The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-20
OUR SUMMER RESORTS.
ON THE CATSKILLs.


Above the Clouds at OvcrIook-Tinkling
waterfalls-Shady Nooks-FaIls, Flirting
and Fun-The Mountains in Twilight
''WoOdlsn nd Flies md Rural Mosquitoes.'
OVERLOOK MOUNTAIN, August 8, 1871.
Everybody Is saying GLOW hot 1t must he In New
York to-dayW The mercury here Is at eighty and
slowly creeping up but the breeze Is deliciously
bracng, aud the mountain are more beautiful than
ever, and all the morning we have strayed ana
stroied and lOunged about our beloved piazza Ia
lazy indifference to everything mundane. Once we
aroused little as the stage drove up TO the back
door to carry two of our mountaineers TO the
city, The departure OF the stage Is an event
nere as well as its arrival. Old and young 60 out
en- masse to enjoy to the full extent the little stir
and hustle consequent upon the.greetings or good.
bys. How we piled the two genial gentlemen
who went OF this morning, as with longing looks
they settled themselves for their descent TO earth;
and we naturally contrasied the dust and noise and
heat OF the city with freshness and stiffness, and
sighed to think that the same stage would soon take
on the same solemn journey. Saddened by the
thought, betook myself TO the woods for consola-
tion and here am, In the shadow OF a huge, messy
rock, vita a mountain spring tinkllng. linking,
dripping dripping, into little stony basin below.
If should tell you half OF the charms
OF tbs lerny gr0tto you would grow wild with
envy and discomfort / viii content myself with
saying that It is cool. so cool and st-so very, very
stl-only the drip Of the sparkling water and the
hum Of
AN INNOCENT WOODLAND FLY
brcakin the absolute silence. The sunshine rails
through the fresh naples and ragged frs lighting
ND the ferns and Uufted grasses in the deep hOl-
lows and wavering the wet rocks where the
water splashes unsteady I am alone, and yet not
alone. II not, why Doti Simply because there are
mOsquit Oes here. But they gentle, rural Sort
not nearly ravenons metropolitan variety,
and didn't at all mind giving them little blood,
lnasmuch as find that my face gets unbecOmingly
flushed whenever climb.
know OF no sound so exquisitey soothing as the
soft tinkling now Of water messy stones in the
depths Of the woods. say soothing, and yet 1t Is
not drowsy sound; 1t rather stimulates and at the
same time harmoniZes. can understand the de-
light OF the hunters and trapperS and brOnzed old
pioneers who spend months in the woods alone.
The rocks and trees are sentlent for them: The
waterfalls have voice OF meaning; they breathe
freely, which one never does In the presence OF
other human beings II is good to have oil the Oxy-
gen to onc's sell and TO have
PLENTY OF ELBOW ROOM.
shall never be quite satisfied till spend night
In the woods, and nave serious thoughts Of getting
myself lost
Since wrote you last we have had masquerade
ball and religious service. Ine masquerade was an
lmpromptu affair." each lady being her own cOstumer,
anu the result was very credltaole to the artistic
sense OF the persons concerned. There were WnlLe
''' PLUMP LITTLE BODIES
behind their fans; Night floating about covered
with silver stars; grOteSlue little Indians Highland
ieS ssy
they danced, and altogether the evening passed on
merriy sappho the oas oiea or whom spoKe I'm IN
hcr for the entire evening; but heard her talking
about the delights OF literature, and saying with
patnos all her own, Poetry mas been to me ils own
an essay OIL the ElizaDeJhan poets, from winch her
tortured prisoner only escaped 10y a strategy as
cunning as it was ungalant sapplo was dressed
as Marie stuart and only regretted That the heads
man was not present, so that the Characterization
might be carr Cd " the iartne5t extremity.
The religious service SUNDAY afternoon,
and as was not there am unable to tell you mucn
about It, Ii II had been at eieven O'Clock should
probably have attended.
DUrY'S VOICE
might have been heard IN the morning but one Of
the Overlook dinners absolutely Incompatible
with iistening to sermon properly. What SIT
straight up and be preached at In the ater,a.nner
wrappers, lounged 0y the window, IN iul view OF
my beloved hills, while the PARSONS voice came up
and mingled grOtes Iuely with my dreams. Some.
times wondered for moment what ne was say
ing; but soon settled the question by concluding
that l. something about sinners; that didn't at
again concern spaS S9o y ne
deeply felt the cruelty o. making
that poor man preach when nc mad evidently left
his own metropolitan pulpit Tor q Few days respite.
Couldn't he be allowed TO forget Tor little while the
true condition vi the world and believe hlnseit IN
Arcada2 For my own part, IL destroys the perfect
cnarm OF this glorious place hear lar-of
echo oil a sermon. | would fam imagine myself
some unrcasoning, irresponsible creature, needing
only sun ana air and mountains, and mere comes
minister rom Brooklyn. bringing into my paradise
all the ATMOSPHERE OF duty and care and responsi.
me that / have SOUL when l had
almost succeeded IN persuading myself to the con,
trary. SO we bOth inspired, the preacher and
myself, aud by and by, when the mountains are at
their rosiest just after the sun mas sipped over the
farthest slope. and he In his love Of beauty remem-
bers that he IS only man. | shall take advantage
OF his forgetfuness and get hun TO promise that no
will never preach again when lie goes or vacation
ing; and snail do TINS all the more zealOusly be-
cause think like him AMI want nun To rest
As far as i have been able to see there are
no lovers here 0nd think should recognize uleul
II they were present Tney nave pecaa a tnat
though have penetrated in,O most Of the penetra-
bic and some of the lmpene raDle haunt5 about
here have never yet seen anything that reminded
me at all OF lovers am rather sorry, for the
DEAR, COOLING THINGS
do no harm, and are rather picturesque, especially
If you come upon them sud- enly as they sit upon
dangerous rock, holding eacn other up. There are
their pretty ways are often amusing In short, the
poetic and dramatic material Is rather Gr scan1 mere.
who ike To keep cool and quiet.
Now propose 10 tell You eHactiy where we are
and Wnat klnu OIL noun, ans VIC lnnaDlL OVcTIOok
Mountain IL the highest southern point OF the Cats
Kill range, ana process where the mo" nta rs, alter
running nearly parallel with the liu ison turn sud.
denly 10 the west. The overlook House Is built
upon tiny plateau near tine summit, and Is 500
feet higher than the old CatsKlll Mountain House,
winch is near the northcrn limit o. the range. ia
the west and northwest the mountain view Is mag
nlicen.. There Is no sharpness, no ragged outline,
but a great NUMBER OF rounded SUNNI: u.s. not vary
Ing 500 feet In height and densey green nth
forest. When these hills, so nearly uniform are
YELLED WITH DELICATE BLUE HAZE.
the soft. uululating appearance IL charming IN the
extreme. AT the north "Kound Top" anu "Black
IIeadr and their kindred summits stand m grand
monotouy, while always the caresslng SKY bends
over them, now III misty teariulnesS, now radiant
with sunshine.
rhesc ROCKS are ConglOmeraic and that Is tAc Sc
cret of iEeir rounded slopes and woody growths.
As we ST. secure on some gigantic seat ana wonder
how IL IN It's present position there ~ ample
room Tor the Imagination 10 ran riot III speculation
about the great COMMISSIONS thab changed the sea
level ami ieft these watcr-washed rocks hundreds