The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1879-08-13

ago, and she well remembers tue Jour
ney which was made IN the winter ana
which was attended with much hard
ship. Trouble breaking out between
Great Britain and the United States
her father was obliged 20 leave. lie
had settled on the kings band, and I'M
less he would swear allegiance TO the
crown, he could no longer have home
there. And that indomitable WILL
which had led his kinsman so many
years before TO give his life before sur
rendering, made him leave his pleasant
farm, in a level, fertile country, and
emigrate TO the then wilderness OF
Cambridge. i
"Fifty years ago our father ana
mother left their home in the north
western part of Cambridge and came
to the southwest part, or what is now
called Pleasant Valley. 1t would be
difficult, as we sit here now and look
over this pleasant and green valley, to
imagine what il was at that time; no
roads had been opened, a few log
houses had been built here and there
on the different lots, which have long
since been passed away. :,
"Tbis farm, where we are collected
to-day, was then one unbroken wilder
ness. Where you see this field OF
waving grain, were many deep pools
of water; where you see this broad
field reaching away to the south end OF
the farm, was then but a dismal swamp,
with boughs. so thick overhead, that
the suns rays seldom penetrated to
the cold, wet earth beneath. The
prospect, a little nearer yonder creek,
where my father had chosen to build
his house, was some better, the ground
dryer, the timber heavier. In some
place the giant old hemlocks lay thick
on the ground. These could not be
burned, and to remove them, required
much labor; so many Of them were
left for years to be worked around,
an unsightly heap, but fine place for
berries to grow.
FIFTY years ago to-day, our parents,
fifth child was born. They had moved
with four little ones into n shanty,
built On that hill which you can see to
the north of us, near that orchard;
there they lived until large house was
built. just here let me tell story
which | have heard my father relate
many times. He had resolved never to
touch, taste, or handle anything in
toxicating, but his house must be
raised, and such a thing as raising
without furnishing any rum, had never
been heard of. 1t was no small thing
to roll those heavy logs into the body
of house, and his neighbors told him
it could not be done without rum; they
tried to dissuade him from the attempt,
but each one said it should make no
difference with themselves individually,
and with this promise from each one,
he made the attempt and the house
went up with much merriment on the
account Of its being a 'cold-water rails
ing as it was called. All went home
sober and the cold-water raising was q
success.
"Now let us return to that mother
Of fifty years ago in that house which
was q shell with just the roof complet-
ed; no doors, no windows, a lole in
the rough wall of logs, where they
were to be before the cold weather set
in. Surrounded. by dense, deep forests,
swamps, and dark pools of water on
every hand, is it surprising that that
mother took cold and was q raving
maniac? 1t is q wonder that she lived
through it all and is with us to-day !!
Do YOU think, sisters, that you could
have borne up under such load and
lived to be eighty years old, with your
mental and vital faculties so we'll pre-
served? Other children entered our
family until we numbered eight, robust
and hearty the most Of us. Death did
not enter our family circle until we
had completed our minority, when our
oldest brother was taken. He was the
pride of his mother, so faithful and
true had he been through all the dark
hours of her life in the woods. And
now that the forest had disappeared,
and better house had been built, it
was hard to give up her first born ; but
the sacrifice must be made, death Is
memorable! He sleeps his last sleep,
and there too, have we since lain our
father, and two sister, a brothers wife,
and other little ones are there, sleep
ing side by side. Another dear one
has lately left our family circle, who
lies buried far away on a beautiful
western prairie, and many loved ones
are there, who like those here, mourn
her untimely departure. And one gave
his young life for his country, sickened
and died in southern prison and
found an unknown grave. Yes death
has made sad havoc in our family cir
Gle, and the gray heads that are assem-
bled here to-day, show the ravages of
time.
"Soon shall we be with the gathered dead,
And by the hearth, wenow sit around,
Some other circle will be found: .-----.-.s.-
| Oh! then, that wisdom may we know,
That leads a life below.
And in the world to follow this,
May each repeat in words Of bliss,
| We are all, all here"
cit is not probable that we shall all
ever meet again to celebrate our moth
ers birthday but we will not forget
her. Let us strive to make the few
days that are left her as pleasant as
possible. She has carried us in her
arms, and loved us as only mother