Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-07-08
@ wonderful advancement

both transportation and spoken word,
such as the trolley. the automobile, and
tho telephone. the now appreciation Of
the advantages of country life. the
growing desire for space, air and schools
combined in bringing up children. the
recognition of the superior climate of
this section as an influence to make
mon and women strong and vigorous in
body. morality and mind. and rca-
li2ation of the good to come from states
and towns that have n historic back
ground and finish of experience, all these
factors in the determination of mans
choice OF residence are beyond perad-
venture destined to make country New
England ana New York the home forever
OF the happicst. most intelligent. most
prosperous, and most wholesome of poo
pies.
'lf you and I could be born again to
appear on earth at tho six hundredth
anniversary of Champlain's appearance
in this section, we would behold the
ideal people of the wide world proud
or their ancestry, of their homes and
their country. and loyal and patriotic
to tho same degree that chara tcrized
their forerunners Of IT'S and 1851"
THE POEM OF OF THE DAY.
Judge w. II. Bliss of Middlebury was
the poet of the occasion and read the fol-
lowing:
SAMUEL DE CHAMpLA1N.
Roll high the shimmcrins curtain and
looi: back
Through the long vista Of three humid
rod years
Bac, to the time before the Mayflow-
Had dipped her anchor In bleak Ply
mouth bay;
Ere Henry hudson saw his namesake
river
Back to the time when, under English
Skies
The bard of Avon swept his wondrous
When Scottish James was undermin-
ing slow
The mighty .ingdom buildcd By Queen
Bcss,
And Spain. long wrlthlng meath the
iron heel
OF bgot Philip and tho inquisi;ion.
Saw through the land her fields ircin-
crate
with ash of men and women. innocent.
But done to death by fires slow agony;
Yet France. the smiling France. was
bossoming
in the mild sway of Henry of Navarro
Then rose Champaign, fine bold adven-
V,nturous soul
And mary time he crossed the rag
ing main.
Seeking for France an empire in the
West.
His daring spirit beams out like a star
Cpon the dark sky of that history.
He had explored the great St. Law
renee stream,
Its tributaries and the wild adjacent
coast,
Founded Quehec's enduring citadel
Had made his friends the children OF the
woods
Algonquin, Mon,agnais and Huron
dark;
Had learned from them OF that Green
Mountain land
And that far lake that since has
borne his name.
just south beyond TIE river 1roquois.
But those bright hills and forcsta were
the home
or the Five Nations-long inveterate
foes
of his now-found allies; that lake and
river,
Their war-way to the north. wherein
their braves
In thousands long had held their con-
ouering way:
The Mohawks at their head-more dar-
ing men
or stronger warriors never drew the
bow.
They took 10 note of hunger or Of thirst
They LAUGHED to scorn the pains of
heat and cold,
War was their occupation-they could
trace
\ foenan's slightest trail, with tire
less speed
And cyc more certain than the blood
hounds scent.
So perfect they in form that one who
knew
Them well, seeing some later time at
Rome
Tho marble symmetry OF Apollo Bel
vidcrc,
Exclaimed "hy Heaven. Mohawk
such we're they,
The micntiost woodland warriors IN
the world.
Moro daring venture never vet was maze
Than when Champlain. with two COM
panions white
A,d e,vtv brave rcd children NJ the wood.
one July day. three centuries agonc,
Emerged in birchen boats from out the
I-pon the lake. the Mohawk's battle
place,
And stealing on thro' the midsummer
nights,
Met their dread foes at length, two
hundred strong.
1-non tho starry waters. Challenge passed
For fight next morn upon the western
shore.
Near grim Ticonderoga.
Tho day has dawned Tho grim 1roquois
braves
Move slowly out from thor rude
barricade
And form in line upon tho naked shore.
Above them disombark the Algonquin
braves.
Champlan in front. while his two white
allies
Steal to the wood along the Mohawk
flank.
Each white mcr bears a deadly arquebus,
\ trusty nrcock charged with bullets
four.
Tho cmhattlcd Mohawks stood In frm
array
Shooting with taunts on their despised
foes
A shower OF arrows. But anon they see
4 mail-clad figure move between the
lines
And halt Mt thirty PAGES straight before
,,hnir thren tall chiefs who stood to-