St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-07-11
Gbe Californian.
A LITTLE OUTING.

The thing to be accomplished was
to climb Mt. Lafayette. The object
was to gather specimens of the alpine
plants that grow on the bare sum-
mits of the white hills 1t is a cause
for shame that one has lived for ten
years in plain sight of these majestic
hills, yet never paid them visit.
Leaving the confines of Peacham
on the morning of June 25th by the
excellent stage road to Barnet, |
crossed the Connecticut to Monroe
Plain from which point the country
was to me terra incOgnita. All along
weeds formed a striking feature of
the landscape. A field clean of weeds
was rare DAISIES, buttercups, kale,
wild radish and evening primrose
stained the fields yellow and white,
while hard-hack and alder usurped
much ground that should be occupied
by herds-grass and red-top. 1t seem
ed to me that weeds were greater
drain upon New England than are
western mortgages.
Over Gardner mountain the road
is rough; but the backward view
from the summit is worth the climb
ing. Down its eastern slope L found
my way to Lisbon village by road
as crooked as the path of iniquity.
A good-natured young farmer fed my
horse at an expense of ten cents! At
Lisbon | had an agreeable street
chat with Drs. BOyntOn and Shat
tuck. Lisbon is a beautiful little vii
Iage tucked into the valley of the
wild AmmOnOOsuc like roll of cot
ton into an over crowded drawer.
Thence over Sugar Hill, crowned by
its numerous and palatial receptacles
for summer boarders, | found my
way to Franconia where Col. Pear
son dispenses hospitality and infOr
nation. There also had pleasant
visit with Dr. Moody, and found an
old college acquaintance in the per
son of Prof. Ernst, principal of Dow
Academy.
Starting from the Francon1a house
early on Wednesday morning, reach
ed the Profile house at 10 O'Clock,
calling at the Lafayette house on the
way to interview the genial DR..
Prime and his sister who is equally
genial and an accomplished bOtanist.
They knew all about Mt. Lafayette
and gave me all needful directions.
BY the way, they were about the on
IY people | met who did know much
about the mountain. People who
had lived all their lives in the shadow
of the mountain had never climbed it
When | left FrancOnIa the summit
of the mountain stood out clear
against the sky. Soon afterwards
mist covered its upper half and rain
appeared an Immediate probability.
| had gone there for the sole purpose
of climbing that mountain and had
no notion of backing out for rain
Downing rubber coat and rubber
boots, and filling pockets with lunch
con, began to climb. The path was
once passable for horses, but is so no
longer. Many tree trunks have fall
en- across it and the log-ladders are
badly decaved. Half way up, it be-
gan to rain, first drizzle, then sheets,
and on getting above the tree line
the wind blew a gale. Passed Eagle
lake without finding it owing to the
dense fog. | had some fears that the
fierce gusts of wind might lift me up
bodily, and wondered how it would
seem to be blown from mountain;
but once among the alpine flowers |
forgot that it rained and forgot |
the wind They were all new
to me. They grew in every Granny |
and bordered every boulder with |
white, pink, purple and yellow.
Cropping on my knees, l gathered
great handfuls of sandwort, sedges,
grasses, blueberries, and the large |
yellow buttercup-like flower called |
Peck's Geum. There were old trees |
of willow and birch not foot high. |
These all grew upon bare, steep |
slope covered with fragments of
granite of every size and shape, from
small pebbles to rocks big 5 meet
in house. This land will never be of
much account for agricultural pur
poses, but it would be a paradise for
a stone mason. | kept on until | |
found the ruins of q stone house and |
a coast survey signal staff, and there |
by knew that had reached the sum-
init.
Judging from my experience, the
prospect from Lafayette has been
much overpraised. 1t seemed to me
very limited and monotOnOus, for | |
couldn't see ten rods i'll any direction.
tarried there only a few minutes, |
and made a rapid descent. By keep
ing Il sharp lookout | found Eagle |
lake which is a large mud-hole near
the upper limit of spruces- a musk
rat lives there.
glanced at Echo lake, and then a
rapid drive over Il splendid road took |
me back to FrancOnia in season for |
supper. A terrific thundershower
that night and a wet day following
decided ME not to climb any more
and Thursday | came
home by another route, through Lit |
tlcton which was all alive for horse
trot, through peaceful Waterford
and through the rain-home. 1t is |
pleasant land we live in, and a fertile
land. The iron works at FrancOnla |
have gone to destruction and the
gold fever has subsidized somewhat; |
but the hay crop is immense. F. B.
THE HURRY OF LIFE.