Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-01-23

leaving the houses which now stand va
cant and falling to decay and the lands
which are growing up to forest again.
1t was poor craftsmanship which did it,
not poverty of the soil. The inhabitants
were simply scared out of their homes by
a wild animal or two, which they were
unable to kill. Tradition has it that at
tempts were made by the farmers to shoot
them, but that after several trials, result
ing in the loss of valuable livestock that
was hit by mistake instead of the bears,
it was thought best to desist and leave
the brutes in possession. But the people
were ashamed to let the world into the
secret of their actions, and thus it has
come about that the explanation gwen
by the eX-commissioner has been accept
ed without question. His desire to settle
from his knowledge of the facility with
which these people get around on their
snow shoes, or skis; the animals, he rea-
soned, would not be likely to prove
troublesome except in the winter, and
then the mild-mannered Scandanavians
could buckle on the skis and quickly slide
down into civilization and safety. For
he was not presumptuous enouGi to
assume that they would be better marks
men than their predecessors. He knew
better than that, for he had observed the
effects of the climate or the surroundings
too closely to suppose for moment that
the best of shooters could shoot there.
In that opinion he was confirmed by OBJ
servations at the State encampment
of the militia, last fall 1t will be le-
menbered that on that occasion the inc W
32 ri1ed cannon which had been issued
to the Fuller battery of Brattleboro were
taken out and shot at mark, and that
among those who aimed and fired one of
them was a no less distinguished military
man than the head of the war depart
ment, Secretary Proctor, who, the press
report stated, succeeded OILY in hitting
the lower left-hand corner of the target.
Now it is generally known that Mr.. Proc
tor almost invariably hits what he aims
for, and his failure at this time could be
accounted for in but two ways either the
precautions which he had taken to guard
his system from the effects of the weather
(for it was cold and rainy had disturbed
hi nerves, or the gun failed to work pro-
perly. The former was hardly supposale
and the gun was of the latest and mos
approved pattern. The guns pcIfor
nance must consequently be due to it:
this, the eX-commisioner could not hclI
but feel that craftsmanship was anC
ever would be an unknown art in the
lower section of Vermont. His faith in the
agility of the Swedes remained to com
fort him, however; and, in view of the
disappointment he must experience in moi
being able to find out how the scheme
would work, it is to be regretted that the
legislature cut off his official head. Were
it not for the lamentable lacl
of ability to hit anything thai
prevails there, and of which the
BrattlebOro girls exploit is but fresf
demonstration, the people of these two
counties would he content to let the
farms grow up to woods in which game
should abound, thus providing sport fo
the inhabitants of surrounding territory
and attractions for the summer visitor
But game has no charms for men who
can't shoot, and hence the State has wit
messed the inglorious experiment of re
peopling these lands with imported stock
What may be the connection between
this want of capacity to aim on the part
of the people down there and the don't
get-there character of their politicians il
not altogether clear; but that the two
things are not remotely related is quit,
certain.
NOTE AND COMMENT