St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-04-05

I
brought home a copy we were CEN
glish you know" and borrowed it, i. e.,
if there was path to the house of the
lender. / am sure it will bring tears
to the eye of New England to know
that all communication with Boston
was cut off. A few kilograms sent by
way of England, alone assured us that
the Club" was still controlling the
universe.
At o'clock in the morning the
street car companies sailed out gayly
to fight the storm. They were filled
with confidence. They had seen storms
before and had bearded them in their
lairs, they had struggled with the snow
king and had overcome him. So all
the kings horses and all the kings
men aud all the kings snow plows got
to work. They quickly found out that
the struggle they were engaged IN was
something very different from any they
had ever experienced before. The
presidents put forth all their energies.
They charged the enemy all along the
lines, each one employing 500 men and
100 horses. The storm laughed at
them. A ten horse team took pillow
100 feet from the stables. The horses
charged the drifts at a gallOp. As fast
as they broke a passage way the storm
closed it in behind them. The horses
could not drag the pillow any further.
Fresh teams came out and tried men
set their teeth and swore with rage
that they had never been whipped be-
fore by storm in Brooklyn and did
not propose to submit to it now.
All their efforts were vain. The
storm fought them at every step; it
poured it's countless legions of snow
flakes down upon them; it held the
| wheels of their cars it froze them and
buried them and, finally, put them to
utter rout. Horses and men had to
leave the big snow plows and fly for
their lives. On one line alone 30 cars
were abandoned in the drifts. All the
schools were closed, Lenten services
were discontinued.
Milk, coal and bread were at pre-
MUM. Many milk dealers did not
serve their routes, and the bread bak-
ers in many shops did not attempt to
reach them. AS a consequence, stale
| bread formed staple article of diet.
! The butchers had hard work to serve
their customers. Coal was quoted at
fancy prices. Vendors dragged small
carts filled with the black diamonds up
one street and down another, and in
many doorways they found anxious
men awaiting them, shiverlng, and
willing to pay almost any amount for
bushel. Blessed were the families
with full bins in their cellars. They
had good reason to rejoice. AS rule,
the grocery and other small stores
were open all over the city, but they
were deserted, only those venturing
out who were compelled to do so by
necessity.
Dakota and Minnesota sent kilograms
of much coincidence and offers of mon
ey to relieve New York. One immense
snow drift bore the sign "Keep off the
grass another "Valuable diamond in
this drift. If returned no questions
will be asked" But the storm like all
other things had it's sad and serious
side The street lights were out.
Thousands of little sparrows were
found frozen stiff. Others were still
alive, but hopping about painfully and
''tweeting" dismally. Kind hearted
people picked them up and either put
them in their pockets or carried them
into saloons and shops.
From st. Johnland, name fragrant
with the memory of DR.. Muhlenberg
but now alas suggestive of politicians
intrigues, there come sad stories of the
suffering of the paupers and insane,
who at the expiration of a week were
still cut off from the world. 1t is
greatly feared that when the snow dis
appears the list of those who have per-
ished from cold and exposure will be
found to be greatly heightened. Ply
Ini
Death did not stop reaping its sad har-
vest. 1t is estimated that in these two
cities there were at one time hundred
bodies waiting for burial.
When | took up my pen [ little
thought that before [ signed my name
to this letter, [ should know that my
beloved home was once more draped
with the emblems of sorrow, and that
all the town was mourning its success
sion of bereavements. While our
streets were full of a noisy parade, in a
room of one of our hotels, life dear to
every VermOnter, dOubly dear to every
son and daughter of st. Johnsbury,
was quietly ebbing away. Those of
us who watched and waited in the cor
ridors, caught now and then strain
of discordant music of the street, or q
word of gay conversation from those
who knew nothing of our sorrow, list
ened anxiously for tidings, only to
learn that che whom we loved was
dead" When the funeral train bore
him to his beautiful home among the
mountains, back to the town on which
he had written his name in letters of
gold and in letters of light, we follow
ed it with our deepest sympathy. The
long-delayed mails came and we learn
ed that the cup of sorrow had filed yet
again for another household there, and
that the beautiful snow lay smooth and
white over the newly made grave of q
beloved mother, the kindest of friends,
true Christian woman.
Oh, st. Johnsbury, beautiful in the
tranquility of your everlasting hills,
rich in the memory of your Guessed
dead ;" remember with devOut thank
fulness the precious legacy of these
lives. Hold fast to their worthy teach
ings until these shall be written against
each life of yours, the two words with
which L have this day closed this let
ter-The End. en-.
A Pretty Story of Emperor William.
very pretty story is told of the
late Emperor of Germany. He kept
on his writing table an old cavalry he'll