New-York tribune., 1902-07-20
FAR ABOVE THE HUDSON
WHERE HOTELS CROWN SUBMITS OF
CATSKILL MOUNTAINS ROMANTIC
1NCIDENTS-THE NATURE
TRUST.

Catskill. N. Y, July 10 (speciaD.-Lool1ng west
ward and upward from this contented. sleepy Rip
Van Wrinkle village. see II the clouds do
not hang too low, the high Colonial porches OF a
great mountain hotel anchored on a cliff edge at
the summit OF the Catskin Mountains II stands a
sentinel guarding the scores OF hotels lodges and
boarding houses to be found on the peaks further
back or nesting in the little mountain gorges A
putting. smoking, narrow gauge train is waiting to
carry you 10 the foot OF the mountain. lodging in
and out among green hills which are entirely
levelled out as soon one ascends the mountain.
Once stages picked their way up and down the
range side. Now inclined railway OF the
steepest in the world. carries straight TO the
summit. ascending 1900 feet IN its length Of 1000
For the first quarter OF a mile the incline is not
surprisingly steep. but when the mountain walls
begin to be almost perpendicular. and the car
seems possessed with the sticking abilities OF ny
many begin TO ask questions.
What would happen II the rope broker de-
manded woman who was making the ascent for
the first time
The safety catch would stop the car. madam
said the man in charge-you couldn't call him con-
ductor. for he does colec; fares and he is not
the engineer for that worthy sits in the stationary
powerhouse at the summit.
And IL the safety catch did not catch?' she de-
manded. The stretch of track falling away below
the making her nervous
This would keep from shooting the chute
answered the man. pointing TO powerless looking
lever. He did not attempt explain how IL
worked In case or emergency and the woman did
ask.
She was reasonably quiet until the car jolted for
some unusual reason. Now tell me-" she cried
III that lever shouldn't work. where would
60 tor
That madam" he said. would depend entirely
on your past life"
She angry that she forgot to worry-which
was just well, for there is no danger.
That the view from the Mountain House is beau
tiful has been testified for eighty years by the
after summer without single lapse, They have
written about II in all superlative terms. such as
wonderful" most famous" "grandest in the
world" exquisite" enchanting beauty beyond
aught have from mountain top before"
beauty beyond reach of words.' and An
army of girls have pronounced IL perfectly
lovely" and young men have answered, Isn't it a
corker?" But none has expressed II better than
the colored nanny who. has grown old with the
hotel, and who says; Dat view is de mos splen-
difcrous what eber was created or eber will be
Various things besides the scenery bring summer
visitors to the Catskills Some come because IL is
cooler and more quiet than the seashore North
Woods; others like the bracing effect OF the air
and climb about the rocks like strenuous wild
things They surmount impossible cliffs and pass
through a hundred mountain dangers without ever
knowing it, Others content with the easy
walks about the hotel and consider life too short 10
climb the nearest peak.
Just the guests the Mountain House and
the Hotel Kaaterskil interested in a new ro-
nance of South Mountain. the 25O1 foot peak which
separates them. The mountain. bunch , wild
tiger lilies which grew the side. two men and a
pretty girl concerned.
This is the girls second summer at the Kaaters-
kill, and she knows the joys of mountain climbing
When one OF her young men, the who led in
the race for her favor last winter. came out to
spend Sunday. she lost time in starting up the
mountain with him. She scorned the trail and led
him merry race over rocks and massive powders
and through tangled underbrush. for the CatskilIs
do not rise to the scrub timber line. AT last she
was content rest the verge of a shelving cliff
Twenty feet below them three monster tiger lilies
grew out of soil filled crevice in the rock What
beautiful lilies!" she exclaimed.
He made move TO get them for her She
picked tender pink and red vine which grew
NJ their feet
DO you know what this is?' she asked
He student of nature and could not tell
Ter.
"It is love vine" she said. when | was a girl
used to throw piece OF 1t over my shoulder
mark the spot where IL fell. and return in a few
lays to see if 1t had taken root and growing"
And If It was?' he asked
THAT meant he loved me. and | was happy"
You don't have TO throw love vines now" said
lie. You Know that he loves YOU"
Perhaps" she responded And how about those
lies? l want carry them back to the hotel
But look whera they arei'' he exclaimed
"A strong man should be able to get them with
ut much trouble
And he might tumble over the cliff" added The
My man about. I'm not taking chances"
ON the way back TO the hotel he gathered a great
rmfu of pink laurels for her and some golden
cd, which bloom on these heights much earlier
han In less favored parts. But they did not please
er. and she gave them TO the children as she
assed through their playground back OF the hotel
The following day this maiden again tramped
YER the mossy paths OF South Mountain this time
18th a man from the Mountain House. They drank
18th the einns at Fairy Spring. and soon came to