Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-08-04
Gone to a better land than .his."

Gone to better land than his"
Tho dealer looked at the lady in amaze
mcnt and exclaimed
DO YOU think | am going to put lie
on a tombstone? Why, Madam, there II
no better land than Muskokd.'
II must he remembered in speaking cf
commerce. that this country is ncw-and
that one cannot even buy witch hazel for
sunburns in this great world of primcval
forests. lakes and rivers. except. possibly.
from the So-callcd supply boats which
make regular trips and stop at the sign
Of the white flag" at the numerous hotels.
boarding houses and at the cottages OF
the wealthy. situated on islands. pr Dmon-
tories and the beautiful shores of the
mainland.
This is truly "A summer rcSort-and tho
few natives constitute but a small part
Of the inhabitants during the vacation
season.
1t is not so long ago that this dis
trct WAS inhabited solely by the Huron
indians. and the few white people who
Vcntured to invade the land to gain sub
eistonce after the manner Of the rcd man,
took their lives in their hands and rislicd
their scalps being taken, hung upon trees
and made the cause for n festive war
dance. They were largely Irish and
Scotch. although called Canadians. ard
after the massacre Of the ilurons by the
six nations and the din of battle was no
more heard. they returned and settled
upon land granted by the canadian gov
eminent and grew to the dignity Of
farmers and lumbermcn, clearing the
land and tilliug the soil but still fearing
tho return and activity of the Indians
of the victorious tribes built their homes
in the seclusion Of the forest rather than
on the slightly banks of the beautiful
changcdthcse men have come out into
the clearing and erected hotels in beauti-
ful locations overlooking lake and river
and ar" largely the proprictorS and hosts
OF the huStcorics which accommodates tho
thousands Of people from all parts of
the world who visit this resort every sea-
son.
This grand transformation scene reminds
one of the language of another poet:
THE Indian with his pipe OF peace
Has slowly passed away
But the Irishman with his piece of pipe
Has come prepared to stay"
Whom we first visited this part Of the
Kings domain six years ago. the water
service was the primitive stone boat
well known to pioneer farmers Of our own
America and to those occupying new
, lands at tho prcscnt.--two or three bar
rcls ana h"rs" or pair Of oXen.--hy
which means tho indispensable "Adau
.tl"' WIS Transported from lake, river
or sprinC--for drinking purposes, while
for doing the washing and cl"lninr
the people depended largely on the rar
! fail winch WAS caught in all sorts oi
/ r"coptahlos that not one drop should b,
| lost.
| We Of the present day are apt TO for
get tn" hHrdShips our forofathors endure
in the discharge Of tho every day duties
Of life. We do not, however, forget Il
boast Of their chivalry-their grand ESQ
cution on the field of battle. Their gal
lantry is sung by poets and laudc1 by
historians, but it should be rciuomDorc,
that there were heroes at home rs wei
as in the field Of fight. Whom our owl
country WAS now the same deprivation
| wcrc endured AS in this primitive. PARTIAL,
settled Canadian district and progress Wa,
tho word of our people. So il is here
The winlrnll has superseded the ston
boat and its motive ppwcr, thus establish
ing waterworkS that bring the thirs
checking fluid into the hotels--and ful
sanitary arrangements have been installo'
which have not. until recently, eXisto,
!,