The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-19

for his romantic valley; but such is not the fact.
] recognized the exactness of the sketch in
every step that took stiffness, such as he
describes, pervades the atmosphere. The birds
appear TO sing more laziy and the beos-oi
which there are great numbers in the Hollow
10 dart here and there; for their sweet burdens,
less blthelv than in other neighborhoods. The
news OF the outer world, the events which daily
fill mems m inds, and often excite them to an un-
usual degree, are in this remote retreat seldom,
# ever, heard Of Many OF the inhabitants
did not, | believe, at the time of my visit,
know that Abraham Lincoln had fallen asleep,
or that Lee had surrendered to the superior
strength ard strategy of Grant. stopped by
the roadside and asked worthy matron II she
knew of the successful landing of the great
cable; but hi II emphatic Dutch denial convinced
me that no tldings OF It's inception and success
fll cOmpletio n ad ever reached her. The Dutch
characteristic of the dwellers are very marked.
They still clIp,y to the hipped roofs and far-pro
jecings caves tG their forefathers, The damsels
have, as in dayt' of .yore, bright red cheeks, and
eyes rogush enc ugh to set the hearts OF the lads
into great cOmmt 1ton.
As might be exL eCted, in a community where
the vital forces are not subject to severe drafts
the people are gent ay be had Ss% 6n
the line age of foursc, 0"e and ten, VINO lnhaOted
the cottage where AnoFe stopped 10 rest aller
his capture He was fl " VI S @ anu s.,oLy'
and took pleasure in tel nag me ol Oygone IlmeS.
He remembered well he appearance OF the
Father of his Country, wi lo'm he had frequently
seen in his earlier wears, Wl Goulu Ialk Dy Ghe
I
of whose bold raids and ac. 1ons hau oeen laml-
liar to him from his early yC Nth. Nthi.1o,,.-
AS we journeyed through IT, e holl9W we came
across little school-house, .roughiy inaue OF
boards, which was curiously PeIcheu upon n
gore of land formed by fork, 'u'shapeu lane
which crossed the main road. AS me dP
preached 1t my guide told me that % ~ waI poPs, PU
larly supposed to be the identical Cnooilnouse
which IChabod Crane taught in, "frC WI whence,
in drowsy summers day, the low n @ullnur @ ol
pupils voices" coming over their les Sons was
heard of old, like the hum OF a bee-hiN 'ej' Out
the accuracy of the tradition he could not Youch
for We entered the school, and foun q the
chldren as happy aud contented as sc Hool-
Children usually are. One boy was pulllu 9
dancing-jack behind the teachers back, ana
girl was drawing an animal Of uncouth propol
dons on her slate; but these shortcomings on
the part of these members of the rising genera
ton were not peculiar to the pupils of SleeO
Hollow academy only. l had been, | recol-
lected, boy myself once and therefore forgave
them.
After bidding the teacher and scholars of this
retired institution farewell, we found ourselves
IN the village again. Here the drowsy feeling
which possessed me while in the Hollow passed
away. 1t appeared as if we were breathing n
new atmosphere, less oppressive, and fuller of
oxygen than the other.
AS we approached the Andre monument from
the south we saw, not far from it, the founda-
tion OF a structure evidently ecclesiastical,
from its shape | asked what it was. at is"
SAID my fduS AcbdteS, "the beginning of the
Memorial Church of Washington Irving. When
alive, the great author, though truly catholic in
ms ieelin gs, was devout member OF the Episco'
pal comIAunion, and as remembrance of his con-
nection. with them the Episcopalians are erect
ing thl g memorial of him"
us 1t not singular" asked, "that memorial
shoul take this form? Irving was but a lay
mar. and never employed his pen in the defense
0f mis- faith. Why erect church to him? No
u ante, nor Shakespeare, much lessia Cervantes,
Aas been honored so. Louis Philippe, it is true,
made Victor Hugo peer Of France and VIC
MacaulaV q Ppr0 n realm and
Queen Anne desired to make Jonathan Swift
bishop; but this is tribute to the worth OF
literature which far surpasses them ALL"
"You look at it in the wrong light" rejolned
my companion. Washington Irving was not
only great writer, but he was an eXem-
plary Christian, and it seems to me quite ap-
prOpriate that he should be honored by his
friendly admirers by temple erected for
the worship of the living God, whom he de-
lighted to serve. This will be source of con-
tinual benefit to the entire community; q toun-
tain from which will issue the solid benefits
accruing to society from the active workings OF
an effective religious organization. What better
memorial can mortal desire than thisF
did not argue the point further, but left if
to go back to the personal "reminiscences OF
Irvine, with which my companion had inte-
rested me.
"Was Irving man of much humor in private
life ?" | asked.
''Very great" was the response. mo man
could perceive the comical aspect of a subject
quicker than he could. When he first moved
into this region-I think it was about eighteen
hundred and thirty-seven-he was very much
annoyed by the thetts which some bold boys
perpetrated upon his fruit One tree in par
ticular, which stood at a distance from mis- cot
tage, and which bore apples OF choice kind,
was yearly stripped by them. He determined
to stop their Visitatons by method which
was peculiar to him. Learning one day from
his gardener that a squad CT them were on the
premises, after placing him in a certain spot
and telling him what to do, he described CIR
cult, and from the opposite side came upon the
boys unexpectedly. He having very recenuy y
settled in the neighborhood, they were not
familiar with his appearance, and went on
pocketing and munching the apples with the ut
most nO4chGldnoe.
''After surveying them awhile, he singled out
the lad who apparently assumed the post of
leader, and addressed him:-
Boy he said, those are very Roor apples.
/ know where there is tree on which there Is
a far better kind
"Where is itH asked the wary marauder.
"'0ver yonder,' rejoined Mr. Irving, lndl-
eating the direction of the cottage.
"We are afraid the old gentleman will catch
us, replied the urchin.
'''He is not there now,' said Mr.. Irving;
you will be perfectly safe. Come with me;
but do not make any noise, lesthe should over
hear u.s.
'GIn few moments the party were on the
march for the new foraging ground, Mr.. Irving
leading. For safety's sake they advanced in
single file, and sought the shelter afforded by
the east side OF a stout pricklY hedge, which
intervened between them and the house Ere
long the voice OF the gardener was heard near
them.
"'Be quiet said their leader 'or we shall be
discovered. Keep near to the hedge, every one
dFear made them hug closely to the covert
which they imagined only concealed them from
the dreaded proprietor. The thorns prckeC
sorely; but the greater danger which was i'm