The sun., 1896-08-02
pH1LIPPA IN THE WOODS.
hDTENTUREs IN THE EADIRoNDACK
AND ON THE WAY THITHER.

| OF the AgVoIutOn-A fit OF SonNeren-
tion Overheard - Mosauitoes and the
| Camp Fire-Fhiiippa's Mountain Dream.
It must havo been as carly in the season as
! March that Philippa and decided 10 come to
| the Adirondacks for the heated term. The de-
| oision once reached we did not let II lapguish
| for lack Of attention. We told It to all our
| friends and received their congratulations with
as little lordly superiority as we could manage
| 20 express. don't think we allowed even our
chance acquaintances to remain in ignorance Of
| our plans. In fact Frances and Adele, who were
| going no further than the fastnesses of West
chester county. and we're therefore not in q po-
sition to speak without envy. shifted at us. veal
there lie no other wordi and said that any body
| could tell that we had never been in tho Adiron-
dacks because we talked so much about IL. But
| VIC were not to be discouraged by any OF these
mean and unworthy exhibitions OF envy.
"wo nre going to spend tho summer in the
| Adj iondaoks," we remarked whcnover We had
q ch6nce, and we rolled the sentence as o sweet
morse under the tongue.
Frahcoss haunting remark that people would
know we had never before visited tho Adiron-
dacks was entirely uncaled for. any way, for We
always asked the PERSONS advice about when
we should go. thus revealing at the outset our
uninitintcd condition.
This advice. to do justice to our friends. was
always forthcoming. Nine.tenths OF them ap-
peared to know all about the Adirondacks. and
counsellcd us to go to the particular place
which they frequented. The other tenth knew
nothing whatever about the Adirondacks and
seemed to take more pride In their ignorance
than the nine.tenths did in their knowledge.
They treated our purpose at first as II 1t were q
slight mental alteration or an error in judg-
meut of which they would speedily cure us:
and. when we persisted in 1t, they ostentatiously
pitied US. This only reacted on them, however,
for we simply refrained from r-much con-
versation with them. and limited our inter-
course to the knowing ones who could tell us
all about 10.
What we want" thus would we put the
case. +" Is n place in the woods with q lake,
opportunities OF mountain climbing. and good
view. 1t must be wild, yet comfortable not
fashionable. but refined; henltnful. but not full
of invalids."
We regarded this statement as q triump phant
multum in parvo OF description. Our friends
would listen and then nod their heads.
Yes know Just what you want You want
to go TO -" and then they would recommend
some place which was on top Of a glarng hill,
with no trees within half mile. or q place
without n drop OF water except probably in
sufficient supply in the wash pitcher. or big
hotel where people dressed three or four times
day. and wore decolette gowns and diamonds
III ulnneT. perhaps q banltarlum given over
to people wOh fractional lungs.
1t was discouraging. and yet we never lost
heart. Never, that is, until we stopped at Sara
toga on our way to the mountains and were
told that 1t would be hot" in the Adiron-
dacks /. This was a fate which we had never
contemplated. Goodness was the one thing we
had confidently expected in the great North
Woods. The very name seemed as IL the mer-
curry must go down before it. Tho SaratoGans,
we have since concluded must have taken q
profouad but natural liking to US and wanted
US to tarry with them. They very nearly
accomplished their purpose. but when we had
sampled some seventeen of the thirty-eight
mineral springs and had almost tasted death as
consequence We concluded to take Our lives
and thermometers in our hands and see what
the wilderness had In store for us.
So we came along by train and boat to West
port. on Lake Champlnin. and thence by stage
TO the very heart of the wilderness. where we
found a place that seemed to have been made
to order to suit our very desires. It certainly
was wild, for tho virgin forest cncompassed It
in every direction. 1t was comfortable. too. We
agreed. with q sigh of relief, put our tired
selves to bed the first night. There were noun
tains and little lake and miles on miles of
trails-nll in the woods, however. and none on
the dinner gowns-and 1t was healthful. az we
found to our satisfaction after we had gained q
pound day for week; yet was the contingent
of guests already on hand so healthy that
Phljppa was looked upon with dark suspicion
when she happened to give o harmless little
cough. We were more than satisfied. We were
in the heart OF the wilderness. and the wilder
ness in its turn. seemed in a fair way TO find it.
self enthroned in our hearts. so nightly did
we take to it. We were up on the tower the
night after we came ookng at the great circle
of mountains around us.
what are you thinking about ?" said to
Phlippa for she was regarding Mt. Marcy with
q Quizzical sort OF smile.
"Oh. was just thinking how much alike
things may be and yet how different"
What do you mean"
II was thinking Of the Daughters"
"What daughters2"
The Daughters of the American Revolution
who were ut Saratoga. was comparing them
with the mountains. suppose those mountains
are old as the very oldest Of the Daughters.
Don't You think sof"
- really think they are"
:, And, yet they don't look IL" judioially.
There's old Marcy. He's baldheaded. TO be
sure. but otherwise nc doesn't show mis- age
And yet he doesn't seem to try hnlf as hard TO
with their powder and their false fronts. Why
do they take 80 much @ trouble AMI, any way to- ac.
aneesrai s M H enearh tnemselyes mise % '""A '"ey were
nave no fseiine oi pride In the achievements OF
"Oh yes / have! There was one for whose
early taking off have always felt q tender re-
greet. He had as the record OF the family In
forms us. achieved a liberal competence at tho
time of his death, which unhappy event oc.
CURED at tho early age OF thirty. cant re-
member any other forefathers who achieved
much OF anything, but then haven't the facts
about them all. There was n woman down at
Saratoga who toI told me she had traced her ances-
try back to 400 Is. G.. When asked her how
she knew that the Bee-Ceers were her lawful
ancestors she said, very conclusively. that she
had 1t in q book II could get book like
that. maybe | would be more interested in my
antecedents but, as i is think moro of con-
temporaneous events"
"Philippa!" cried. holding up protesting
hand.
whats the matter2"
YOU'RE not going to talk about the money
question! Not up here in the woods!"
What money question ?" In wonder.
Never mind" seeing that had made q mis-
take and hoping to avoid its consequences.
face frightened.
"Oh. you mean free silver and all that sort Of
thing! Humph! There's only one money ques-
tion which interests me now. and that Is. How
long CAN stay here on my slender savings2
Don't expect mo to consider money from any
nj her iut nf vi ieyy fnr hn tun hs