Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-02
Up to Valley Green


MADR1GAL had bad cold and I was
trumpeting with hay fever and we set
off for consolation in tramp along the
Wissahckon. In the drowsy stiffness of
late August afternoon, with a foreboding
of autumn chill already in the air, we sneezed
and coughed our way along the lovely ra-
vine. Those lonely glades, that once echoed
to the brisk drumming of horses hoofs, rang
with our miserable sternutations. The rocky
gullies and pine scented hillsides became for
one afternoon the Vallombrosa of two valetu-
dinarians. Thoughts of mortal perishment
lay darkly upon us. We had lunched gor-
geously with a charming host who was suf-
fering with sciatica, and had described this
affection to us as n toothache as long as
your leg. Then the Ridge avenue car car
ried us between two populous cities of the
dead-Laurel Hill and Mount Vernon Gem
eteries. Was this 1--WE thought) the begin
ming of the end?
FTIHE Ridge avenue car set us down at the
l. mouth of Wissahickon creek. We each
got OUT cltou nuhuhSiSh'Sh iiVii :" Aip
pocket and determined to make brave fight
against the dark angel. Under the huge
brown arches of the Reading Railway, which
have all the cheering gayety of an old Roman
aGueduct. we entered the valley of enchant-
ment. At this point it occurred to us that
the ancient Romans were really prohibition
lists at heart, since it was on aqueducts that
they lavished the funess of their structural
genius. They never bothered with vino
ducts.
Perhaps Philadelphians do not quite real
ize how famous the Wissahickon valley
is. When my mother was a small girl in
England there stood on her fathers read
ing table a silk lampshade on which were
painted little scenes of the worlds loveliest
beauty glimpses. There were vistas of
Swiss mountains, Italian lakes. French ca :
thedrals, Dutch canals, English gardens.
And then. among these fabled glories, there
was a tiny sketch of a scene that chiefly
touched my mothers girlish fancy. She did
not ever expect to see it, but often, as the
evening lamplight shone through it; her eye
would examine it's dainty charm. 1t was
called 1.-THE Wissahickon Drive, Philadel
phia, u. S. A" Many years afterward she
saw it for the first time and her heart
jumped as hearts do when they are given a
| chance.
TIME lower reach of the creek, with it's
l. placid green water, the great trees lean
| ing over it, the picnic parties along the
western marge and the little boats splash
| ing about. is amazingly like the, Thames at
| Oxford suppose all little rivers are much
| the same after all but the likeness here Is
! so real that I cansot forbear to mention
| it. But one has an uneasy sense, as one
| walks and watches the cleaning motors that
| fit by like the whizz of the Ancient Mari
ner's crossbow, that the Wissahickon has
seen better days. The days when the horse
was king, when all the old inns were hustle
| of rich food and drink, and the winter aft
erpoons were a ringle- Jingle of sleigh chimes
| Then one turns away to the left, into tht
stiffness of the carriage drive, where motors
are not allowed, and the merry clop- clor
| of hoofs is still heard now and then. Tive
elderly gentlemen came swiftly by in q
bright little gig with red wheels, drawn
by spirited horse With what a smiling
cheer they gazed about them, innocently
happy in their lifelong pastime! And ye
there was certain pathos in the sight. Two
old cronies, they were living cut the goot
old days together. Only few PAGES OF
| was the abandoned foundation of the Lotu.
Inn And I remembered the verses IN which
1 AIadrigal himself, laureate of Philadelphia