St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-09-04
The Land of Salem.

New London or Norwich a really
unique, sleepy, old-fashioned town
can be found A place where those
who lived a hundred years ago still
walk about in the persons of theil
children ? Where life is ''worth liv-
ing" because brain and muscle are used
deliberately and are not overtaxed and
wasted, as in more enterprising (P)
places Yes, surely Salem, Conn, is
just such a resting spot the sweeteI
because so rarely found.
We left st. Johnsbury in the morn
ing and after long, tediou-, dusty rid
ing in the cars-which jumped here
and there over the meadows like huge,
iron grasshoppers reached Palmer,
where by freely using soap and water,
the smoke, soil and cinders soon disap
peared while thus engaged we could
but think of what the old Storm King
did to-day! We heard him muttering
in broken language long before we saw
him, but soon he turned on the water
from the clouds, and 10 ! old mother
earth face was washed as clean as Il
little child's, while the trees struck
wildly with their dripping fingers,
struggling, us children do, to escape
the bath. Speaking of the little ones,
who does not enjoy nature more, be-
cause she is so good motherP How
tenderly she bears and rears her many
children Here Il flower there IA TUT
of tasscled corn yOnder Il waving
| elm; through one she sings and by the
other feeds the body and uplifts the
soul of man. Not only her tears, but
her smiles fall on the upturned faces of
the flowers. How the rays of sunshine
warm her children's tiny cheeks and
little fingers, so chilled for the past
few days by run away breeze from
the north. See how busy she is both
with the tall forest trees whose
branches covered with moss wave like
gray haired tresses i'll the wind, and
also with the tiniest blade of grass for
which she has pushed aside earth's
mouldy coverlid, that this new born
child of hers may early learn the les
son nature always teaches, of looking
up toward the great, blue, watchfuI
eye above.
About nine o'clock we reached Nor
| wich, where team was waiting tC
carry us to our host, ten miles away
Instead of the tiresOme clack-ity- -clacb
of car wheels we heard the katydid
and cricket singing their evening song
of praise. After ten hours of breath
ing of car-air, natures breath tastes
very sweet. Sunlight is good for grow
ing, but for rest and riding, who
would not choose the moonlight I? We
hear Il great deal these days abOu
"moonshine " perhaps the change
from car to carriage and from public
to private surroundings produced
something of this nature upon th'
young man who accompanied tn,
writer However, the practical com
ment of our farmer Jehu, "You, no
no one else, can live on love, 'caus
'taint very good stuffin'," very sool
dispelled such talk or ideas and w
succumbed and meekly held our peac
= about five minutes. BLESSINGS OIL
the man who invented" not merel,
"sleep," but il good bed which induce
slumber! The last sound we heard a
) we dropped asleep was n "whip poor
will' crying across the way in pate
of woods, and awaking the next morn
ing, we heard quail cheerily whist
= ling, "more wet! more wet" He wa
soon reinforced by IA yellow-hammel
who called the long roll for breakfas
y to which we gladly responded. In til
n later hours of the day we strolled ou
to the old barn, now fragant with hay
We pity those who have never know
the exquisite delight of an hour of pei
t. feet rest on the fresh hay NOW Over
5 head the swallows fly back and fortl
: twittering meanwhile, or sit in nOis
groups gossiping increasingly; grass
hoppers sing their shrill, piping songs
crickets run near to you and stop an
take il good look, meanwhile scratch
ing their heads with puzzled air, the
suddenly skip away even spider
spinning their silken bridges, are il
teresting; in fact, one is II child agai
and owns all living things rs friend
= How scenes change and familiar OF
iects seem to shrink rs we grow ol'
are now but simple stones mountain
are only hills after all, and wonderfl
lakes but little ponds. All, well for l
that He who said, ~ change not" wi
is ''the same yesterday, to-day and 70
T. ever" has planned that His childre
shall grow, like the shrub of bOyhoC
days, into the sturdy tree which bea
golden fruit changed from glory in
glory; growing up into Him in a
thin ~
Goldsmith might have lived ne;
this sleepy town and naturally ha
written his "Deserted Village
and yet here i'll these homes-fro
which so many have gone out into ci
life-here where all is quiet, quai
and resttul, God is fitting souls W
shall teach our great, rushing, surgi
world many needed lessons. Mos,
forty years on the desert sands Eli
and John, each solitary and alone,
I, H., ,,I l;rIs. opI a,-a,, +Ia Co.,