The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-05-30
WOODSTOCK, Vt. May q.

WOODSTOCK, Vt. May %.
This is charming little town lying peace
fully among the green hills of the Green
Mountain State, surrounded by them on
every side. The basin in which the town
lies seems to have 10 issue by which one
can 60 out or come in by rail; but the engi-
neers found way by which rapid cOmmu-
nication may be had by its inhabitants with
the outside world. The rail stops here as if
exhausted by the effort of climbing over the
hills to reach the town. The Gazetteer gave
me no information as 10 the road to 1t and
so I was obliged to write to friends there.
was told to go to Newmarket Junction, to
Manchester and Concord. There to change
for White River Junction, and to change
again for Woodstock.
The valleys of Vermont are very green, as
the hills are to their tops, and railway rides
among them are always pleasant. The
houses and buildings are all good and nice
ly kept, the fences are In good condition aud
the farms everywhere indicate good manage
ment and thorough working. Wool is not
produced in Vermont so much as it was
some years ago; sit does not pay" because
the winters are long, making it necessary
to feed the sheep five or six months in the
year, the expenses VI which makes the cost
of wool raising too much. But many blood
ed-fne wooded sheep are raised for sale to
wool growers of other states.
Thirty years ago Vermont was we'll Known
the country over for the famous horses pro-
duced there, but now it has no special rep
utation in that line. This comes, perhaps,
in part, from the fact that other states are
producing fine horses in large numbers,
Name being one of them. This branch of
farm work is more profitable than any other,
because the demand for such horses is con-
slant al prices such as the farmers choose to
demand. The Vermont farmers see this,
and the State will, in few years, occupy its
former pc sition as first in this line of in
dustry.
But Vermont is now, as of old, in the first
rank as producer of noble men and wom-
en- Her schools, school houses and colleges
are as good and as numerous as those of any
other state in proportion to population.
Many famous men have been trained in these
who have gone out into The rid and made
their mark in it for good. Men eminent for
evil deeds have not been raised in Vermont;
but those honorably known in the various
walks of life as good citizens, have been as
numerous here in proportion TO population
as in any other State or country. Vermont
ers are sober, industrious, thrifty people,
loving wealth, perhaps, as much as others,
but not tor its own sake, perhaps, as much
as some others.
Woodstock, as we'll as many other towns
in this State, bears witness to this trait OF
character. l was attracted o fine build
ing in process of construction, now nearly
compile ed. and inquired about it. 1t is for
a public library, is to cost 1000 and is
given to tbe town with an ample endowment
by DR. Williams, Woodstock 10y, now of
Philadelphia, who went away into the wide
world mauy years ago, poor young man,
to seek his lortune-not to wait for some
thing to turn up, but to turn up something,
and SO by diligence, good sense and good
Judgment he has won fortune, not from
others, but by an intelligent application TO
methods by which success In life is readily
assured. He is millionaire, but not Of
millions; he has sons to whom to leave his
wealth, but not all of it goes to them.
share goes to good enterprises which con-
tribute to the welfare and happiness of bis
fellow men. His fortune in no way has
been derived from the losses OF others; many
great fortunes represent those and nothing
else. His fortune is the product of his hand
and brain, honestly WOO only by them.
He comes TO this little town among the
green bills every summer to spend some
weeks IN the spot SO familiar and SO dear to
him. The old homestead remained here in
The center of the village, not occupied by
any member of The family, and he resolved
TO build monument upon its site to the
memory of his honest father and mother-a