The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
WALKING IN TEE COUNTRY.
A Pleasure Public Opinion Ffowns on In
the AdIrOndAeks.

bAO fNNA lAON
walking for waIking's sake seems TO be
inoomprehensible to the country mind, ,
said an athletic New York girl Il would
as soon omit my dinner as my constitutional;
in fact, the two are logically connected,
end this spring, when I, spent several
weeks in an Adirondack village, I expected
to revel in long country tramps.
sTbe first day after my arrival / walked
over to the railroad station, two miles
away. That attracted no particular at
t~ention. / suppose people thought / had
business over there and was too poor to
hire a rig.
sThe road was good and the distance
about right, % the, next day l walked over
there again. This time II seemed a little
strange that 30 many persons should be
sweeping of their front porohes or ar
ranging their parlor shades at the exact
moment Of my passing.
.IMy third trip, though, made pretence
supertluous. Women oame rushing TO the
doors, the dishwster dripping from their
hands; the men at the station suspended
all business as soon as / came In sight, and
even the children left their play to follow
in my wake. There was something hostile,
too, in many OF these stares, and returned
to my boarding house feeling guilty Of I
knew not what.
at didn't surprise me much when my
landIady beckoned me into her room after
dinner and said that as long az ] was under
her roof she deemed IL her duty to tell me
l was laying myself open TO grave charges.
/ meekly begged her TO name my crime.
sShe replied that by actual count / had
walked to the station three days in success
sion and that, while she personally tried
to put an innocent construction upon such
conduct, there were many who were con-
WINGED that / was plotting to ALLEVIATE the
affections Of the station agent.
"'He lie a family man. she concluded
severely, with eight small children and
unless you mend your ways q committee OF
ladies will inform his wife,
After that l resolved to cave mankind
and it's suspicious behind me n to strike
out into the open country.
The next day happened to be rainy
but when ! am properly dressed for II
walk in the rain. Accordingly 1 chose a
secluded road and was swinging along
IT at q great pace, breathing deep and
treading on the balls Of my feet, when a
ago overlook me. The driver, a pleasant
faced young farmer, halted his horse and
Win RitI III iAb AlahOct oniN'
a'Give you a lift, missf
II thanked him, but said I was walking
for pleasure. He evidently thought / was
pokfng fun at him for his face crimsoned
and he drove on very fast.
sTravel seemed TO be in my direction
that morning and soon another driver
overlook me. He, too, commiserated me.
He, too, was offended at my refusal to be
lifted. -.
offer TO take me In, but she did stop and
ask what on earth was the matter. l
~pleadedlmy cause as we'll as l could, but she
commented on the longevity. Of fools and
spiasl71 nfo with snuI as sic ~vcorntuiiy
drove on. .,-.
sThese encounters were go seriously
interfering with the pleasure Of my walk
that made up my mind II / heard another
WAGON behind me I would hide behind q
stone wall oil. pretend TO be deaf n dumb
till it passed. For some time ] bowled
along In peace, then ! discovered some
one driving toward me.
Feeling secure from the lifts since the
traveller was bound villaReward j adj
vanced boldly. When Close TO him I recog-
nized a fellow boarder.
He drew up with a whistle OF amaze
well welIl' he exclaimed, IL this isn't
lucky for youl Why, you've lost your
bearings completely. Here, get right in
and III carry you home as fast as the colt
He slapped his knee In enjoyment OF
tests bundled me into his stuffy CLOSED
carriage and In the briefest possible time
deposited me again at tbs boarding house.
For the rest OF my stay / exercised by
climbing imaginary 6tairs In the privacy
OF my bedroom, but ] never again out
RACED public opinion by taking a walk