The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1889-08-22
GOING WEST IN YE oLDEN TIME.

Extract From "Chandler's Address," Run
ming as a Serial in "Notes by the Path of
the Gazetteer" and Delivered at the + irst
Meeting of the Sons of Vermont.
Everything being in readiness for the
journey, my trunk packed, few need
les, some skeins of thread, a few buttone,
and general assortment of medicines
being very carefully slowed away there
in, took leave Of my anxious parents.
brothers and sisters, as well as of sundry
other bereaved friends and afflicted rela-
tiyes, very early one September morning,
my heart swelling to an enormous size
as | uttered the final "good-by." A
neighbours boy Of my own age, and from
infancy, almost my most intimate friend,
accompanied me to Woodstock to take
back to Randolph, my ia hers horse and
buggy.
At Woodstock, was to take the stage
for Troy, New York, After the horse
had been properly rested and refreshed,
my escort bade me good.by, and as |
watched my fathers buggy receding in
cloud of dust from Whitney's tavern
Il had never heard the word hoteD
would have recalled it and taken passage
homeward could l have done 80, for
was tweniy-three miles from home-and
all alone-which two words appeared tC
weigh about four tons, as uttered them
several times to myself before the stage
started. Finally the six-horse Concord
coach came up briskIy to the front ol
the tavern, and as soon as | had become
thoroughly satisfied that my trunk
would most positively be put aboard
without any sort of failure, l climbed tc
the highest seat on the coach, back Of
the drivers seat, where under the ex-
cltement of high speed and jovial com
paDy, l soon lost my heaviness of hear
in good degree, A stage ride over thu
Green Mountains from Woodstock tC
Rutland on that perfect September day
was some compensation, surely, for al
the pleasant things ! had left behind me
/ tarried at Rutland during the night
and early the next morning, on simila
coach, we proceeded through Castleton
VT; Granville and Salem, N. Y, TOWARD
"Out West" changing horses every doz
en- miles or so, and the great world
continually expanding before me.
In going through Lansingburgh, l wa
amazed at its greatness, considering hov
little had ever heard Of it but wheI
the wheels struck the pavement in Troy
the first city had ever seen, was giddy
and farther from home than ever ex
pected to be and am sure that, al
though have since seen both oceans
and goodly portion of tie country ly
ing between them, have never beel
half so far from home as felt at tha
very moment. If you have never exper
fenced the feeling it would be useless TO
me to attempt to describe it, and If yo'
have, then there is certainly no occasion
for description. That "all overshnes
feeling" is precisely one of those thing
that cannot be accurately photographed
1t is well for us all, perhaps, that it ha
never struck either one of us in fu
force, more than once. Possibly some O
you may remember about where an
when it hit you the hardest.
At high rate Of speed, we ratified owe
what to me seemed thronged streets. ur
til, in front of the "Troy House" the siG
in-hand stopped short. There being n
tall post with a swinging sign in front {
the stately brick block, had not the re
motest idea that the Troy House" wa
tavern, or a place where had an
right to stop.
Some of the passengers alighted, an
portion Of the baggage was put o.
upon the sidewalk. Why this was thu
| had not the slightest comprehension
for knew was going to stop at 'the ta'
ern," and / had so informed the drive
who had assured me that he would tax
/ me right to the tavern. So long as
: portion of the passengers kept thel
places in the coach was comparativel
free from anxiety, presuming that the
too were going to stop at the tavern, an
and that the next move would, probably
be in that direction.
The driver remounted the coach an
with a grand six-horse flourish b
"brought up" in front Of the "Mansio
House," where every passenger excel
myself "stepped down and out" while
remained motionless, and from my elt
waited, outside position, l looked dow
= upon my own trunk standing on end G
the sidewalk. l was in quandar.
!, when the driver called out, rather grufl.
!; = as thought young man are yC
going to get off here p TO which r
Piled, Il don't know, SIR" swell, " sal
= he, "find out mighty quick, for am g
ing to drive to the stable" didn't sta
up there much longer. tlmidly mao
my way to the door through which ! hs
seen my fellow passengers enter, ar
| stood there taking observations, an
keeping sharp lookout for my trun
| saw a man (whose name l afterwar'
!. learned was Porter, and wondered VIII
9 in addressing him, every one appeart
to leave off the "Mr,") carry it into Il
house and place it with other trunks
room which 1 subsequently heal
e called 1.-The Office" noticed that n
~ fellow-passenge were all huddled l.
n gether about a counter at one corner
this same office, and that they left ol
by one, escorted by boy with key
his hand, but this flank movement W
A' utterly incomprehensible to me, fol
- had no more idea, up to that time, th
the place was tavern than that it W
a lunatic asylum. stood well back
I the room, looked as wise as knew he
= to look, and waited for development
re- re- After all the passengers had disappear
%. from the counter, the handsome al
well-dressed gentleman who stood
8. hind it came ou. from his place and O
On on preaching me, very blandiy said, "a