New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-04
"EDyBLE. Potable IND FIMACEOto.

nov , ,,,tc,sr FE0M 4 GJTDE.3OOK PUZZLED
THE PROPRIETOR OF TIE BEACON Inn
Their. IS no doubt that the big words puzzled and
| vexed him. And vet they were an exact quo.a'oh
| from, the ruide- book. Edible potable ana TUNA
| caons.-that is Just what the book said. TO MAKE
sure one of the party produced the guide-pook anu
| triumphantly pointed to the passage
| Here IL IS you see. in black and white anu
Won can't get away from it. They are onto you
,,ho,,, any doubt: and he proceeded TO read as
follows:
.'IJalf a mile more in the course or winch one
gets some very interesting outooks eastward over
| tho Hudson" ceastward" is, of course Il sip Vi
the pen or typographical error for just Inc oppo-
site) "Newburg and the adjacent country Drihss
| the walker the reservoir of the F1shkhi anu
Matteawan Water Company and TO Beacon I'M
the house of the guardian who sells materials for
/ a mountain luncheon. edible potable and fumaceous'
and il very accommodating in respect 10 ihiotHia-
ton"
The guardian" looked at the guide-booK curl
ously but there no CLEAN Of comprehension
I'm his eye Then noting that the height OF the noun
tain as put down in the book did not agree WIN
what party OF surveyors had ascertained last
wear he revived and said with considerable ANNA
ton:
"who is that fellow. any way? That fellow has
got 1t all wrong lie don't know anything ABOUT
it,"
The
party of three NEWCOMERS. wearying OF the Guy
and longing for a frst-hand touch with Nature,
had made an early start for South Beacon the
highest of the Highlands of the Hudson. which ~
easily accessible from the vicinity OF NewDurg OF
FishkiIl. 1t stands some two or three miles pack
from the Hudson, the east side, and derives i's
name from the fact that on its summit-a most
commanding viewpont-beacon fires were kindieu
during the Revolutionary War. On hot SUNDAY
the ascent of the mountain Is hot work. although
there is steep climbing. for the road ana ioo'-
path lie open to the burning sun most OF the way
The three were warm and trife weary when they
hove in sight of the modest little structure mag
niloauently styled the Beacon Inn.
The natural question, rs the Beacon lnm)! WAS
answered by the before entoned guardian. VINO
gladly welcomed his visitors and gave them 'he
freedom of his restricted quarters. Tney were ne
said the first people he had seen that day. athous"
II was then an hour past noon ana ne
was in a melancholy frame of mind on accouh, Oh
the apparent decsdence OF interest In the mountain
because of the opening OF park with superior
attractions somewhere down in the Va"e!' i'e
produced the best that his establishment ahoroeu
In the way of shaking the thirst OF the 'hnsV'
and il was while the process or eating anu uiihhe
was going that the startling statement VI VI,
guide-book was sprung upon his attention. lie oid
not turn pale but ne apparently not hlue
disturbed
The words edible potable and fumaceous were
repeated number of times during the party stay
at the resting place. through when a cooi anu
refreshing breeze played freely. and though 'ne
curiosity of the man most concerned was evidently
deepv aroused he refrained from asking the mean
ing Of the mysterious terms: lie resoiutely tried
to dismiss the matter az OF tri'ing lmp s' hj
after his first sensation of alarm ana VeNauoh hau
passed away. $780, a.. a,,,,..,t, r.,
On the return of the party from the summit o,
the mountain. which is perhaps three-IuarteiS VI
a mile farther on the proprietor OF the Beacon Inn
shovel that he had entirely recovered ms couiase
hv himself making some allusion to what that
fellow had said about him. The contempt whicn
he felt for that fellow" was profound the visiors
departed with their guide book leaving tner ann-
lord for the nonce none the wiser as TO the mean
inc Of the puzzling phrase. As they made the
turn in the road and passed out OF siBht OF the
Beacon Inn, they shouted back; .,,x,
Look out now for those things which are edible,
potable and fumaceous'! A., ,,
The man. with expressive wave or me hah1,
appeared TO dismiss the whole SUBJECT from his
mind. 1890 49,, ., ,.o,
derng what that fellow" meant by the strange
Language in which he characterized the modest re-
freshments which the modest Beacon Inn, sup.
niles 10 people in search OF the finest and iIost
extensive view be obtained along the HUDSON
ID ixar