Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-09-12
n, oxv landed where the falls

Waving their leaIy DraHCueo V CT
restful solitude.
On yonder hill there grew
A group of forest trees;
One stands with plumed head in air,
And dallies with the breeze
The wind bowed low its head,
The hurricane blew wild,
But it's strong arms withstood the blast,
And nature sweetly smiled.
How grand in her wild array
When footsteps pressed her sod,
The birds they sang their joyful strain
The ferns looked up to God.
To-day we dedicate
This sacred place to Thee,
And crown it with immortal love,
And hallowed memories.
Judge Austin made the presenta-
ton to the society in the following re-
marks, in substance.
Mr.. President, To me has been as
signed the pleasant duty Of present
ing to the Orleans County Historical
Society, the simple and rustic memo
rial stone, which will soon be uncov-
cred by the grandson of one OF the
pioneers of this village.
We wish to pass the title to the So
ciety you represent, that our pleasant
memorials of this day may ever be
associated with your work, and your
visit among us.
Here where the Indian rowers rest
ed. as they came from their more
northern hunting and fishing grounds,
to seek the laughing waters above,
we have placed our memorial stone,
possibly our "Ebenezer' stone, to re-
mind ourselves and our children and
all who pass this way, that our home
is where nature indicated to her own
children the natural stopping places,
and we have also followed her d1rec-
tons.
Our Landing has been by many
associated with landing of smugglers,
or the later landing of suckers, for the
delectation of our neighbors' tables:
The excellent address of Mr.. Carpen-
ter. to which we have just listened,
has clearly established our right to
the name on higher grounds, and we
are grateful for it all. We shall take
more pride in our village, our chosen
| home; we will remember that they
who first came hither had to row up
stream, they did not drift hlther.
There is fitness therefore in the motto
| of our high School, Grow not Drift. :"
And if we have any right to this
pleasant valley, at the junction Of the
rushing Willoughby with the steadier
going Barton, it must be because we
are willing when need be, to pull up
stream. We are bound to do good
work. OF in all fairness TO give back
to the fishes these streams, and to the
wild beast and the Indians these
meadows and hillsides.
Accept our rustic memorial, with
our most cordial good wishes for all
the good work of this Society, in pre-
serving the history of our early set
tiers, and encouraging love for our
good county.
The president responded as follows:
.Jxdoe dustin and Frierds,-In be-
half of the society represent L CRATE
fully accept this gift. 1t is pleasant
task we have to do oday. In his
torical sense we may truly say, "A
duty has been performed" This land
inc place of the Indian and pioneer,
SO long neglected, has at last rece1v-
ed fitting memorial. This granite
bowlder, taken from your own native
hills, has written upon it as with the
point of a diamond, engraven in the
rock forever, a fact of history of great
import to the people of this beautiful
and thriving village.
And none too soon has this beer
done. I have an impression that this
historic spot as locality was fading
from the minds Of men. Fifty years
ago as I roamed over these hills ano
through these valleys from my dear
native Bloomington, the reason fol
the peculiar name of this village was
often talked about. Then there was
no meeting place here except the ole
school house, primitive enough, stand
inc near what is now one of the rail
road sheds; and this place as towr
was not much to speak of. But as i
increased it's business and multiplied
it's stores and factories the old land
marks were being forgotten. The OBJ
iect of this meeting will be accom-
plished if the knowledge of this his
toric spot shall be restored to the
thoughts of the men of this communi
ty.
We therefore dedicate this land
mark by this enduring memorial; ant
when future generations as they pass
and repass this spot shall ask, ''wha
means this stone?, What we do here