pepper.and-sat homespun
which she had just taken from the loom.
The sun was rising over the barn when l
sprung on my pony and waved goodbye
TO my mother, and TO the little sister who
had crept down in her night-gown to see
me start, and stood In the doorway by her
side. AS l passed through the village
saw quite a number Of the young men of
my own age stepping towards their harms,
with their milk pals on their arms, and
they stopped and stared well TO see me set
Ting of early in my new clothes but en-
joyed their surprise too much 10 stop and
give them any information on the subject.
"Brutus seemed to feel as keen as 1 did,
and cantered along briskly for the first few
miles. Then he began TO take II slower,
for the road was getting tolerably billy,
and by the time we reached Gainesborough
he was considerably luckered out drew
up 10 the nearest tavern and asked them to
bait him. AS for myself, sat down un-
der big elm that grew in the yard, and
ate my doughnuts and cheese. As was
putting on the saddle the tavern-keeper
came out.
"'I wouldn't be too quick about starting,
young man., said he, 'its going to rain
"'ReckOn you are mistaken there said
i.
"'Guess not, replied he, I've lived here
I've and forty years, and never heard the
looms scream over the pond and saw the
clouds hang below the mountain the way
they do now without our getting rain afOre
might