Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1905-09-01
MANSFIELD MOUNTAIN.
Vermont Peak Which Resembles Up
turned Human Face.


Vermont known to moderns as Mt
Mansfield, because IL is in what was
once the town of Mansfield, which
town long ago was divided between
Underhill and Stowe. The old Indian
name of the mountain is said TO have
been a lost word signifying nose and
chin" on account of the fancied re-
semblance of the horizon outline of
il to an upturned human face. wheth-
er viewed from the east or west. The
resemblance is so strong that II takes
but little stretch of the imagination
to trace it. the nose being near the
south end and the chin at the north
end To be sure. the nose appears
like an exaggerated pug. and the chin
is pretty massive. but III You consider
that the head is well turned back and
the chin proportionately elevated you
have II quite clearly.
The summit of this highest peak of
the Green Mountain range Is WITHIN
easy reach of any one who is strong
enough to climb into a carriage. Few
mountain peaks of any height can
be assembled without a vast expendi-
ture of physical force--so great an ex-
pendture that many constitutions
that might have been kept fairly
strong with proper care, have been
wrecked by II. the spirit having
driven the flesh" unduly. A Mount
Mansfield sunrise and the views from
this matchless Vermont mountain cost
not cent.
The scenes spread before the visitor
to the mountain top need not be de-
scribed--even If II were possible--how
on clear day one may see the White
Mountains sixty miles to the east: the
Adirondacks. marking the western
horizon, with Lake Champlain in the
foreground. to the west; Montreal to
the north. the twin giant Gamers
Hump. with a tumbled sea of small
er mountains, TO the south. and a Won
derful nearer landscape on all sides.
Perhaps you will be caught there in
the mist, and be unable to see more
than few feet and then YOU can
stand on the brink of some precipice.
of which there is no lack and listen TO
the mysterious and solemn murmur
that comes up from the depths, per-
haps you will see what the writer saw
recently a sea of clouds. white as the
underside of freshly sheared fleece
of wool. stretching away from your
feet to the west. covering Lake Cham
plain and the whole world back to the
purple Adirondack line on the .hOri- 4
zon a sea of clouds. whose pillows
were always changing with solemn
No one ever saw exactly
the same scene twice, for the varie-
ty is as infinite as eternity, but
whatever one sees will be worth see
ing from daybreak. when the world
rises slowly from darkness. to night,
when 1t sinks back again. slowly and
as if eternity had plenty of
time.
Mansfield is a rich field for the ge-
ologist. for there are abundant marks
IF the great glacier and the eternal
grinding of the mills of the gods. Huge
stones are scattered over the summit
some of them trigged up with big
'ock, as If some company of giants
had pried up one side and chucked a
'ock underneath for it to rest on.
There are great masses of loose rocks |
hat the glacier evidently unloaded |
,r got tired of pushing: Titanic forces |
nave been at work here. tumbling |
'ock masses as big as houses about as
Z they were pebbles. There is no end
o this sort of thing. and IL the mist |
we're at it's thickest there is plenty |
Inderfoot to interest one who has the |
rift of seeing sermons in stones"
Birds sing around the summit. too.
he white throated sparrow being
much in evidence. as well as the jun
%. the myrtle warbler and many 9TH
RS which a bird expert will find no
difficulty in Identifying. The flora is
too. many varieties grow
ng here. at an elevation of $500 feet:
perfect ferns. no longer than your
niger nail. which. on the lowlands.
ROW rank and big. and many rare
hrubs. plants and trees. and the air
$ so laden with the healing balsam
hat you actually taste 1t.
If you have never been on a noun
ain and you have any desire to do so
nd if you are feeble and constitu-
ionally tired. then go to Mansfield.
Nobody can tell you anything about
t: you must see it for yourself to get
ny idea of it.-George NJ. Dimond. in
Boston Transcript.