Year: 1874

community was u 'DOOu," ike tue Olu woman
who attempted 10 pass into the show OF Artemus
Ward free. Some OF the professional young men in
Burlington are so industrious that they occasoniy
engage themselves as characters, and, like the
New York hackmen with q greenhOrn, they VIII
cheeriuly permit themselves to drive strangers
around In these mountains mile after mi G, pre-
tending that they nave lost their way, In order
tn t they may thereby be enabled to swindle the
unfortunate stranger VINO may, in his ignorance,
fancy that he IS enjoying hospitality.


THE wiNooSKi HILLS.


Having engaged q horse and buggy in Burlington
l had offered me as a volunteer driver a remark
ably ''smartr and ''cuten young man, who declared
that he knew ana was familiar with every pass OF
the Winooski Hills The horse was short aole-
bodied one. sucn as Is found all over Vermont,
and we drove rapidly through the well shaded
on the slope OF a nil i saw the lofty marble figure
OF Ethan Allen. the work OF Hiram Powers, Yer
lanes and by pleasant cottages and charming Villas
now and then getting view OF the blue liquid
through quieter and solitary roads as we lett the
city that would have been very dusty but Tor the
three previous days severe rain.


'sWnat kind OF man Is this Shipman, who seems
to be the moneyed apostle of this free love sect 9
inquired OF my guide, who was busy in whipping


..Weli," answered the cute young man, 'he's
just as sharp as they make them. But hrs daughter
beats him all hollow. She Is the best business
man or the two. though she is spirItuaist and
has dreams. Why, they do say that she can sell
more young trees ana perlaGe than the old ma man
talking to you and You think that she is all atten-
tion to what you say. she'il leave all OF jump and
turn right into the field, and the first thing you
know she's got spade in the ground and Is dig
gng away like the old boy"


place, and he Is in the horticultural line, and they
have to go about peddling young trees to the
farmers and they have made o heap OF money in
that way But she is tremendous smart | te Il
you, and good hand at a bargain and no mistake,


For a long way the drive was through wretched
pine barrens, such as might be met with every
where in a journey through the State Of North
Carolina, only that here and there there came,
IKE glimpse OF the tabled Atlantes an arc or
the sapphire hue. The woods were Just
ruddy iy''s hues y tnst mat are $50 50 common common in in
the Northern States in the last days OF september
and the early days OF October. In spots between
the Zines, sumacs, alders and beeches a iarm
house was passed with late apples and pears,
some of the trees almost laden down with the
ruddy and clustering fruit awaiting the market.


THE HOUSE OF DEATH.


Presently we came in sight OF bluff, around which
to nowhere The bluff was crowned with some
tall pine trees and as the horse rose wearily on
brick chimnies that peeped in an indistinct way
through the trees. My guide spoke to me as the
buggy turned ITS ,creaking wheels around the


THAT'S old Mr.. Shipman's house, and that is the
home farm Of the free love community, where
they are going to organize for their settlement
Valcour Island. There's one terrible smart wo-
man among them, tell, a Miss Augusta White.
She's pretty considerable OF a poetess and an
authOress, and she's the big gun among em ALL
hope she's home, for If she is she'll talk you till
you stand STILL"


We dreve into an elevated, open plateau which
surmounted the brow OF hill. and in the fore
ground was plainly built old fashioned farm
house. part brick, part stone and part timber, with
Overhangng caves, all parts OF the building bear
ing plentiful coat OF whitewash tnat looked as If
it had been renewed again and again from time
lmmemOrial.


There was little girl standing in the main door
in q red calico, buggy in which thin. pinched-
faced woman sat- having in her lace that peculiarly
New Englandish lock, half or nervousness and OF
nqury teat one sees ices from Boston to
IN brown mixed suit OF Jean, whose lower face
was covered with plentiful beard. He mad q far
famous John A. Wilcox, Of Wisconsin, who aspires
to head this new free love community. There
was wide space OF a circular shape cleared be-
tore the old homestead which seemed going fast
to decay and there was a long hedge in front OF
the picture which was being trimmed by a tawny-
faced lad of eighteen, dressed In a smock irocx
and having under his black brOws O pair OF
dark and deeply set eyes


buggy there came from the rear OF the old larm
house one of the strangest figures that ever saw.
hand on level with his nose in dumb salutation.
Then the figure spoke and said in a homely way


Good day gentlemen; good day. gentlemen;
won't You step out?n


This was said in .i.rrty sort of patois that at.


"That's old Mr.. Shipman; he's the boss Of them
ALL" remarked my guide; and having got down
and announced my purpose was welcome. He
said


gentlemen, am sorry to say that my daughter
Is dead She died YESTERDAY OF rheumatic cum tic lever;
believe that was the cause OF her death. My
daughter Isabella is dead, and Wen have SER
vices tomorrow"


Tne silent grief of the old man struck US all and
stood in his SHIRT sleeves, big gaunt and power
iul figure with head and lace as rugged as any
ROCKS face IN all Vermont. His shirt collar was
turned away down over his ragged vest OF white
cotton, which was fastened wnerc the two lower
trOwsers were brown with age-they had once been
gray in color. and his Donderous snoes were well
worn. The ragged looking apostle mad pair OF
heavy lips and stony face and deep-set eyes and
the whole contour OF his face and figure had In
every line the story OF a hard lille battle. But it
was not the lace OF milksop or OF dreamer.
Even III his very recent loss OF the daughter who
had managed all his business, and whom, am
told, he trusted and believed In more than any
man, there dld not seem unto the Old grim Yer
mont hermit and money getter, and founder OF
carnai sect, 10 be any time 1or tears or regrets
other than those which were concealed from
careful scrutiny Up here in his hills. and
with the northern winds whlstllDg through
the gorges, he stood like a lonely pine.


The mention OF the tact that had the honor OF
having met Mrs, woodruff once upon time
seemed to surprise welcome from the old man
well as from Professor Wilcox, who advanced and
entered into conversation.


"The services Will be held over my daughter to-
morrow some time by Mrs. Woods, from BurIing-
ton. She was o friend OF my daughter. | don't
Snow whether N I she was widow or not: i: s.. she Is
Block. Maybe you know where 1t ls?" said Old
Mr. ohipman.


'.Ot what religious persuasion was your daugh-
ter, Miss Shipman, may askr'


"0h, Isabella. She was strong Spirituallst al
Quoted by Mrs. Woods who Is also a spirltuast.
You are welcome 10 come; it is no Intrusion at all.
Isabella was twenty-seven years OF age when she
died yesterday, and 1t Is hard loss y muttered the
old man, as he moved away.


THE COMMUNITY.


Not wishing to disturb the old farmer in his
grief, spoke to Professor Wilcox, and questioned
him In regard to the success OF the proposed free
love community He seemed little nervous and
1 ancied, strangely enough that he wanted q
stick to whittle lie said:-


"we are continually being misrepresented, and
would like to have you write me down list OF
questions which you want answered. and l am 90
ing over TO dinner to WInooski and W iii answer at
some future opportunity" This suggestion being
declined, asked nim If his Tree love platform was
the same as that upheld by Mrs. Woodruff, and he
answered.


'In the greater number of things indorse the
doctrine CI Mrs. Woodhul In this community we
shall allow individuality and sovereignty to every
man aud woman TO do as they choose in the bonds
OF love-"


"Well" said l. trying to get to the point, 'Tf q
married couple should Joln your free love commu-