Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-01-28
CHAPTER III
JUDGE MARKMAN'S GUESTS, AND THE
JUNE TRAINING.

JUNE TRAINING.
In the first week in June, 1910,
Mr.. Justin hardwood, lumber mer-
chant of Albany, New York, accom-
panied by his wife and Daniel Mark
tree, architect, and Mr.. Bardwood's
partner in sundry large enterprises,
left their city homes to visit the
Green Mountains. The usual route
in those DAYS was by steamboat up
the Hudson to Troy. thence by the
Northern Canal to Whitehall. Our
travellers there took the steamer
Saranac, the pride of the lake. and
continued their journey over Lake
Champlain, whose waters and shores
are classic in our colonial and early
state history. They pass the ruins
of Forts Ticonderoga, Crown Point
and Cassin. To the eastward, as
they sailed along, the towering
peaks of Killington, Cancels Hump
and Mansfield rose grandly in the
azure, and the sky wall of the
Adirondacks lay on the west. The
boat touched at the landing of Bella
mauueen Bay, and there our party
disembarked. Judge Markham was
there to give them cordial greeting.
A drive of several hours brought
them to his hospitable home in Ma
plewood. The clear air of the sea,
son made every breath a conscious
pleasure, and the fragrance of the
early foliage regaled their senses.
The benevolent face and winsome
heartiness of the good judge, their
host, gave assurance that they were
to have a vacation, and welcome;
and that scene, climate and host
were in kindly alliance to make it
enjoyable. Arrived at the stately
bat plain, square old-fashioned house
of the Judge, on a hill overlooking
the little village, they were greeted
by the matton with that cordial sin
cerity, that unconventional sim
plcity and heart kindness that made
them feel at home. The good wife
was a fa1orite sister of Alvan Stew
art, and the letter received from
him announcing the coming of these
people, eXto!ling their virtues and
commencing them to the hospitality
of the household, had prepared a
welcome that lacked no element.
CongeniaI in every social feeling
they were all the more so as co.
workers in the anti-slavery cause
On the Tuesday after their arriva
the Judge invited them to attend
the annual muster or June Train
ing" IN the large, plain but thor
oughly substantial carriage the par
ty were comfortably seated anC
rapidly driven, behind span Of
Morgan horses, then the king o.
rOadsters in that region of hill
roads, to the meadow in the suburbs
where the uniformed force was as
sembled. The fife and drum filled
the air with martial music of the
kind that pierces the ear and stir!
the soul of boy or man, as our par
ty entered upon the scene. Ever
the spirited horses arched theil
necks and stepped more proudly
and, AS the driver said, kept ;
burned sight better step than th'
soldiers"
In the good old days of the fortie
the event of the summer, next il
importance after the rlenagerie O
eli Gus of the wagon show" variety
was the June Training" The law
of the state required that all able
bodied men between the ages o
eighteen and forty-fve, with a lib
eral exemption of parsons, physi
clans, teachers, ETC., be enrolled a
, militia; and they were organized. OF
paper, into very formidable arm.
of companies composing regiments
regiments brigaded. brigades formed
into divisions, with a bewilderin,
: roster of generals, colonies, majors
captains and their Iieutenants. TIL
body of enrolled men, by travest.