St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-11-02
written for the cALspoNlAN.).

Here have stood, three centuries or
mores bead and shoulders above all my
neighbors. Some Of them were most az
large as myself, but they have all disap-
peared. i'N iArlsQq ggssiA u 0nh
In my early recollections saw moth
ing but wild beasts and birds. such as
bears, wolves, panthers, deer and many
smaller animals. One day saw one
larger than any that had ever seen.
For while | could not make out what
it was. 1t had broad horns and l con-
cluded it must be a moose. Then would
hear the screaming of wild birds. The
loon, wild geese and pigeon would fly
over my head, far out OF sight, but they
are not very plenty now.
Next ] saw (orI stood on high hill,
and being very tall I could see over a
large territory Indians clothed in fur,
with their bows and arrows. l could
see the smoke Of their camping ground
curling up through the forest.
But they did not stop long for they
wanted lower fields. broader meadows,
larger streams to fish and hunt in. So
they went south into the Conr ecticut
valley. Then the white men came.
They cut down my big neighbors, and
built them houses to live in. Most oil
the rest of the forest they cut down to
clear the land and burn to make potash,
which they sold for groceries, and fear
too for whiskey, by their appearance.
Then they came and tapped my noble
neighbors, ami drew their life blood out
OF them to make sugar to sweeten them
selves with. was unmolested (being a
pine) for there was no sweet within me
/ was left to grow.
More white people came and cleared
the land, sowed the fields with grain
built roads, bridges, and as said before
stood on all eminence where / could see
all that was going on. The people who
came here were not religiously inclined
The Sabbath was spent in horse racing
drinking and gambling. There was nc
place of worship. But after a while
better people came.
witnessed the first gathering OF 9
female prayer meeting ever held in St
Johnsbury. One good woman, the wife
OF Mr.. Lawrence who lived near Pine
hurst, was very much distressed by tn,
state of affairs she saw. She felt Their,
was no help only in God by prayer. Sh,
had one friend of the same mind. ST
one day she saddled her horse flor they
rode on horseback altogether in thos,
days. and took her Bible with her, rod,
across the "Plain" up through Paddock
where the Mays now reside, to Mrs. Bis
sells. There they read the Bible ant
prayed together. This was the turning
point. The people began to grow better
and wiser. and more serious minded
They provided place to hold religious
services in, and soon a church was or
gained and good number joined. On
| Judge became a member. very shrewd
cunning man. He did not always wall
orderly, so he was called to an accoun
for his conduct flor church member
were dealt with in those days.. The,
thought he ought to make some COMES
sion. He willingly complied, and wrot
his confession. 1t was read before tn
church, but not accepted; he was no
penitent enough. "Well," said the Judge
write what / ought to say and will
| sign my name to it."
Now can see dozen churches, ant
the people are church going people
There are fine residences also. l hea
the whistles in front and back OF me
and can see the long trains of cars hour
ly running. have waited long to Sc
the "Seventy Club" ride by on the cleo
trio cars but fear shall die without tn
sight. hear the gong down to tn
right of me calling hundreds of work
men together to manufacture that won
derful scale, recognized the wide worl'
over as the Fairbanks scale. l hav
been a landmark for four different own
ers. l would say to them. thus far shall
thou come and no farther. afs
Now l am old. One day l received al
electric shock which gave me my dealt
blow. l am only waiting now for tn
north winds blast to lay me low to tn
ground the way Of all the earth, to b
remembered no more forever.
| MRS. CLARIsSA B. STONE.
| Ct Johnshurv. Oct. % 1898.