Willmar tribune., 1908-10-07
Edgerton's
...Farm.
Copyright. 1908. by James A. Edgerton.
This matter must not be reprinted with
out special permission.1

Copyright. 1908. by James A. Edgerton.
This matter must not be reprinted with
out special permission.1
Up the Hudson.
There Is something about a broad
expanse of water that bewitches the
soul. The scene reaches it's greatest
charm at sunset and takes on a mys-
tic character by moonlight. It has
been my fortune recently to come up
the Hudson several evenings by boat.
This is one of the experiences the gods
on Olympus missed. If they were to
return to the earth l am sure they
would change their abode to the ton
of Mount Taurus in order that they
might be in easy distance of a trip up
the Hudson.
No description can convey an idea
Of the majesty Of the great river, skirt
ed as it is by lovely shores, on which
nestle pleasant villages, fine country
seats, Palisades, mountains and his
toric scenes. The river itself is really
an arm of the sea, the tides flowing
nearly to Albany and salt water ex-
tending above Peekskill, distance of
more than forty miles from the mouth.
The Atlantic shore has been sinking
for centuries, and the sea has thus in
vaded the land Arthur Brisbane once
called the Hudson "a drowned rlyer.'
At its widest points, in Tappan and
Haverstraw bays, the Hudson is four
miles from bank to bank. For twenty
miles along the west shore extend the
abrupt Palisades. For more than ten
miles up the east side lies the city of
New York, which is continued in an
almost unbroken line of suburbs by
Yonkers, lrvington, Tarrytown, Ossi-
ming, Croton, Peekskill and other beau
tiful villages almost to the Highlands,
or forty miles of city, villages, ham
let's and beautiful homes.
The start of the trip has the Pail
sades upon the left, and one imagines
that nothing could be more beautiful.
Then as the boat swings out into the
Tappan Zee he is willing to admit that
this is still better, but is now certain
that nothing more charming can be
found. He labors under this illusion
until he threads his way into the High
lands, and there he reaches the acme
l remember one sunset as it shone
across Haverstraw bay. 1t is called a
bay, but is only very broad section
of river. For miles the golden glory
lay across the water. There is a spir-
1tual suggestion in such a scene. /
have never been able to determine lust
what it is. There is hint of infinite
pathways, CLEAN Of faroff goals. If
all our dreams are not false and we
have racial or individual memories
antedating birth, perhaps this shining
expanse brings "reminiscences of other
golden days.
Why try to analyze the spell? It IS
one Of those immortal things that elude
definition. At such time it is enough
to be and to absorb. The sun is set
ting over Stony Point, the Stony Point
made illustrious by Mad Anthony
Wayne during the Revolution. The
serrated peaks above wear a tint that
will never be reproduced by a paint
er's brush. Back a little way we
passed Sunnyside and Sleepy Hollow,
that the pen of Irving made even more
famous than the sword Of Wayne did
Stony Point. John D. Rockefeller
now flourishes in the same neighbor-
hood, bringing very gross form of
wealth into a scene once made really
rich by genius.
Passing Stony Point and Verplank's.
we are abreast of Peekskill. This old
village gave rise to Chauncey NJ. De-
pew, but not his humor. That is still
more ancient.
Above Peekskill the river narrows
into the Highlands. Bear mountain
and AnthOny's Nose overlook the gate
way. Here the Hudson is like sue
cession of lakes in the mountains of
Switzerland. On the night l am de-
scribing the moon had risen and was
shining with misty light over peaks
and river. The dim radiance made the
buildings on West Point look like tenn
pies of peace rather than Of war: Old
Cro'nest reared dark shoulders against
the Sky. This fine double mountain
that the cadets at West Point practice
shooting at and sometimes hit is said
to be the scene Of Joseph Rodman
brakes "Culprit Fay" It is probably
true, as the fairies are still there. NV
little girl told me so. George p. Nor
ris Of "Woodman, Spare That Tree"
fame also sang of Cro'nest, which
greeted him every morning as he look
ed across the river.
Here. however, end both the High
lands and my journey, and 1 am at
home once more on my little tucked in
farm.