Morning journal and courier., 1892-09-15
Sunday at Lake Champlain.

To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER.
preaching to day over at Camp Wat
son" announced our host of Camp Martin,
coming into the breakfast room, where we
still fingered at the table; 81 think can
manage to take You all over if you want
to CO." he added. "Some of You can go
by boat and the others can ride in the
wagon"
Of course we all preferred to 60 in the
boat. We had been over the road once in
a wagon, and heaven defend us from tax
ing such journey again.
In the first place the country through
which we passed was not very inspiriting.
The land was rocky and unproductive,
and the houses had most forlorn look, as
if they, too, were discouraged. They were
brown and weather beaten, and their
small, blindless windows stared at us in
the most melancholy fashion. Some of
them, although comparatively new, were
guiltless of paint or putty, and were plen-
tifully decorated with rusty nail
We passed fields of wheat where Canada
thistles grew in riotous profusion, which
brought to mind the wheat and tares of
scripture, and we wondered how they
would manage to save the grain in the ap-
preaching harvest time. OF one thing
am convinced. Those fsrmers-as well as
their neighbors-win have abundant this
tie crops another year.
The roads were execrable; first one
wheel would plunge down into deep rut,
then right itself in time for a wheel op-
posite to perform the same revolution.
Then we would ride at an angle of forty
Eve degrees over sliding rock in the
ed "thank you ma'm's;" then down q hill
q mile long, at the summit of which is
Lovers Lane" a narrow bit of road
hemmed in by thicket of fat cedar trees,
whose branches met and whispered above
our heads, so that even in midday sort
of twilight prevailed.
Oh, no! we did not care to go to Camp
Watson again in the wagon. But by boat
-ahi that was different. 1t was such a
unique way of going to church, and there
1S euCu D cQaIm IN novelty.
Just think of It'll ye dwellers in crowded
cities, who, sweltering with the tropical
heat, debate on the sdvisableness of stay
ing home from church in the vain hope Of
finding cool spot, but finding none.
Sailing on Lake Chsmplain, gliding over
its trackless blue, the drowsy murmur of
its waters against our boat and the soft
summer canopy over our heads; a grand
panorama of ever-changing mountain,
lake and sky spread out before US. With
one accord we are silent. We are in ma
ture's great cathedral, made vocal by its
unseen, countless choirs of feathered
songsters, and involuntarily our hearts re-
spond in praise and alteration to the great
author of all this wondrous beauty.
At our left rises Grand Isle, green and
fertile, with its peaceful white farm houses
in the midst of pleasant and well cultiva-
ted fields. From the village of South
Hero, at its southern extremity, we hear,
If the wind is favorable, the sound Of the
church bell family across the water, toll
ing the hour of service.
Directly opposite Us sre the "Cow
Banks" precipitous cliff rising from the
lake to a distance of fifty feet or more.
The legend runs that once upon q time a
luckless COW, of an investigating turn of
mind, incautiously wandered off the steep
embankment aud lost her life, as the re-
suit of her uncomfortable curiosity
warning to all curiously inclined. Hence
the name.
We pass Cedar Island and little fur
ther on Fish Bladder Island-so called
from q fancied resemblance to that pisca-
torial organ-beautiful with their wealth
of verdure, veritable emeralds gemming
the bosom of the waters.
At our right the coast is rugged and
heavily wooded to the waters edge.
About a mile and we pass "the brook" q
miniature waterfall dashing down the
bank as If In haste to lose itself In the
lake below. This, our host informs us, is
the northern boundary of his farm, which
is t'hat-iron in shape, running a mile in
three directions"
Still further and we reach Eagle noun
tain, If that is not too ambitious q name
| for 30 modest an elevation. From time
| immemorisl eagles have chosen this noun
tain on which to build their nests. As we
| look we discover on Q dead tree on the
summit an eagle perched as If summing
himself. So motionless is he that our
host, resting on his oars, remarks, THAT'S
q pretty good mark" But it is Sunday in
puritan New England, and he soberly
takes up his oars and resumes his rowing.
When nearly opposite Savage Island We