Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1875-12-03
For the vERHoSr FARMER.
The Happy Band"

Since reading Lura Bells letter l have
been wondering If The Happy Band" in.
cludes only only those from the pinc.tree
state.
l am glad there are so many good friends
Of the FARMER in Maine. Also glad to see
such = spirit of friendship aud desire for per.
sonal acquaintance exhibited among you.
All seem capable Of serving good literary
feast for your Vermont friends whenever you
please, and for one | ever welcome your pro-
ducisons with interest and pleasure l think
l know you all pretty we'll now, aud feel
special interest in you from having learned
so much Of your personality.
But where are the Vermonters who have
contributed to the FARMER articles Of high
literary merit and practical common sense
Arc they to be left out in the eold2 or will
they awake to duty and prevent our Maine
friends from winning all the laurels in our
own paper 2
am jealous for Vermont. She must not
be out-doDe. And she need not be, If only up.
l.. H." Laura Brigham Boyce." minerva
BoYce," "Mattio Lawrence" "E. A. j. -"
advance" Edith Ives," IN. l.. D."
paul Pastnor," "Zollikoffer" and others
whose names do not readily recall, will
only come to the front. None of them are
known to mo personally, unless it be "Ad-
vance," fancy the FIRST letters Of her name
are Flora Paris, but may be mistaken At
all events yankee will guess, though, per.
haps, they ought not to guess out loud
Sarah Brigham Mansfield has quite capt..
waited me with her charming little poem Of
Rosebud and l." am cure should be
glad to see her and Rosebud" too.
Was never in Mad River valley, but since
reading l.. b. Boyce's description of it,
think | should be charmed with its scenery
aud delighted to stop at Maple Grove.
Should expect cordial welcome, even If 1
found her engrossed in the mysteries of
cookery, or engaged in any Of tho thousand
and one duties Of housekeeping. BE sure
Of one thing, Mrs Boyce, if | ever fluid my.
self within Eve miles Of your place shall
not stop there, but 60 on until find you
and learn by personal observation if you
practice as well as you write. in regard to
house-keeper's duties, if company calls when
everything is not in "apple-pie order"
Well, find | am such 4 "slow coach"
that Mrs l.. b. b., has come out in tie
FARMER with some of my thoughts. Add,
as had not yet transcribed them all upon
paper, | can account for it in no other way
than this. We all have similar thoughts,
and while some are dreaming over them,
others jot them down and send them forth to
arouse, cheer aud gladden. their readers.
Aud she has answered some questions have
already asked.
Mrs Mansfield is Vermonter. knew
it must be so, but fancied Mansfield, at least
was nom-de-plume, worn in honor Of our
grand old mountain Of that name. "Her face
is young, and her heart is younger still"
Yes, I've no doubt of it, and it always will
be though she may live to four score.
what makes US young it's not that DER our broWs
Time sheds not yet his chill, hiberRal shows
| IL is not that the step Is firm and light,
The blood still bounding and the eye still bright
Though each Of these Is youths accompaniment.
What makes US oldi IT'S not the hoary head,
| The faded eye, the weak and stunning tread;
| The trembling voice, bont form, aud failing sense,
For these are only ages incidents.
Take from the heart love- purity and truth,
| And man is old, though In the bloom of youth;
| While no who keeps them in their pristine bloom,
Is ever young, though lettering DER tho tomb"
So you are both sisters Of DR. G. N. Brig
ham Then you may bepleased to know that
| own his book of poems, entitled "The
Harvest Moon" gift from friend, aud that
have passed pleasant hours in its perusal
"Our Happy Band" That is good. lu
such cases it is more pleasant to say sour
than "the." And you want some personal
knowledge Of other Vermont contributors ?
You see l cannot enlighten you, except ia
regard to Advance, and am not sure Of
her. As to myself have met with you SO
seldom that fear | am hardly entitled to a
seat with the Band" But, if permitted,
will gladly occupy low seat beside Geral.
diner Will endeavor to be there often ia
the future, that may still take of the
crumbs which fall from the literary table.
Rest assured that owe you all a large
debt Of gratitude, for what | have already
received Often in the past have felt 10
clined to add my mite toward making up
the feast more frequently than have done
but pain and sickness bereavement, sorrow
and care have kept me so helpless or 81
busy with heart and head, and hand that /
seemed nearly impossible for me to devot'
any time 10 the FARMER.
Yet have OCCASIONAL been among YOU
without any signature, or with star, II. OF
Il. j. Ii. Hereafter you will recognize mt
simply as R.J.H.
Woodland Vale. Non 20, 1875.