Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-08

shade of trees and hills near to the road,
and seems to be double house. 1t is on
the old homestead; Mr.. Cooks mother
now lives in one of the parts. We came
now to another of the Cook mansions,
where William Cook "A second cousin of the
Rev. Joseph Cook, lives. 1t was large
brick house with front piazza; somewhat
antiquated, but substantial looking, and
standing upon good farm. The Cooks
seem to be the Mugwumps of this neigh
borhood.
stopped at MI. VIM. Cooks. TO my pull
at the door-bell a young woman appeared
The glance | got of the inside of the
house showed it to be furnished with lux
ury. Mr.. Cook came to the door and
took a seat on the piazza. He was a heavy
man of medium height; had the appear
ance of good Methodist, and was GER
tainly good snuff taker, for he held his
snuff box in his hand through this and
all subsequent interviews, and seemed to
make it a principle to offer it to all guests.
ItluStO tnt DlOI-
fer of snuff and information came very
slow; ! refused the second, and it ceased
altogether. We left the deacon on the
stoop; there were trees in front of
the house whose shadows made the
road both dark and damp. A trife
further on heavy maple famed in the
richest vermlion. There was wood
at the side, mountain and between, sud
denly, like the Hastings of dream,
came the blue waters of Lake George.
1t was the first view of the lake, but
now for the most time through woods, we
kept along it several miles to Hague.
These woods were to us Il little peculiar
Great hanging vines Grapes grew over
them and gave them a southern
look. We passed summer board
ing house, then another, and
came to the little village of Hague
where we stopped at a three-story but
not very large wooden hotel that stands
little way from. but in full view of, the
lake, and whose landlord we found puZ-
cling over the problem, what had become
of the profits, his house having been full
all summer. This is very familiar puz-
zle to summer hotel keepers, and one
that many of them have been obliged
to give up.
In the morning we had some conversa-
ton upon the stoop of the hotel with
some of the denizens of this Lake George
hamlet; got no information on Ethan's
dam, but some references. Joel Rising who
kept this hotel in Hague, several years
since, now keeps hotel at Chester, about
twenty miles west. Rufus Rising lives
where his father Rufus used to live, on
the hills in Hague, perhaps three miles
from the village. We were advised to
see Sam Alderman, living on the same
road.
In the morning before breakfast we
walked up to the town clerks office. We
found him man of marked. handsome
features, intelligent, and very willing to
assist us, but as there were no records of
births, marriages or deaths, and records
of town meetings that did not go back of
1927 we could not learn much.
The breakfast over, we pulled out for
Rufus Rising's. Just outside of the vii
lage we were told there was one of the
Densmore girls, now Mrs. Hiram Rand.
We stopped at her house. She thought
she had an uncle Gcrshom, but knew
very little about it, and knew very little
about the family.
Then came an uphill ride in this unique
country. There was the usual brook
that pertains to a billy region; the road
winding along, or near it, then crossing
and leaving it to go over the hill. Far
up on the hill was Mr.. Sam Ackerman's.
He was not at home; had gone to IT,, so
in continuing we descended the hill,
crossed the stream, passed school
house, and, by a winding way, came to
Mr. Rufus Rising's, an active man of 60
like all of his family, quite thrifty, and a
man very careful and accurate in his
statements. He said:
III b1 Continual I