New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-08-20
TROUT AND TROUT PONDS.

HOW lie HAS bIDChbD 1tiEh 49,
CALEDONIA, Livingston County N H. aug
l6-westem Ncw.York, though surerhc'alJ i"
and uncomfortable IN character, Is huge CURIOSITY snOP
10 the observer who has tme patience ana ln'ui'Ou
enough 20 study her Understandings livery l''io -
and village has It's distinguishing feature u
political or romantic history, It's physicai anu NJ
h,s,.,i odd,es one is conscious OF fresh' breezy
reality about This region strongly In contrast VII" w
dreamy charm that pervades the scenery ana 'o
., arc updsop The very thought Of Sleepy HOBO" %
inconpruous on the broad actually OF tns N'",
y1ats Hendrick Hudson ana MS shauO"S
might wander about O stormy h'kn' -.
e. ~. roror bou,linr.auey than the prOsaicaly dlry
toV,.patb of the Erie Canal Even the tle "a Hoa'
Crane OF the East too ideal creation 10 uU J
,ar, O., the West All the devils OF Seneca ana IuSoa
rora tradition are exceedingly maeroiIact lewis 'eg
like I'm their mandevourlDg ana
proceedipgs All the indian Inadehs VINO eNor uiou '
I've or any other similar nonsense, in this region, were
90 ob5gpg m TO leave their scalps fatal arrow or greasy
,rabak behind them practical proofs OF their IN
teresting exits Everything is objective in foundation
and detail Witness the immense scoop Dohhes
OF century ago in which the girls on the
Pennsylvania border still go TO church. qu'Vo
unconscious of the present ideallty OF IaShlVh'
A WESTERN NETWORK VILLAGE
Inst now the dreames thing one realizes here Is the
s,f deIicous haze which settled with the first August
DAYS over the hills OF Steuben County, visible from many
az the charming drives that surround this queer e VII
LACE of Caledonia Yes, it is queer little yage-queer
IN many OF its natural and spiritual aspects lts duy
picturesque place. very quiet considering that TWO INES
OF rallroad-branches Of the Erie and OF the central
send through daily east and west several trains each
The principal street, famed for the possession OF
one church, two hotels. three stores. hall
dozen wandering chickens, liberty pole and an
accumulation OF ancient ladies who never happened 10
find gentleman capable Of approaching their charms Is
shadeless and deserted these hot days The men are
busy harvesting In beautiful fields surrounding the
village and the ceaseessy poklng loaVes ana
es into their OF them the regular ola Dlck
Dutch ovens beloved OF Godfrey Crayon. Caledonia Is
somewhat noted the good quality of her wheat and
this year the farmers ubant crop excellent in
every respect
This place was settled nearly a century ago by
a score CT Scotch families, and still retains many
OF the characteristics brought by its founders
from their bleak Highland hills 1t is as Scotch IN spirit
as in name Throughout its circle OF inhabitants (some
300 in numberj runs strong undercren Of the stern
orthodoxy of John Knox There two churches IN the
Village-bOth Presbyterian, one DID, the Other Ne"
6chool-but 1t would puzzle Calvin himself to determine
which is the more enent in precept and practice To De
sure the Old School is the most Krklke in appearance
The steepe sitter the seats harder, and the out
look dreaer Both rejoice in the most devouy sereechy
OF oOngre gatioIal singing, and woe be unto
the unlucky wight who ventures to whisper
organ or even meodeon into the ear Of any
worthy deacon or elder One might imagine from their
o.
gous instruments would be the signal for the onslaught
of a few dozen grinnug fends clasping patent pitch
forks aud oyfuly waving their caudal appendages The
minister gives forth the hymn with whechOker solemn
ty whereupOn rseh gray beard Of the flock, deyOuty
ceareh his throat and devoutly pitcheth the tune
1t don't seem right Somehow rife too HIGH or too
lowsO he pauses then tries it again. the congregation
waiting reverentally the while. The second and
oftentimes the third attempt is failure, but at
last he SEXES the happy mean and away goes
the cOncord-I mean dscOrd-Of sweet sounds
in which no two voices harmonize the soprano being
wonderfully aud feariully made and the oasso being
in these churches who There's many deacon
bids the introduction into his household Of VIOLIN and
would expect the earth to open and swallow a son or
daughter who might venture upon prOfane redOwa OF
gaOp But despite these relics Of departing age. the
people a weread and thinking class. THE WEEKLY
TRIBUNE occupies the post OF honor under the lamp, Tn
Rural Ne,c Yorker is tucked up shelf. and Shake
speore Legende and Foxs Martyrs jOstle each other
the bcstro table
SOME QUEER CHARACTERS
In almost every home will find character
fascinating his or her quaint ScOttiosm. Not
the least interesting Of these is the unique old maid
OF the place. who Is so and aesthetic. spghtly and spite
fu who gUes about Summer and Winter in a quilted
hood and cloud Of gossip who takes snuff increasingly
(easOning her appepes with it. say vndictive youth o.
The male persuasiOnl, who abbors man and conyerse
upon every subject from TheOcracy to pickles This per
a
and at the close Of talk" find beside heI
rocker a small graveyard full Of the unfortunate
swOOped Another study is the little cooper, who look
like skye terrier has habit Of smiling, and who make
everybody eyes business his peculiar paying the
most deYout and searching attention to their affairs
AVON sPRIHGs-THE TROUT PONDS.
Occasionally elegant carriage dashes through the
town, filed with fashionable people from the hotels at
Avon Springs seven miles away The Springs are be-
coming every more popular in spite Of the horrible
sandy roads ana the unexamped nasnes Of the sulphur
water The attract the usual crowd Of fast youths
and professional beers who appreciate the charming
position of the and the excellent condition in
which 1t is kept Avon has many handsome residences,
and boasts sort Of Court Journal edited by The Bard,
Col W. H. c. Hosmer, who combines the paradOxical pO-
sOns of ardent Democrat and successful temperance
lecturer Many wealthy Rochester families spend every
Summer here, and 1t Is their stylish equipages that
aound the Caledonans as they rush through the town
their way to its especial charlottesville famous
ponds Of Seth Green.
These ponds lie about half mile from the village in
one OF the most romantic hooks imaginable The stream
from which they are formed Just back Of the vii
lage street. from subterranean apertures in limestone
bottom, spreads out into small and picturesque lake,
Ahen, with gradual decline OF about 10 feet runs north
distance Of two miles, into Oatka Creek, a wanderer
from pennsylvania. The bottom Of the pond Is thickly
covered by vegetable growth, which threatens in
time 10 Ill 1t up wholly but many open spaces are visi-
pe some az Ieast 10 eet ia aeph. At the bottom in
Humersble aPeratures in the rock may be SEEN from
which the water rushes and bubbles up powerfully,
mingled with particles Of sulphur. Most OF the little
springs which feed the pond and creek every side
strongly impregnated with lime and sulphur-both
seeming to have beneficial effect upon the
fish. Tradition says that the pond was once
absolutely alive with trout, but only one or two
huge fellows remain-uncatchabe veterans who hide
under the ends Of the bank and behind the arches OF the
railroad bridge II is pity that with the remarkable
natural advantages the Of the pondnd the