Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-09-21


ing sheet OF cotton. the monument stood
during all the pomp and parade like a
ghostly reviewing officer, silently and
haughtily passing Judgment upon the march
ing cohorts, and the crcumstantial pageant,
with its glittering trappings and bright re-
gala The folds of its gigantic robe swayed
and Hoated in the lazy breeze, which now and
then threw them open, exposing to view for
an instant the ideal community within, and
then as swiftly closed them, as though con-
scious that it was engaged in forbidden
pastime. Care had been exercised to secure
the covering so that it could not be blown
off before the moment suspicious for its re-
moyal, and folds of rope were passed around
it at frequent intervals all the way to the
top of tine statue surrounding the obelisk
but, as though determined to usurp the
honor of unwilling it, old Boreas kept hard
at work all dav looseniDg the fastenings and
insdiously paying the folds off Of the
angles and edges of the statues and
mouldings. Occasionally he would proudly
show the crowd the progress be
was making by throwing open the folds
of the cotton, now about the soldier and
again from the figure of Peace or the obelisk
itself He seemed to fear no interruption
to his labors. but steadily went on with his
task until by go he had loosened all the
ropes and was revealing beneath the canvass,
putting it out until the monument assumed
corpulency twice its own. A detail of half
a-dozen Jack tars from the frigate Wabash
were early On the ground to superintend the
work of unwilling the shaft, and observing
the liberties the wind was taking with their
anticipated privilege they at first essayed to
check his impudence. Bet he had the ad-
vantage of them, being omnipresent, and as
fast as they repaired the damages he infict
ed, the impersonal but persistent autocrat
of the atmosphere redoubled his efforts until
at last they gave it up and contented them
selves with damning him and discussing his
chances of success. At 3:lj. while the pro-
cession was still passing on Charles street, a
sudden gust tore the folds from the weather
side of the monument, leaving the obelisk
and base entirely exposed and the Genius of
America uncovered to the top of her head,
where the shroud was still entangled in the
ropes. This chef-d'durre of Old Boreas was
hailed with shouts of applause from the
crowds which had begun to gather about the
hilltop. The cloth still surrounded the
statues at the plinth, but it was not long
before tho bronze soldier thrust his bayOnet
through the yielding material, and quickly
followed it with his arm and head, and ere
long his whole body. A shred of cotton
wound over his right arm as a trophy was
alone left to tell the story of the gallant
fellow successful! sortie against prison infiu
ences and letters. But for him the great
robe would eventually have fallen intact, but
as the yoluminOus folds flew against him he
hacked them with his bayonet. until they
were reduced to rags, which tloated about
him like so many pennants. Then gentle
Peace plucked up sufficient courage to
plunge her branch Of olive through the stuff,
and after sometime her beautiful face emery
ed through the hole, and then her head and
bust and thus she remained, half hidden in
folds Of white until the sailors stripped her
and revealed her, bashfully sitting with her
back 10 the soldier, confronting the crowds
with her serene ideal beauty Of mien and
The sailors were compelled to
free their bronze shipmate or the poor fellow
would have remained tangled in the shroud
till doomsday. When this was done the
monument was entirely exposed. The rain
now began to tall steadily, and the monu
ment received its baptism in good shape. |
At 4:3O the crowd began to gather on the |
platform, which had been until then nearly |
Tree from people. Half an hour later the |
distinguished gentlemen who were to open |
the ceremonies appeared, coming upon the |
platform form the Charles street side.
First there was the Monument Committee,
hen the rest OF the city Government. and
L., tbn,,, ba ,ny,toI al a,I IL
AIRY dgnitaries. Fighting Joe Hooker
quietly retired to a secluded seat in the au-
Hence, but his smooth-shaven, bright red
ace made him CONSPICUOUS, and Mcclellan
ound him and stopped to talk with him.
making him heartily by the hand. Before
hey had chance to say much some one
with long retinuc of wives, daughters and
emale family connections caught Mcclellan
" the coat-tails and humbly begged to be
flowed to present his ladies. This mans
1ample was generally followed, and the ex-
hief Of the Potomac soon disappeared in
of females, old and young
locker on the contrary kept out of the
ange of observation, and fastened his blue
yes on the monument and the statues, his
lands resting on the top of an umbrella, and
liz old style tall hat, pulled forward over his
giving him the. appearance some
' hat of a discreet and well-ied rural pars0n.
,olt's Band, with Thomas Baldwin as lead
r, opened the exercises on the arrival OF
he Masons shortly after 5 O'Clock, with
leller's American Hymn. The monument
1as then dedicated according to the Masonic
itual.
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