St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1904-11-23


searches, as repeated and exhaustive as
those which German professor under
takes in his most thorough inquiries.
The chapters on Nantucket are perhaps
the best single instance of this combina-
ton, of the observer and the analytic
generalizer, in single person. Precisely
what took st. John to that barren sand
bank in the open ocean is unknown but
finding himself there he seems to have
said: Here is new problem in Ameri-
can life. The unlimited freedom of
opportunity, the surprising kindness Ct
Nature are here wanting. 1 can account
for the speedy Transformation of the
peasant, from the PaIatinate or the Heb
rides, into the selfdirecting, selfrespect-
ing Pennsylvania farmer; but what
brought these Quakers to this narrow
and desert habitation, and built up for
them dense community of wealth and
equality? Let me look into this"
And he did so, Reasoning that a
small example, well sittsd and tested, is
better than cursory glance at the
whole wide field of American colonial
ton. he sought as he says, for some
small, unnoticed corner, and found it IN
Nantucket.
In one of his letters to Gov Bowdoin,
written just before st. John sailed for the
last time to America, (Feb. 8, 1879 he
mentions an infant invention that has
since had great results in the manufac-
ture of Vermont wood-paper. He says,
lin English, "Give me leave to send you
a small book printed on a new invented
paper, made with the bark of the Til1eul.
a specie of the linden tree; at the end OF
which you will find also several speci-
mems of other apers made with variety
of roots, plants and barks, and three
sheets with wooden rags. The inventor
is but just beginning these useful expert
ments, and hopes to find out the art OF
converting into paper every specie
of vegetable. and whitening his work
with vitriolic acid. / wish these samples
may urge your paper makers at Milton
to make some trials, which, in country
where rags are so scarce, cannot but be
important, either for pasteboard. sheath
of vessels, wrapping of sugar. ETC."
This is one example, out of many, OF
the steady interest St. John took in the
progress of invention. He was early
convinced of the feasibility of steam navi-
cation, and wrote up the first efforts OF
that kind, on the Potomac and the Della
ware rivers. Indeed, like Franklin and
Jefferson, his mind seems ever to have
been occupied with thoughts for the ad-
vancement of science, the arts and the
good Of mankind. Upon this philanthropy
ic state of mind the French Revolution,
and its ensuing and long contin uing
wars, came like destructive catacly SIN.
Its after effects were surprisingly good,
but its first shock was appalling to men
of heart and practical sense like St. Johu.
He favored the abrogation of privilege,
but abhorred the excuses OF the Jacobins,
by which many of his friends suffered
death, Punishment, CT loss of fortune.
Protected by his own prudence and the
abilities of his son-in law, Otto, St. John
survived the whole affair; and lived al
most to see the downfall of Napoleon,
under whom his son, son-1n-law, and
grand daughter had taken service. Otto
was sent to Munich by Napoleon in
1902, and his tather-in-law joined him
there in 1906. Tor three years. This brought
him into relations with the artists, men
of science and philosophers of BAVARIA
a small kingdom, then growing in fame,
and which had profted much by the gen.
Jus and industry of Massachusetts, man,
Benjamin Thompson. Count Rumford.
Although Rumford had left Munich
long before St. John resided there, he
was living, and in Paris, where he had
m arried the termagent widow of Lavoi-
sier, the Frenchschemist. In Septern Der
1909, after his return to France, where
he died in 1913. St. John wrote to his
sons widow. some gossip of Paris con-
corning the ill-assorted pair, The Bava-
rian envoy had dined with the Otto fam
lily the Sunday before, and St John. writes:
"Somehow Or other, in a rambling con-
versation, mention was made of the
quarrel, what am I saying? the open
war of M. Rumford with Nine. Lavoi-
sier, his spouse,-a war that has long
been the inexhaustible source of gossip
for the salons of Paris. Nobody better
than the Bavarian envoy to speak know
ingly about it; for he, jointly with M.
Marbois, has been the paci6cator of the
endless and scandalous quarrels of the
two belligerents. At last peace is made.
They have separated, these two beings
who never should have united. The
strife had reached such degree of vio-
lence that Count Fouche, the Grand In
quisitor of the Empire, felt compelled to
take cognizance of it; and but for the
Bavarian ENJOYS Intervention, his iron
fail might have descended on The hus-
bands head. This America Anglo Bava-
rian not being able to show up in any
of the higher circles of Paris since the sep
aration. prudently resolved to retire to
Auteuil, where, like storm-tost barque
just come into port, he was enjoy
ing the rest and quiet his feeble health
greatly needed. His friends were con-
graduating him on it, when it was learn
ed that his former wife had Just hired
the house adjoining, with the intention
OF turning the recent truce into durable
peace. She asked that. as the first base
of the great work, she might have per-
mission to open a gateway between
their two adjoining gardens. Just then
alarmed at some distant rumblings
Nine. c. resolved to 60 back at once to
Paris. The sequel in my next NUMBER
or rather at the first dinner Fanny and
shall eat at the Bavarian legation
The sequel" has disappeared, or was
never written. Count Rumford, whose
fine bronze statue sits in one of the parks
at Munich, outlived St. John by year
dying in 1914 His daughter. the Count
ess Sarah, lived and died in Concord, N
H., the home of her mother, the first
wife of Col. Thompson.
F. B. SANBoRN.
Concord, Mass, Nov. 16, 1904.
An Advertising Thought.