Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-10-12

")I1E lone pine stood in Brewers
pasture. just clear Of the
IS-SSISe woods. When the sun rose
N$sN one could see its taper shad-
ow stretching away to the foot Of
Woody ledge. and at sunset 1t lay like
a fallen mast athwart the COW paths.
its long top arm a flying pennant on
the side OF Bowman's hill. In summer
this bar OF shadow moved like a clock
hand on the green dial Of the pasture,
and the help could tell the time by the
slant Of 1t. Lone pine had a mighty
girth at the bottom. and its bare body
tapered into the sky as straight as an
arrow. Uncle Eb used to say that
It's n long, naked branch that swung
and crcnkrl near the top Of 1t. like a
sign of hospitality on the highway Of
the birds, was 200 feet above ground.
There We're a few stubs here and there
upon its shaft the roost Of crows and
owls and hen hawks. 1t must have
passed for u low resort in the feathered
kingdom because it was only the rob
bers of the sky that halted on lone
pine.
This towering shaft Of dend timber
conmemorated the ancient forest
through which the northern Yankees
cut their trails in the beginning Of the
century. They were a tall, big flsted,
brawny lot Of men who came across
the A~dirondacks from Vermont and be.
gan to break the green canopy that foi
oOnc hn1 onx-nroJ thn vo11ox, nf fln 81
Lawrence. Generally they drove a COW
with them, and such game as they
could kill on the journey supplemented
their diet of pudding and milk" Some
settled where the wagon broke OF
where they had buried a member Of the
family, and there they cleared the for
ests that once covered the smooth acres
Of today.
Gradually the rough surface OF the
trail grew smoother until 1t became
Paradise road. the we'll worn thorough
fare Of the ~stagecoach, with its Inns
and outs" as the drivers used to say
the inns where the "men folks sat In
the freight Of the blazing logs after
supper and told tales OF adventure until
bedtime, while the women sat Will
their knitting In the parlor and the
young men wrcstled in the stable yard
The men Of middle age had stopped and
massive shoulders and deep furrowed
brows. Tell one Of them he was grow
ing old, and he might answer you by
holding his whip In front Of him and
leaping over 1t between his hands.
There was a little clearing around
that big pine tree when David Browcl
settled in the valley. Its shadows
shifting In the light Of sun and moon
like the arm Of q compass, swept the
spreading acres of his farm, and ht
built his house some forty rods from
the foot Of it on higher ground. David
was the oldest OF thirteen children
His father had died the year before ht
came to st. Lawrence county. leaving
him nothing but heavy responsibilities
Fortunately bis great strength and his
kindly nature were equal TO the burden
Mother and children were landed safe
ly In their new home on Bowman's hill
the day that David was eighteen.
l have heard the old folks Of that
country tell what a splendid figure OF
a man he was those days-six feet ont
In his stockings and broad at the shout
der. His eyes were gray and set I'm
der heavy brows. I have never forgot
ten the big man that laid hold Of me
and the broad. clean shaven. serious
face that looked into mine the day
came to Paradise valley. As write
can see plainly his dimplsd chin, his
large noss. bis arm mouth that was
the key to his character. open O,
shet," ! have heard the old folks say,
1T showed he was no fool"
After two years David took Q wife
and settled In Paradise valley. He
prospered In O small way considered
handsome thsreabouts. In a few ear
he had cleared the rich acres of bis
farm to the sugar bush that was the