Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-10-13

A TOMBSTONE IN A TREE.--Since thu
organic ttion of the Newburg cemetry
association several weeks ago, for the pur
pose OF improving the grounds at tn,
"Od Town cemetery, atjourning the
First Presbyterian church, much worl
has been done at the graveyard, and il
now begins to present an improved appear
ance after many years of neglect. The
president of The association, Hiram A
Jones, and Charles Downing, esq, have
gwen no little personal supervision in the
work of clearing up that has been done
by James T. Pryer and several assistants
They have cut down forty two tr, es,
and expect to cut down between
forty and fifty more. 1t seems that during
storms limbs of trees have been torn off,
and infalling have broken valuable tomb
stones For this and other reasons it has
been found necessary to thin out the trees.
Many Newburgers will remember very
large willow tree that has for years past
stood about twenty-five feet from the fence.
nearly in direct line with the north side
of Gidney avenue. This tree at the base
was between four and five feet in diameter,
and to remove it required considerable
work Last week Mr.. lPryer and his
men began. 1t was necessary to take
off the large limbs and lower them
carefully, and then dig down around the
stump, until hole some six or seven feet
deep had been made, so the roots could
be taken out. When the workman reached
tine roots they found them tangled mass,
running in all directions and thoroughly
ntertwined. They had grown around
two foot stones, so that the latter was i'm
bedded in the tree from twelve to eighteen
inches, the smaller part of them only be-
ing visible. On one stone were the initials
up. K" and on the other m. B" These
stones were carefully cut out and reset in
the grouud at the same place where they
were taken out, which had previously
been marked A head stone was also
firmly imbedded in the roots of the tree,
which were growing about it closer every
year.
The most singular discovery, however,
was to follow. When the men were ready
to take the tree away, it was necessary to
cut the stump in pieces, as it was large
and heavy. They sawed into it, and,
after cutting al out fifteen inches from the
surface, at point about three feet from
the ground, the saw grated against some.
thing hard. Not expecting to find any
thing but wood so far in the Tree, they
made several more strokes, and stopped
only when they noticed the sawdust was
fine white powder, which they at once
knew was marble dust. They then split
the stump, using powder and axe, until
they reached the curiosity, which proved
20 be a marble foot stone, in the heart of
the willow tree. The fiber or grain of the
tree had grown around it, and evidently
had been too powerful for the stone, for it
had been broken in two pieces, and the top
leaned considerably out of its place, al
though closely surrounded by wood. They
did all they could to get it out, but it was
quite impossible to do so without break
ing it up. A portion of it remained in
the stump, which was carried off to North
street we are told, where it was thrown
into some dumping ground. The small
pieces that did come out were thrown into
the hole from which the tree was taken.
No initials were noticed on the pieces that
were exposed TO view or taken out.-New-
urg JouraG !.