Her pretty calico gown she had bought at " the store" for eleven dozen of eggs, and her best shoes for six dozen. She paid twentyfive cents in money to have her dress cut and basted; whether by Elizabeth Saltmarsh, or a competitor, she did not inform me. But it had been worn two summers, and had not come to wear yet At evening, the company assembled. There were about half a dozen young men, and one, pretty well advanced. The chief topic of conversation was about ships, how such great things could float on the water; neither of them had ever seen a ship or been out of Vermont. 11 Joe Gafneld," says, cousin Sam, " I don 't see how a ship can stand up with them great Jo-fired, long masts?
" " Oh," says the old gentleman, " they put in rocks for balancing, then they put the load right on top of the rocks, and then sail along." "Well," says another, " it must take a deuced sight of timber to make one." " Oh, yes," replied the old gentleman, " it would take all of Tom Brazier's lot to make one ship." And after a pause of a few seconds, Joe Gaffield, with a very earnest look says, " Cousin Sam, they tell me, that the housen in Boston, are all brick. 1 should think they ivould all sink right daown; and some of 'em are higher than our meeting-house, and sometimes they ketch fire. I ivould' nt sleep in one on 'em for all Boston.'" It was now twelve o'clock, when we were invited to take supper in the kitchen, and by hard squeezing, we managed to sit around the table, and while we were talking, our industrious hostess was preparing a hot supper.
She had managed by some means to cut the goose in pieces, and had stewed it with potatoes and onions: it truly was a nice mess, but after all, who ever undertook to tackle a bone with an idea of getting any meat from it, was much deceived; which was easily seen from the manner in which they were slyly laid aside. But the remainder of the fixings were firstrate, and the time passed merrily, and if any of them are alive now, they will remember that night. I had appointed the next morning for my departure, and as it was quite late, was persuaded to remain there all night. They made a nice bed on the floor for me, and with plenty of rugs and carpets, I slept very comfortable.
At daylight my good cousin had breakfast under way, which at seven o'clock, was smoking hot on the table. Here was the old goose stewed up again, and tough as ever. I made a capital breakfast on hot potatoes, sweet butter, and excellent bread and cheese, with a cup of good rye coffee and cream. I took an affectionate leave of these kind-hearted, and happy people, and was to leave ISewfane, for Brattleboro in a covered sleigh, and when the driver called for me, was told, that I had a fellow passenger in the shape of a very sociable young lady, who had been keeping school at Newfane, and was returning home to New Hampshire. Here we were, both of us wrapped up together in a buffalo robe, bouncing over stone walls, stumps of trees, and no matter what, there was no road.
All the distance to Brattleboro was one vast sea of snow; but the driver being a good navigator, brought us safe into port at about ten o'clock at ni^ht. One object in thus detailing iny visit to Vermont, is to show what every one knows, that true happiness does not consist in wealth, popularity, or emolument. Take, if you please, this one family or community, commencing with Mr. Robbins, who, in 1795, having just married, went from Worcester to his present location, with but forty cents left, after his arrival in this, then wilderness, and on the spot where his house now stands, he built a rude hut for present shelter; took up several acres of woodland, which he cleared away, and with some assistance from the neighbors, who were scattered around within 15 miles, erected a house, and cleared a few acres ready for planting, in the following spring, and without entering more minutely into his beginning, he had, when I visited him, several thousand dollars in the Brattleboro Bank, three hundred acres of excellent land, well stocked, and sent large quantities of butter, cheese and pork, annually to Boston.