Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-02-20
THE .sOLD STONE HOUSE. "

4
become new And vet In some cases
this is not quite true. Some old
Things remain to tell the story of the
past. There are old landmarks here
and there, which suggest curious and
instructive histories, of the new and
things that have passed away"
The quaint sketch goes on to say,
There is landmark of this kind in
Bloomington; the old stone house
near the village, which has ahistory
though it may never be fully written,
and suggests history of the man
who built it, in some respects one OF
the most remarkable men that
Orleans county ever had.
The Rev. Alexander L. Twilight"
The venerable old landmark re-
mains, strange sight to the. casual
tourist and always the cause of end
less speculation and history. This is
such as to be worth our while to
know.
On warm August afternoon in
1929 the old coach, with it's four dusty
horses, the mail bags, and goodly
number of passengers, enroute from
st. Johnsbury to Derby Line, drew up
with dash at the post-office and in
front of the busting and somewhat
pretentious hotel of the lively and
not unattractive village of Browning
| ton.
This village was, in those days, one
of the largest, though it numbered
scarcely more than two hundred
people, and most important stations
on the old stage line through the
county. 1t had been one of the EARL
est settlements in the section, ard
has now become a center of trade,
religion, education and social life.
Here was the old time hostelry with
its busy life; here the four coach
horses were changed on every trip,
fresh ones always beirg ready in the
stable; here numerous mail bags were
left and their contents sorted fer
smaller settlements off the main line
of travel; here was the only church
of any size or Importance for long
ways round; here was the county
grammar school, the largest and best
in a large section of the state; in
short, here was a typical pioneer
village of the early days with its
attendant activity, hustle and air of
self-importance. Thither came pupils
to school, and lawyers and enter
prising men on great variety of
business, together with casual visitors
and ''lookers-around" for any chance
opening for improving their condi-
ton in the world.
For those days the village presented
an attractive and important appear
ance. 1t lay on the summit and
slope of one OF New England's
thousand hills, which are nowhere
excelled in beauty and variety.
From the highest point, called
prospect hill," just back of the
church, could be seen, in clear
weather, away to the north the
sparkling blue waters of Lake Mem
phremagog, which in the level rays
of the setting sun shone smooth and
clear as a deep polished mirror, and
still farther distant, the bold form OF
Owls Head, the sharp blue outline OF
Jay Peak, and less distinctly, the
summit of Mt. Oxford in Canada, the
whole shading away in the smoky
distance into the shadowy range Of
the eastern branch of the "Y' of the
Green Mountains. Looking south
you saw, a dozen miles away, the
twin mountains, Pisgah and Hor, o.
Willoughby lake, one, rock crested
bold and rugged, the other, clothed
with the green of spruce and hem
lock and gently sloping. Between
and stretching westward were un
even hills and varied landscapes
while away in the distant blue thu
white dim outlines of the White
Mountains were just barely dis
cernible.
Here, then, seventy years ago
from this commanding position ant
with this wide and beautiful prospec
the little village of Browningtol
looked forth over the wilderness AM
was sort of outpost of education
culture, and business, solitar.
watchfire of advancing civilization
burning brightly over its lonely bill
1t was into scene and situation
something like this that, on the after
noon in question, the man alighte'
from the numbering stage, a strange
to all, who, for the next twenty eigh
years, was to have large share i
shaping the destiny and history Q
this not unremarkable town, and VIII
was to leave behind him a monumen