St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-02-08

REV. T. P. FROST'S ADDRESS
At the ANIMAL Reunion of the Sons of
Vermont at Brooklyn.


who was called from the pastorate
of Grace Methodist church in St.
Johnsbury to the Summerfield Meth
odist church of Brooklyn, came all
the way from Baltimore on June II
to deliver the following address:
When it was intimated to me that
might have the honor of speaking
few words at this gathering CON
corning The Ladies" in general and
the women OF Vermont in particular
/ began to search such Vermont
literature as happened to be ava1la-
BILE after some material for a speech.
The first volume consulted was the
valuable book by Mr.. John L. Hea-
ton, which SO delightfully."- tells the
story OF the state | traversed the
index with great care and great ex-
pectat1OnS. L found there mention
OF the horses, the oxen, the wild an
1mals OF Vermont, but not one word
about the women of the state. With
waning expectations and tagging
hopes ! traVerSed that index the sec
opd time and was rewarded by read
ing Bread Riots, page 100" l re-
Hected; since the women OF Vermont
have baked most of the bread, these
rIOtS must have been in some way
connected with them. But upon re-
ferrlng to the page 1t appeared that
the bread riots were ali in New York
city. No Vermonter ever had occa-
sion to riot over his bread. Indeed
the man who ats the bread made bv
the fair cooks of that region has so
Peaceable, digestion that he will not
be likely to riot about anything. II
MUST be confessed, however, that
after a few years subsistence upon
such "angel food" it is difficult for
man to fall into the clutches Of
Brooklyn cooks and servant girls !
and continue TO be a consistent
member OF the church. Again
turned to that index and read the
topic, Beech Seals"-Beech Seals! |
Certain limitations OF mortality |
and its pains from the recollections
of early childhood led to the sup
position that under this head the
exploits of women would certainly
be recounted. But, alas, the page
indicated presented nothing more
important than an account of the
chastisement of New York justices
and other officials by Green Noun
tain boys. Now, unquestionably
there is an opportunity for some
writer to win terrestrial immortal |
ity by supplying "a long felt want"
History used to be little more than
the story OF a few persons possessed |
either OF great parts or great pedi- |
gree. Now it is understood that the
people have something to do in max
ing history, and it is being written
from new point of view. We shall
soon take another step in the right
direction and write history with the
idea that women are One-half of the
people, do One-half the work of
the world and inspire three-fOurths
of the other half OF the work. A few
men may work for country or fame,
but the average man works for some
woman at least three-tOurthS of the
time, or, in other words, in three
fOurths OF his work he is seeking the
love, happiness and well being of
some woman. We never tire OF re-
counting the deeds of the Green
Mountain BOYS. 1t is true that they
were hardy pioneers. sturdy pa
triots, brave soldiers; but what
made it worth their effort to clear
away forests, dig stumps, pile rocks,
shoot Hessians and duck meddle-
some gentlemen from New York
What made life worth the living in
those inhospitable regions? Why,
the same thing which makes this
dinner immeasurably superior to any
dinner of the New England Society
of Brooklyn, namely the presence of
Green Mountain girls. And again,
we must not forget that the women
of Vermont have done what Bur
goyne could not do at Bennington
or Saratoga, what Provost and
Downie could not do at Plattsburg,
and what Lee could not do at Get
tysburg, they have repeatedly
whipped the Green Mountain bows.
And the superiority of these fair CON
querors is evidenced by the kind of
weapon with which they did it We
have heard OF palms OF victory.
Every Vermont mother has that
kind OF palm and knows how to ap-
ply it to the person of the Green
Mountain boy. There is no CUES
ton but that WOman's hand is the
destiny that shapes our ends in more
ways than one. Now having SAID
TINS IL WOulO Ill become us TO say
nothing OF other Offices fulfilled by
woman's hand. Where once it is
raised tor punishment ii is extended
ten thousand times for ministry.
The hand OF the old farmers wife,
mother OF the boys now gone to the
city, is not much bejeweled, nor very
soft or very white. 1t is wrinkled
and callous. But it has a history
that the brightest of heavens minis
tering spirits might covet. That
hand for forty years in that home
has been feeding the hungry, giving