News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1893-08-17

Off on the northern base of the "Nose"
is miniature gem called "Lake of
the Clouds
The ''Chin'' is the highest point, by
80 feet. The view from this point
battles description, and can only be
family outlined. Far off to the
northeast rise the twin peaks of
Stratford; while the giant forms of
the Presidential range of the White
Mountains are distinctly seen, with
Kearsage and Ascutney rising as
shadowy phantoms against the dis
tant haze of the southern horizon.
The eastern foreground is an infinite
ly varied picture Of hill and valley,
forest and meadow, with a rare
glimpse of a river among the trees,
the russell green of the pastures, re-
lieved by the rich green fields of wav-
ing corn and grain.
In contrast with this scene of rural
beauty is the southern outlook across
the rugged forms and purple peaks
of the range, Camel's Hump towering
above the others.
This lofty rock shelf is an ideal
lookout. Turn on your heel and
there is spread out before you the
fertile and level land of western YER
mont, the agricultural garden of the
state, bordered by the silver waters
of Champlain, with the blue Adiron-
dacks in the distant background.
The outlook embraces nearly a hun
dred miles east and west in each
direction, the distant hills of Mon
treal, and in a clear day the shining
spires of the city. Within this sweep
of vision, from the White Mountains
to the lake, with it's rural and urban
homes, is embraced that land, where
is realized more fully than anywhere
else on this green earth, the ideal of
an independent, prosperous, selfgov-
erned community.
:" Here manhood struggles for the sake
Of mother, sister, daughter, wife,
The graces and the loves which make
The music of the march of life,
And woman in her daily round
OF duty, walks on holy ground"
1t is a historic ground.
Two hundred years ago these
mountain walls rolled back the echo
ing war-whoop; these smiling valleys
were the war trails of contending
tribes. Among these hills and val
leys were the homes of that race of
men of heroic stature and mould, who
| founded the first American common
wealth, based on equal rights and
manhood suffrage, and for fourteen
years maintained it against the
world.
Beyond is the historic lake, crossed
by Allen and his 80 men when they
declared American independence, a
year in advance of Congress.
Beyond those clustering peaks are
| the historic fields of Hubbardton and
Bennington, where the hosts of Bur-
goyne were first checked,
Just below us is the rallying ground
where the militia gathered to the
victorious defense of Plattsburg, and
yonder is the river where they were
ferried across at nightfall, in the log
canoes. Fifty years later from these
homes were gathered the men, who,
facing southwark, covered the re-
treat of the broken columns at the
Chickahominy swamp; the men who
wept over the work at Marquis
Heights; who met the shock of
Pickett's on-rolling waves at Gettys-
burgh; and whose battle-fags were
all returned in triumph to their CAPT
! tai.
There is probably no other spot in
New England where the eye can be-
hold SO much of beauty and variety
in nature, as from the top of Mount
Mansfield. Other routes are being
projected, but the Stowe route is now
the only carriage road to the top.
j. ii. W.