Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-12-04

Wind blowing in fresh from the
ocean, comes back the memory of
he health-giving air of Island |
Pond. One who was not familiar
with the Vermont and New Hamp-
shire hills in childhood cannot un-
derstand how dear they remain to
us after we have left them. And
as l return to them each year /
grow more and more strongly at
tached to my native town. Island
Pond attracts one first by its name.
You hear it spoken and immedi-
ately vision of water, green fields
and hills surrounding them, fills the
mind. And we are not disappointed
for who, approaching it from the
South, can but feel it is rightly
named. Stopping at the Stewart
House one finds everything to pro-
mote the pleasure and comfort of
the guests. Cleanliness, which we
read is next to Goodness, is every
where apparent. A most excellent
table with every luxury to tempt
the most fastidious, gentlemanly
host, mannerly servants, rendered
my visit to Island Pond a pleasure
to be long remembered. The drives
around are beautiful, good roads in
every direction making carriage
riding one of the chief pleasures of
the town. One of the most notable
drives is to Willoughby Lake.
Everyone who comes here and neg
lects visiting this beautiful spot can
but regret their lost opportunity,
for no more beautiful sheet of
water lies in New England.
Taking the cars one morning we
babe goodby to our many kind
friends, and sorrowfully leaving Is
land Pond, came to North Stratford
where we remained the few days
left for our vacation. No. Stratford
is not a beautiful place, but it is a
wide-awake little business town and
being the junction for the still more
northern towns in New Hampshire
draws many strangers to itself. The
Connecticut River is here spanned
by fine iron railroad bridge which
was erected at great cost by the
Grand Trunk Railway Company,
At a few rods above the confluence
of the Connecticut and Nulhegan
rivers and on the latter is the Nulhe
gan Lumber Company's mills, sub
stantial firm, who are erecting new
mill and improving so far as to have
electric lights introduced. The
Connecticut River is very beautiful
here, sweeping swiftly along, green
meadows on one side, wooden slopes
on the other, it rushes along and
forms the great thoroughfare for SC
many millions of the old monarchs
of the forest that find their way tc
the great world. The view of the
mountains from the Vermont side
is very grand. Far away to the
south Mt. Washington rises-kine
of this noble range of mountains
Nearer and nearer creep the lesser
peaks until Lightning mountain lies
at our left, its white head keeping
watch over this little hamlet, and
from the north comes the Connecti
cut like silver thread to carry of
the treasures Of the mountains. The
Brunswick Mineral Spring affords q
pleasant drive. The house is admir-
ably kept and the views around are
fine. The waters are said to be
beneficial to invalids, particularly tc
those suffering from skin diseases,
but having no occasion to try them
l cannot speak from experience
Guests go there from Providence
Boston, Worcester and many other
places, for the fame of its medicinal
waters is not merely local.
To one by the ocean or in the tur,
moil and dust of the city, the mem.
DRY of these hills and mountain
rivers and ponds is lasting pleas.
ure, and we return to them again
and again, always to find in our re,
membrance the kindly faces, up
right characters and hospitable
hearts of my Northern Ne v England
friends. We hope to meet them
again.
ANNIE GAINES THATCHER.
New York, Nov. 23, 1885.
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