Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-10-21
| DRIVE THROUGH THE EN-
PIRE STATE.
BY JEANETTE n. PHILLIPa

We tarried in New York until Sara
toga was chilly and Long Branch was
deserted, and the season for coaching
had come. Foregoing a fashionable
outfit we determined upon a tour of
our own. Prince and our park wagon
having gone before, we at last took
train for Chenango county, our start
ing point.
A fine morning in late September
found US "booted' and packed "and
ready to ride" Away we go across the
Unadllla around an ''eternal hill" into
the valley of a tributary creek. We
are now in Otsego county. and for
three hours we follow the creek and
zenith use" over the scenery. The
farms of this county lie spread out las
If for exhibition. There is just enough
hill on this side. and just enough slope
On that to give full view of many a full
farm plan. Fences are laid by some
plan strongly suggestive of "crazy
quilt" Has the craze spread from
patch work to fence building, or Vice
persaf The fields are still velvety,
:enderly green. Their surfaces might
empt the very gods and ttans to dance
md gambol The undulations of the
surface ranging from tiny hillocks to
Cstskill Heights, turned and sloped
his way and that, are nearly all
moothed over and rounded off. A
lairy feeding on hilly pasture calls to
mind, "Cattle on a thousand hills"
After dinner and rest we. cross our
creek and begin climb, gra luslly, but
surely, up, up for three miles. We
twist our necks and look back down
fl,a inc
stretch them to look over the steep
hill at our left. Now we are speeding
along level stretch apparently at the
top, but no, another and another climb
must be made before we soc the blue
line beyond that tells of another range.
There before us lies q valley with its
silent village. The top of our ridge is
lonely and suggestive of bleakness even
now. Field and house and cattle near
pinohed wind-swept village are not
pleasant to see. Down through the
village, across the stream and up and
down twice more we go before we
reach our destination where we find
hospitality for few days. While here
we make excursions up and down the
valley, for in Central New York all
roads are limited to valley or hill va
carries. Delightful landscapes are al
ways before us-hill, and field, and
stream with farm groups, as far as the
eye can reach. Cotton or wooden, or
-four, OF lumber mills now and then
form the nucleus of Hobletown or
Catville. In some cases cotton and
wooden mills are in operation and their
puffe of steam by DAY add to the charm
ing views, or the glitter of their lights
after dark, seen from nelghboring
hill, tell us we are ''almost there"
Many of these mills have long lain idle
awaiting the advent of Mckinley bill
Not few have recently announced q
speedy reopening.
One excursion takes us cover the
hills to" CooresstowI. situa,ed at The
foot of Ostego Lake whence flows the
lordly Susquehanna, just here but
willow -arched brook. This village,
like many others in this vicinity is a
summer resort. Hence it is always
ready for company, and an attractive
place. In a grove near the lake are
the ruins Of j. Fennimere Cooper's
residence now little more than hollows
in the ground Hotels, clubs, and So
cieties are known as "The Fennimore"
or "The Cooper" .Cooper's monu-
ment stands to view not far from his
grave in the cemetery on the outskirts
of the village on a wooded hillside fac
ing the lake. At the top of the same
hill half mile further on is Leather
stockings Cave. ''Natly Bumppo"
navigates the lake in the form of a
small ercursicn n steamer.
Another excursion is all around OF
sego Lake, up the East side and d .wn
the West. The first half of our drive
is along a road laid in the forest prim-
eval, high steep hill on our right
and much of the way, an abrupt pre-
cipice on our left through hose trees
we see the CLINT and glimmer of the
lake. One solitary farm house cheers
the way for eight miles with forest be-
hind, and lake in front, and on either
side forest. After crossing an old time
Indian trail, near the head of the lake
we spy at miles distance q white
mansion, imposing and spacious. 1t
is Hyde Hall portrayed in an illustrated
article on country homes in q recent
magazine, and recognized by us
through the article. A little further
on we see the lodge gates and just then
there flashes past us an English turn
out that curves through the gates and
disappears down the private road lead
ing to the Hall, very English idea,
all In all, trsnsplanted to very Ameri-
can soil. A mile farther on we pass IL
store house surrounded by stone dairy,
stone hennery, stone swine house, and
stone reservoir, and faced by I'M
counted OGDEN barns and sheds, the
whole flanked by an immense orchard
tipped up on MT. Wellington's eastern
slope SO that every tree in every row
is visible from below. Pausing to
make inquiry We learn that this place
and yonder Hall are part of the Geo.
Clarke estate once extending over
thousand of acres reaching even to
Cooperstown, and embracing equal ter
ritory in neighboring counties. AT
the top of the hill at the Northern end
of the lake We pass another inhabited
house perched where bitter winds and
driving snow In winter have full play.
Why are houses chosen in suoh un-
lovely spots? At the foot of this long
stony hill We find large stock farm
part of the Clarke estate. A little
farther on we pass lonely road lead
ing to the ancient haunts of gang of
counterfeIters whose bold deeds came
to an luglorIous end, and whose chief
once convict still lives sans ''every-
thing" his mind ''mere oblivion" AZ
ter dinner We are on the West side of
the lake and take in its beauties
through rain and wind.
On October first, hot and bright, we
Journey Northward toward RIchtield
Springs. Our road lies along the
3hores of Schuyler's Lake whose chief
duty on this rare day is to Sc ct ar
est blue of sky and brightest white of
clouds above in shlmmering, 81 arkling
blue and white below. All around the
lake IS q broad phylactory of rarest
dyes and dain,iest weaving. Green and
crimson and scarlet and yellow and
gold, and gold and yellow and scarlet
and crimson and green are realities in
air above and faithful reflection in
far ha1oru -