Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-11-07
PRAISE FOR VERMONT
Two Girls who walked 800 Miles say
They Found the Most Enlightened
People in Green Mountain
state.

Portsmouth. oct. g. ITO walk 800 miles
in two weeks a. rest and recreation from
her usual duties is something that the
ordinary young lady would think of twice
before IRVINE but this is the vacation
that Miss Mary Hanscom, secretary OF
MAY - Wallace Backett, accompanied ny
her sister. Jennie, took, and furthermore.
they arrived home on Sunday evening
delighted with their trip.
This is their third trip of this
description. Two years ago they walked
10 the White mountains and back, 2Tb
miles. and last year walked to an across
the Berkshire mountains, a distance Of
800 miles.
Miss Mary Hanscom said: 1--WE ng-
urc on mak!sg an average OF %
miles a day. and must make out n
schedule so that we will be near some
village about that time. We avoid
cities as much as possible. In fact avoid
nil travelled ways and try and make
our walk through tho real country"
Miss Jennie expressed an opinion that
she considered the people Of Vermont
the most enlightened OF any of the
places that they have been and in this
her sister comedies. "Why. through
he farming district in Vermont the
people are all wcll-informed and their
homes arc more modern than in this
state. About cve:y house has a tele-
phone and n Eraphophone and they were
always eager TO start It going for our
amusement Vermont has better roads
than New HAMPSHIRE and their guide
posts are r'ost ccurate.
STORY OF THE TRIP.
we started from our house at $50
Monday. October u. and walked that day
to Bow Lake village. passing through
Dover and Stafford. and that night Sc
cured n nice place to stop at small
boarding house.
The next day we were away at eight
o'clock and TINT night reached the
Shaker settlement at Canterbury. It
was while passing through Plttsfeld that
we got off the road and this days walk
was about 90 miles We were we'll re-
crived at the Shakers house and given
every comfort but this IS modern
as a city hotel There was one regu-
laton that appealed to my sister; it was
caution against the fashionable waste
funess of food with a foot note that
people should no. take on their plates
moro thar they could ca.
THE next day we walked to East
Andover stopping at noon for some
thing 70 cat at farm house Thursday
we walked to Springfield and the roads,
WHILE good. were all uphill. In fact IL
was a constantly increasing elevation
from the time we left home Friday
Junction hut We were given n note to
family in West Lebanon and so stop
ped there that night.
Saturday crossed the river on the
foot bridge beside the railroad bridge
and entered Vermont II was very cool
IN The morning and it was necessary TO
walk brisklv to keep warm. That night
was reached Royalton. Vt, and found
delightful boarding place.
CAUGHT IN VERMONT RAIN.
"'rhe following morning II was dark
and overcast but we started. Before
we had gone 10 miles 1t came on a
heavy rain and we sought shelter in a
farmhouse. The people were hospit-
able and at noon insisted that we
should eat there. The storm increased
during the afternoon and we stopped
at this house that night.
1.-THE next day we reached Rutland,
at 5:2o. after making 291s miles.
THAT same day the law was off deer
and It was the only uneasiness that
we had. for we had been warned that
it was dangerous in the mountains
during the FIRST few days.
DANNY was our next stopping place.
about % miles south OF Rutland. and
we made this without mishap. There
were beautiful roads through this sec
ion, and it was interesting every min
ute. The next day we were caught
in a shower and stopped in a small
store in Sunderland for II to pass over,
and the proprietor took a great inter-
rst in the story OF our travels. and
gave us right to use his name az an
Introduction to n private family that
,wn the original Ethan Allen house,
and we passed a most interesting night
under that roof.
SAW FEW AUTOMOBILES.
Thursday we made Bennington by
night and Friday We crossed the range
again that night. On this road we met
one OF the very few automobiles OF the
trim and that was stuck about half way
UP the mountains and over three miles
from the nearest house. You must re-
member that in some places You can
walk three or four miles before reaching
II farm house. so that it took some reck
on'ng TO be around at meal time. and
one day 1t was after . o'clock before we
reached house.
From Wilmington TO Brattleboro was
the last day of the trip and we reached
that town Saturday night. We had plan
ned 10 reach there Friday night. but
one days storm threw this out Sunday
morning we took train out OF Brattle-