Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-05-26

tempted by offered rewards. Pur-
suers rarely venture to follow over
the Vermont route. They would
soon be thrown off the trail, and
would find none intelligent enough
to aid them who could be hired for
money to give them aid"
The journey this day led the
party to Sterling mountain. This
high elevation would rank as d re-
spectacle mountain were it not over
Swallowed by the lordly Mansfield
lying southwark across The Notch"
The Notch" in the vernacular of
New England corresponds to The
Gap" in the Appalachian system far
Their south. AS they assembled the
mountain by a we'll defined and
gently ascending road, the Green
Mountain visitors were surprised to
find on its summit level plateau
with fine farm, substantial dwell
ing house and generous barns,
sheds, ETC., for the shelter of cattle.
This" said Judge Markham, is
the farm of a notable man in this
northern region; this is the home of
Moses Villas. He is one of the most
energetic, resolute, sterling charac-
tiers that we have; genuine type
of the forest subduer. He came up
here some forty years ago, located
on this mountain somewhat in the
spirit, | infer, of the barons who
built their castles on high rocks;
partly for defense, and partly be-
cause they wished to overlook the
surrounding regions. Here, largely
with the axe swung by himself, he
has cleared a farm of several hun
dred acres. Here he reared a fam
lily of sons, every one of whom is a
model of mental and physical vigor
and are now successful men Of bust
ness or in the professions. There
are many stories told of this quaint,
strong character. One | recall: He
raised many horses and always broke
them to ride and drive. One Of
his young colts showed unusual
viciousness and incorrigibility, and
by shying suddenly threw the boys
or hired men who tried to ride him.
Their failures were not to the liking
of this strong man who was won't to
will and to do. After his hired man
had been thrown and the courage
well taken out of him, Villas said,
We'll, well, see me ride the colt;
you 90 down the road and stoop
down behind bush, and as | ride
by you spring up and scare the colt
and see me hang on to his back
when he SHES The hired man
complied, The agile owner leaped
upon the colt, started it at full gal
lop down the road. AS it passed the
bush the hired man leaped up sud-
denly and shouted boot The colt
SHE'D so quickly as to throw the
rider to the ground. He leaped up,
rubbed his bruises and said, That
was too big a boo for so young a
colt That phrase is now classic in
this country to express the idea Of
an overdone effort. He could never
stop to listen to long stories weari-
some in immaterial details. When
some neighbor began such a story
the energetic man would interrupt
them: Never mind that part of the
story, tell the last ont
The too big a boo incident"
continued the judge, reminds me
of a welcome Thomas Chittenden,
our first governor once received. 1t
was when the legislature met at
Rutland, that very early one bright
morning in autumn the governor,
with a small party of representa-
tives from his part of the state, left
Wiliston, his home town, on horse
back for Rutland. Up, and down
over the hills they rode in the crisp
autumn air, the farmers along the
route cheering them as they passed
by, as there was scarcely a man liy-
ing in Vermont then but what knew
Governor Chittenden at sight. On