News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-03-30
a good deal by a personal feeling. He
would be very proud to have the great
pole on his fathers land.

|
pole on his fathers land.
Mr.. Silas Markle, who was the sur
veyor of the town as we'll as the school.
master, had be- en- informed by the com.
mittee having the matter in charge that
on the twentieth of June, which fell on
a Saturday, they would employ him to
ascertain the proper point of land on
which to erect the fag-pole. This gave
George but one week to carry out his
plan, and he therefore set to work with
great energy. Having first obtained
his fathers permission, he called
together number of his boy friends
| and announced to them what he in
tended to do. If Mullen Hill was six
feet higher than the hill on their place,
he would make the latter seven or eight
feet higher than it then was, and if the
other fellows would help him, he
believed this could be done without the
assistance of an earthquake. His plan,
as explained, was wildly approved by
the boys, and as this was vacation time,
George and his companions began their
great work early on Monday morning.
Wheelbarrows, crowbars, shnvels and
spades were borrowed, and Upton's
Hill soon became a scene of great
activity. Everything was done under
Georges directions and he began opera
tions by wheeling all the large stones
that could be picked up in the field to
the top of the low round hill. These
were spread over a space of fifteen or
twenty feet in diameter, and formed the
base of the mound to be built. Earth
was wheeled up to fill in the spaces
between the stones; sods and smaller
stones and earth were piled up, layer
upon layer, until, toward the end of the
week, the top of the mound was about
eight feet from its foundation. There
were more than twenty boys engaged
in the work and they labored every day
with great enthusiasm.
George built his mound a good dea |
smaller at the top than at the bottom,
and as far as possible he made it con-
form to the general shape of the hill.
The outside of it was covered with sods |
and earth, and when finished it presented
a very creditable and solid appearance.
When the committee, with Mr.. Mar
kle, started out on the following Satur-
day on their tour of inspection, they
were met at Mr.. Haskins's gate by that
gentleman himself. "You are welcome
to measure Mullen Hill" he said, "but
IF course it is mere matter of form. 1
Inn perfectly willing to have the pole
set up on my land, but I intend to charge
Zach person coming here small toll to
pay for the wear and tear of the ground.
There is nothing in the ordinance to
prevent that"
When the height of Mullen Hill had
een ascertained, the committee started
IF toward the Upton farm.
'There is no use going any further
lid E1r. Haskins 'tWe know all about
ne other hills round here I
''There's point of land on Mr.. Up
on's place wish to measure" said Mr..
Iarkle.
"Stuf and nonsense" said Jimmy
but he followed the party. d,
Nearly all the boys in town and a
,reat many other people were assembled
It Upton's Hill when the committee ar
ived there, and when Mr.. Jimmy Has
iins saw the mound that had been
aised, his surprise and rage were very
,reat. He insisted that the height of
his mound should not be measured, for
t was not a natural formation. But
he committee declared that the ordi-
lance called for the highest point of
and, without reference to the manner
n which it was formed. The measure
nents were made and the top of the
Mound was found to be nearly three
eet higher than the summit of Mullen
1ill.
On the Fourth of July the flag was
aised on the pole, which was firmly set
n Georges mound. The pole was high,
he flag was beautiful one everybody
heered and was happy, and no one
'aid cent for the privilege of being
PRESENT at the celebration.
81 thought nothing but an earth
quake could make any of these hills
higher than mine, "grumbled Mr. Jimmy
" but I forgot that there were
uoh things as boys"
FRANK R. STOCKTON.