St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1905-08-02

the land. We feel the biting cold in
cabins that will hardly keep the snow
outside. We lie upon the ratters and
see the frosty stars shine through the
roof. We see the settler crouching by his
hearth where the last faint ember has ex.
PRED, trying with infinite pains to bring
the birth of fire from the cold marriage
OF the flint and steel. We see the
boy upon his fathers horse winding
through forest ways. going 20 miles to
get little grain ground into -four for
his mother to make bread. We see the
fever-stricken household far from human
help,-the lonely burial under the droop-
ing boughs. We see the woodman lean
ing on his axe beside the haltcut tree, his
tanned face dripping with the rain OF
toll, his musket leaning on the log clole
by. We see the little clearing he has
made to let the sunlight in upon the
virgin soil, the narrow patch of potatoes
or of corn that means life for the coming
year. We see the rude hut where he
lives, the brook that brings his water
and the slender trail that leads back to
the safety be has left. We see his wife
about her homely tasks, his little child
rem at their play. We hear gun speak
from the woods. We see him fall. We
hear the wild wavering war-whoop, and
then we shut our eyes to the horrors
that we know must come.
We see the clearings grow, the crops
increase, the dwellings made tight and
warm, and here and there a bed OF
flowers by the door, vine that chambers
up the wall-a touch OF beauty and a
sign OF peace. We are there when news
comes that the land they have bought
and paid for, the home they have built
with labor and pain unspeakable, is not
their own-that a court sitting some
where has decided they must 60. We
hear the argument that follows the brief
clear story OF the Grants, the appeal to
passionate speech. We see courage flash
ing in the eyes Of women and determine
ton hardening In the faces Of men. We
see the turmoil of the settlements when
they hear of Westminster, of Lexington,
of Concord. We see men snatch their
f1intlocks, and hurry off with Allen to Fort
Ii. We see the terror that overspreads
the land when Cartoons coming is
announced and Indian massacre is at
their doors. We see a group of rude,
strong men in council. We hear their
deep and anxious voices. We listen to
their bold and careful plans. And we
realize that here, in this low-rattered
room, at this rough table, by this tavern
fire, courage and foresight and states
manship, the best and soundest OF the
time, are watching by the cradle of a
newborn State. We think of all the
hardships they endured, of all the peris
they encountered, of all the ease and
comfort they renowned, Of all the
triumphs they achieved in those des-
perate years making it possible for us to
say and say with pride, "We, too, are Sons
and Daughters OF Vermont"
Long ago in the House of Representa-
tives at Washington, John Randolph Of
Roanoke, desiring to taunt the member
from New Hampshire, pretended to for.
get the state he came from and referred
to him as the en+Ie,aan from Verlno-+
Thanks to the course of history in that
body and out of it, even Randolph if be
were living today, would not imagine
that to call man Vermonter was
anything but praise. With great price
our fathers purchased this freedom, but
we were free born. Yet in spite of al
they. suffered, in spite of all we possess
without an effort, let us hesitate to say
that our lot is more blessed one thar
theirs. 1t is not what man has done but
what he is doing and is to do that make:
his life worth living. Even if they hae
failed men might have written over theil
graves the profound saying OF Guizot
1.-THE struggle itself supplied in som'
measure the place of liberty" The gift,
of the spirit cannot be stored up. Tit
divine mama must be gathered by eacl
generation for itself. mo men can pay
his brothers. debt or save his brothers
SOUL" And so it is that standing with
the gifts of the ages in their hands mer
throw away the priceless gems like peb
bles. Freedom to think, to speak, to act
to worship; opportunity to broaden the
mind and better the condition; equa
voice and vote in matters that concern
the state,-these the common blessings
we see on every side till we forget tt
value them; how men OF other time!
have prayed and fought to reach them
seeing them afar off as the vision of {
new heaven and new earth Let III
not think Of ourselves more highly thar
we ought to think. Better bleeding
trampled Russia Travelling in the throe
of revolution, quivering in every tow
and hamlet with the agonies of a new
birth-better that than the cities of uni
versal suffrage where men absorbed il
luxury or greed have given up the seat
OF government to impudence and theft
where the weak sons of mighty fathers
seeing rest that it was good and tn
land that it was pleasant, have bowet
, their shoulders to bear and become ser
wants unto tribute" Let the memoria
we rear speak to us OF days that wer
. great not in the multitude of thing
} which men possessed but in the spiri
: which possessed them. Let it say to u
once more: 1.-THE man who loves free
} dom for anything but freedoms self wa
! made to be a slave"
7 his monument is a reminder tina
: there are sisters of Ann Story still Twin,
IN the world. 1t is proof that poor a
she was and woman as she was, tn
: marx she made upon her time was to,
: deep and strong for century to oblite
rate. 1t is sign to those who labo
! and sacrifice that labor and sacrifice ar
!. not always to be forgotten even here
. You that in other lands are wagin
e against fearful odds the same old fgh
2 OF freedom, you that toll and agonize il
8 unseen places for the good Of those tina
8 shail come after, you that lead the for
r lorn hopes of the worlds progress