Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-06-27


l Itarried at Rutland during the
night, and early the next morning, on
a similar coach, we proceeded through
Castleton, Vermont, Granville and
Salem, New York, toward 'Out
Wes,,' changing horses every dozen
miles or so, and the great. world"
continually expanding before me.
In going through Lansingburgh l
was amazed at its greatness, consider
ing how little had ever heard OF it A.;
but when the wheels struck the pave
ment in Troy, the first city ! had ever
seen, l was gid1y, and was farther
from home than / ever expected to
be and / am sure that, although |
have since seen both oceans, and a
goodly portion of the country lying
between them, | have never been half
so far from home, as | felt at that
very moment. lfyou have never ex-
perienced the feeling it would be use
less for me to attempt to describe it,
and if you have, then there is certain.
ly no occasion for description. That
''all ovcrishness feeling" is precisely
one of the these things that cannot be
accurately photographed. 1t is well
for US all, perhaps, that it has never
struck either one of us in full force
more than once. Possibly some Of
you may remember about
WHEN AND WHERE 1T HIT YOU THE
HARDEST.
AT a high rate of speed we ratified
over what to me seemed thronged
streets, until, in front Of the "Troy
House, the six,in-hand stopped short.
There being no tall post with i swing
ing sign in front OF the stately boick
block, had not the most remote idea
that the "Troy House" WAS a tavern.
nor place where had any right to
stop. Some Of the passengers alight-
ed, ond a portion of the baggage was
put off upon the sidewalk, but why
this was thus | had not the slightes.
comprehension, Tor | knew / was 60
ing to stop at "the tavern" and | had
so informed the driver, who had as
sured me that he would take me right
to the tavern. SO long rs portion
of the passengers kept their places in
the coach, | was comparatively free
from anxiety, presuming that they too
were going to stop at the tavern, and
that probably the next move would be
in that direction.
The driver remounted the coach,
and with 4 grand six.horse flourish, he
drought up in front of the Mansion
House" where every passenger except
myself, stepped down and out,
while remained motionlcss, and from
my elevated outside position, looked
down upon my own trunk, standing
on end on the sidewalk. | was IN
quandary, when the driver called out
rather grutily y--as thought, 'loung
man are you gong to get off here?'
to which l replied, 81 don't know SIR
"Well," said he, "Gnd out mighty
quick, for 1 am going to drive to the
stable" l didn't stay up there much
longer. l timidly made my way 10
the door, through which l had seen
my fellow passengers enter, and stood
there "taklng observations, and keep,
ing sharp lookout for my trunk, un.
til saw a man (whose name | after
wards learned was Porter, and won
dered why in addressing him every
one appeared to leave of the "Alr. ",
carry it into the house and place ii
with other trunks in a room which
subsequently, heard called "the office.
| noticed that my fellow-passengers
were all huddled together about
counter at one corner of this same OF
flee, and that they left one by one, es
corted by ooy with key in biz
hand, but this flank movement" was
utterly incomprehensible to me, Tor
had no more idea, up to that time
that the place was a tavern, that tha
it was a lunatic asylum. STOOD wei
back in the room, looked as wise as
knew how to look, and waited for de
velopments. After all the passenger
had disappeared from the counter, th'
wonderfully handsome and well-dress
ed gentleman who stood behind il
came out from his place, and, ap
preaching me, very blandly said care
you going to stop with us sir? l re
piled, 81 don't know, sir; is this Il
tavern q Eyes, sir, said he,
':PLEAsE COME AND REGISTER.
followed him toward the counter
4 l..