The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1913-11-13
pect is mournful enough
Manchester and the Peruvian Hills

iiately after breakfast. the first
atre,ch was along the Battenkill---
evidence OF Dutch antcocdents 70
Manchester with the hills that hid
Stratton on our right and Equinox
and It's neighbors on our left.
Beautiful Manchester with the great
Equinox Hotel, as pnetanuons as
any at Saratoga, Its stone sidewalks
and costly villas. quite Lenox-like,
seemed elegant indeed after the
Stratton hills and the stony roads
OF Sunderland. but Il gave pleasing
variety 10 our little journey In the
world and made good foil for the
high hills OF Peru TO which the long
road eastward brought us Part OF
the time We We're on toll-road,
rare enough now In New England,ai-
though within not too distant mem
ory the bridges across the Connect
cut were all toll-bridges 1t was a
strange experience TO be held up at
a toll-bar on Vermont road and
pay rs cents for the privilege OF
driving over the next five or six
miles, but II was with alacrity that
we discharged this duty. as per-
formance unique, initial and rather
historic In our present incarnation.
The heights OF Peru gave us by
far the best outlook OF the whole
trip. The view from the hill. road
a mile or two west of Peru village
is magnificent. The green Win
hall valley, broken by hills OF every
stature, stretches away miles TO
the south. ending against the great
slopes of Stratton, which here looms
up in mighty majesty. We We're SO
far north that the elephantine as
pect and the three swelling curves
which mark 1t In the view from
Chesterfield were lost and the peak
almost as simple and
round as Haystack, while far away
to the left the valley was bounded
by the great wall of Glebe, beyond
Londonderry. 1t was our most In
spring point and had we driven all
the way from Chesterfield for this
alone, we should have felt that our
reward was great.
The Trail Up the Mountain.
Perhaps three miles west OF the
ruins OF Stratton village and ten or
a dozen from Jamaica, there is the
little signpost beside the road,
pointing out the trail up Stratton
| suppose that a tramp
Of three miles would bring one to
the top. This is pleasure that the
future has in store for us. There
IS a Stratton mountain club, we were
told, one OF recent origin, and to
the activity OF the club members Is
due the trail. We were further In
formed that the construction OF
tower is in contemplation SO that
he who has gained the summit may
climb bit farther and be able to
look out we'll over the tree-tops.
The trail Is easily accessible from
Jamaica and also from West Wards
boro, where there is also a good
summer inn.
The long hill up through the
woods beyond Grout's Mills was the
,ceene 70 the mournful tragedy, the
OF which still haunt the
region, away back in 1921, when
father and mother perished In ter
rible winter storm, with their iit-
lie child surprisingly surviving,found
IN the morning, wrapped in the mo-
ther's shawl. The cold wind
swept the mountain height was
the way the tragical story began IN
The verses of the old reader OF b0
Years ago, and In the little library
It Arlington in the evening we read
he old poem anew. The good wo-
nan who kept the library had seen
in no very distant past the son OF
he surviving child, and said that
stone by the road mark
I'd the scene OF the tragedy, but
his we had failed to see.
The little Arlington library Is
most cheerful and beneficent insu-
.utiop. In lieu OF the public one
Miss Garfield has turned one wing
If her brick house into library
md reading-room for the public
rood. with its hospitable door open
lay and evening. 1t Is a cheeriui
.oom. we'll furnished with books ana
its kind tntelary occa-
,ionaIly glancing In to see that al
goes well. 1t would be hard to sug-
,est better service to the young
Of New England than that 80
and sympatheticaily rem
iered by this generous woman. AZ
Jamaica the plans are laid for simi
ar benefaction with Mrs. Charles T.
Allen as chief conspirator. Out OF
he plethora OF books IN the city
surely there ought to be some that
VIII find their way TO these modest
,riyate benefactions that give such
rood service 10 the young people OF
he villages.
A Fireplace and Bear Stories
Peru IL one OF the tiniest Oh
villages and Us Bromley
ionse one Of the pleasa0test OF
country inns. Its summer season
1 much longer than is the custom
II such inns In general, for com
ANY OF merry folk. enough TO M
IA rooms. comes In the merry month
4 May. and for a week or more
here IL Interest In the uou,
,raatoa n, boasts cherry sit