Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1922-08-17

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drive through the six states.
origin of Yankee
The origin of the word Yankee"
is interesting. 1t is said the express
sion came from the attempt of the
indians to say English-Yanghees
or Yankheesh. In the last analyis,
then, Yankee becomes Englishman,
and when a Briton calls us names he
is only speaking Of himself disparag-
ingly.
Abandoned Farms
One hears much about the aban-
dored farms of New England. The
idea is largely a myth. The abandon
ed farms are high in the hills, rough
and rocky sections where no aEbl-
tious man would care TO exc, out az
existence. They probably never were
very valuable, while the land in the
valleys is weI-cultivated and worth
per acre just about as much as it
ever was. The valley farms of New
England are no more abandoned than
the ones on Sank Prairie in Sank
county.
The land on the hillsides makes life
precarious as its Illustrated by the fol-
lowing incid ant- A far,rcr was
brought t.. the Hospi.al and when in
Iliry was made as 10 the na.ure of
the accident the doctors were inform
ed that he fell off his farm. No won
der some of them have been aban-
doned fer more livable places in the
valleys.
A Monument Mountain
Soon after crossing into Vermont
we came to road-signs which pointed
the way to Barre, the place where
much granite is obtained for monu-
ments in cemeteries, not only in
New England but in many lands.
There are scores of them in Sank
county. This granite is a beautiful
grey takes high polish, and is in
great demand TO mark the last rest
ing places Of the dead.
A person has an idea the granite
comes from great gashes in the noun
tain side but this is not the case.
Instead of extending the quarry along
the surface the quarrymen go deep
er and deeper, some of them having
gone down as far as a sky-scraper
is tall. The deeper the quarry the
finer the store. A number of compan-
les are operating and they have cut
great pits into the sides and top of
the extensive elevation. The water is
pumped out and the stone raised by
great machinery.
For some time there has been a
strike at Barre and a number of the
holes have been permitted to partly
fill with water. In one of these cav
tiles which we looked into we found
something like eighty feet of beauti-
full blue water and a number Of
youths sporting on the surface. The
great cup was almost white yet the
water was SO deep the effect was
deep blue.
Barre is not an old town like many
in New England and stories may be
heard similar to those gathered in
any boom town. Tracts of land which
were once worth few hundred dol
lars are now measured in millions,
so valuable is the beautiful burial
stone buried beneath the surface.
Age in New England
New England does not look old ex-
cept some of the sidewalks and houses
in a few of the villages and cities.
OF course stone walls are numerous
and speak of age but the fields are
as green as they ever were. On the
mountains and hills are extensive
forests, just as one sees about Bara-
boo. In some places the timber has
heen Gu: many times, no doubt, but
nature promptly aecomplishes the task
OF covering up the scar by growing
new trees, no doubt in turn to be cut
away again.
In the villages one wonders at the
extent OF old frame houses, whole
streets of them in the business Sec
ton. They have been occupied for a
hundred years or more and one won
ders how they have escaped King
Fire so long. Many of the walks are
Of brick. rough and aged. One has to
stumble over them but the inhabi-
tanis seem 20 prefer the brick to con-
crete.
A Village Quarrel
People 81 the New England Villages
have their petty quarrels, Just the
same as in the cities of New York and
Chicago or towns like Dodgeville and
Darlington. Tbs story is tCla Of a
New England a.an who bitterly OBJ
POSED tha building II cnrtte walk
n fr NJ If his hHne fae opposition
was too a -. for nim bowe1er and
he MAS j. f"at..i TIE It optlty owner
continu . 10 "a I:t'tI and II sitivelv
refused .~salk IN ihe new i'm prove