The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-08
IN SLEEPY HOLLOW.
A8Gsxlnssses to tho Graves OF Noted Amer.
lean Authors.
Especial Correspondence

lean Authors.
Especial Correspondence
NEW YoRK. Sept. 25.-For the past al,
weeks there have come to New York from
England probably a greater number Of per
eons whose destination Is the Worlds fai
Than The total number of all those wht
Same for that purpose during the proceed
Ing three months. Some of the passenger
agents and hotel proprietors say tina,
b Der is, in fact, more than doubl,
that which represented earlier arrivals
And 1t has been noticed that for the most
part these visitors make inquiries not rs
70 the best way to see the notable sights Of
New York city and vicinity, but as to the
Fontc to the home and grave of Washing
Ton Irving.
So it has happened that during these days
of early fall there have been noticed many
,pilgrimages to this historic spot. and it
seems as though scarcely a person has come
from England to America who has not had
IN mind a visit to Sleepy Hollow, to Wool
,fertSs Roost and to the place made immor.
tai by Washington Irving through his mar
ration Of the adventures of Ichabod Crane,
with the headless horseman pursuing him.
' This disposition is, however, not Il new
one. Although many Americans every wear
visit this place, yet it has been noticed ever
since the death of Irving that it is the GUS
tom Of distinguished Englishmen who visit
America to spend a day amid those scenes
which Irving made the delight of tho Eng
fish speaking world, while there have been
thousands of Englishmen not known to
fame to whom it has seemed to be a high
privilege to have been permitted to look
upon Sleepy Hollow or to cast a tribute of
affection upon Irving's grave. During this
summer many flowers awe been thrown
upon the turf which is over his remains,
but SO far the yandals have left the new
tombstone untouched. For q long time
after his death it was impossible to prevent
the dissertation of relic hunters. They
s.chipped away the first tombstone erected
iSspver his grave within a few months.
X Some time after q new marble slab was
erected in the place of the one thus de-
stroyed, Bit by bit that was broken into
until at last it had been practically lev
.eled with the grave, and the pieces that
We're broken from it were SO small that it
seemed as though there must have been
several hundred bits taken away before de-
struction was complete.
Another tom bstore was put mp some time
after, n that, too, was destroyed in the
1saine way. Now there stands at the head
OF the grave a email marble slab recently
put there containing simply the announce
ment Of 1rving's birth and death and the
words washington Irving"
The places are little changed OF which IT.
wing wrote in his 'Sketchbook, land Wool
fert's Roost appears almost exactly as it
did upon the day of his death. That is a
quaint mansion built by the Dutch more
than 200 years ago, standing almost exact
~ rs it did when it was completed, with
the exception of the pretty Italian tower
which Mr.. Irving added to it, Irving's
.neices, who were his companions in that
house after his return To the United States
from his service as minister to Spain, still
live there. but they have been compelled
80 deny themselves and the house to
chance visitors, although persons who come
with letters of introduction are cordially
received. They have done so because 9th
!erwise they would be. especially in the
summer, overrun with visitors. The |
grounds, however, are free to any one who
chooses to wander through them.
1t is no unusual sight to see a group of
visitors standing upon the banks of Sleepy
Hollow looking with something of awe
and yet with delight at the remnants of
the pier which supported one end of the
bridge over which Ichabod Cranes immor-
N~N ADAc t@' ttehNAia 1llA SutSt DiTIlpS naV- !
Ing thus gaZcd at the visible evidence that
such bridge did e@ist then turn their ewes
to the quaint Dutch church with it's ia
nous and openly exposed bell, and with
the two vanes, one pointing one way and
one another, which Irving so delightfully."-
described.
Sometimes these English parties are Der
suaded to go a little farther along the high
way, whore they may see a monuuaent
standing upon the spO: where history was
made and where mighticr and even more
Immortal events were done than those de-
scrlbed by irving in his story, for it is
q stones throw from Sleepy Hol-
low that the mnGumen6 stands upon the
spot where the three young miIitiamen
Major Andre and thus frustrated
contemplated treason of Benedict Ar.
nold.
James Russell Lowell used to saw that
,he finest tributes paid by Americans are
hose offsred almost daily ut the tombo of
and at that of Washington
for 1t is 4 fact that to Mount Yer.
ION and 10 T~alrytown there go constantly
hose who wish thus to signify the esteem
md regard in which they hold the fame Of
hose two men. d in his way the great
st that America has produced. There are
10 other pilgr!magcs to the grave or home
# my American an5tor who has departed
which are like those which are made al
most daily to what was once the home and
he spot where now Washington Irving lies
Cooper's burial place attracts scarcely
my INTEREST. excepting among those sum-
ner visitors who happen TO be in it's vicin-
ty. The friends % Miss Alcott strew flow
re rrnI ha~ txrorn 1-,+ -,