The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-04-14

of small stature. saw them on foot. wear
ing. peaked hats, fantastic clothing, and
with blackened faces, also in little carts
drawn by mules, both footmen and riders
would have been credit to a gorgeous cir
Gus parade. Every sweep carries bugle
and unless working In chimney often an
nounces his whereabouts with a few sweet
notes from the instrument. Were you to
clap your hands, in the streets of st. Paul,
and call "Slunky Norton" every,unemploy-
| ed chimney sweep within sound of your
voice would appear. You may wonder
where they come from, and which way they
are going, That they are individually and
collectively "Slunky Nortons" is all that
any one is permitted to know about them.
When st. Paul was young as city, there
| came to dwell within its limits two fine
| looking middle aged men, and judging
| from appearances, they had brought with
them over-burdened consciences. That this
new world was to note the expiaton of
| great ccime or sorrow, begun beyond the
sea, was soon evident. These men seem
| ingly depended upon no occupation or pro-
| fession for livelihood, met coldly the adj
vances of would-be friends, and at last were
| left to themselves. One very cold morning
| they were seen walking with hats in hand
and bare footed along frequented thorough
fare. The sight of them explained to some
| philanthropists in the vicinity the prints OF
bare feet which had often been seen in the
new fallen snow. These walks have been
| repeated at intervals for years. Mschiev-
| GUS boys have often strewn their path with
| tacks, but the men would never change
their course, would pick their way as best
they could until they reached store where
one Of them would purchase a broom and
sweeping away the little instruments of
torture, pursue their journey. One Of them
has recently died, and now sin sadness and
| alone" the other, bent with years, continues
to do the penance, and as he walks, young
America, innocent and happy, boys to whom
life means much, cry after the survivor,
| There goes crazy Joe."
Taking the boat at St. Paul one pleasant
September morning, for trip up the Missis-
sippi to visit the pride of Minnesota, Min
nehaha Falls, l found much to interest. We
had left the city but short distance in the
rear, before we saw that the level ground
along the rivers edge, on the right hand
side, was thickly covered with the queerest
little dwelling houses!
The people inhabiting them are called
Flatters" and their principal industry is
securing bits Of bark which become de-
tached from the great RATS of logs. that
are to be seen at short intervals as far up
the river as we went and floats down. None
OF 1t escapes them unless the pieces are so
minute they sift through the teeth of an
iron garden rake, the implement used in
the shore in conical lunches to dry out be-
fore being sold, or corded for winter fuel.
Usually there would be small boy or girl,
too diminutive of stature to 60 into the
water and collect it, left on guard. The
pilot of the boat told US they had no respect
for each others rights in the matter-with
them might was right. These singular peo-
pie are mostly from the " Land OF the Mid
night Sum-" with few of other national
tiles, making diversity of disposition
enough to, as the pilot said, occasionally
cause Rome to howl"
As we near the glen which we are
going to walk through to Minnehaha, our
attention is called to little hut standing
within the shadow OF majestic trees, and
commanding one of the most beautiful views
along the river. This is the home of the
Hermit of the Mississippi.
The pilot informed us that for twenty
eight years he had navigated the river, and
that the hermit looked now about the same
ways wearing a bright red flannel shirt.
The pilot thought, with us, that it could
hardly be the same shirt, but that he prob
ably began the hermit business with several
bolts Of the flannel on hand, as he always
wore the same shade of red. We saw him
in the glen and our path led 80 very near we
could without rudeness observe him. Long
years of communing with nature had left
him with world-forgetting look in his
great eyes. One of the party remarked
that at his demise, in that old hut would
perhaps be found rival description of
Minnehaha and the grand Mississippi
Pathetic sights are those persons who
have ceased to obey the Saviour's command
OF Loving one another - ana OF assem- bling
themselves with their fellow creatures.
Why a wise Providence allows the souls
of many to be dealt such whitening blows
that even death to them will mean little but
the taking up of the life " beyond the river"
the laying down of it here, no one knows.
No doubt when the great American Novel
which the world is now impatiently await
ing dawns upon us, it will be written from
notes found in some lonely hut or cavern.
Or perhaps taken from the tattered gar
ments on some poor old tramp. That class
of people must have thrilling histories
At the time / saw Minnehaha Falls the
stream which fed it was very low, conse-
quently the sheet Of water flowing over the
shelving, delicately tinted rocks was so thin
it seemed like a veil of lghtest texture
through which you could see that back of
the fall OF water pedestrians might walk
without damping the soles of their shoes,
though there were placards prohibiting such
venture. Usually water falling so great
distance wearies one, il long listened to,
but Minnehaha does not. Parties who were
attempting to sketch the falls that day
made little progress Beguiled by sweet
sounds the hand "forgot its cunning"
and they carried away more grand mem
cries in their souls than sketches on their
canvas. Really all whose eyes have beheld
must concede that among the strangely
beautiful resting places our Heavenly
Father has spoken into being for his chill
dren, Minnehaha will forever be remem-
bered. MRS. G. M. GILLETTE.