New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-08-14

A CACNT, white haired man. who had
N the habit of tramping across the con-
K unent every now and then, went up
into Ulster County six years ago and
began to look around for farmhouse He
lad decided to settle down--at the age of
seventy-seven. He wanted cows, chickens,
rail fence, we'll water and che undisturbed
tranquility of an r. f. D. community.
He found his house and moved in. 1t stands
to-day knoll, about ten miles from High
land, N. Y, and commands a fine view Of the
surrounding countryside. A narrow, shaggy
road rises to the front of the house, dips
sharply, and sinks away through the hills.
To the rear of the structure, as if giving pro-
lection against the intrusions of the outside
world, there stands dense forest, the fringe
of its treetops meeting the sky in blend of
blue
For six years the house on the knoll has
been the home of the gaunt, white-haired
known to both the walking and riding
world as Edward Payson Weston, the pedes-
trian. 1t was in 1910 that Mr.. Weston walked
from Santa Monica, Calf, to City Hall, New
York, covering the $500 miles in seventy-sx
days and it was in 1913 that he achieved his
greatest walking feat, going from New York
to Minneapolis Il 800 miles) in sixty days,
at the age of seventy-fve.
Mr.. Weston retired after that For six years
he has farmed and for six years he has had
his COWS and his chickens and his rail fence
and, in addition, tin mail box on R. F. D.
route. But he's about convinced now that he
wasn't made to settle down. he'd like to give
up farming and go back to walking his LIES
work for sixty years. He wants to stage a
come back-at eighty-three!
While he is somewhat uncertain regarding
his future farming activity, he is determined
to take more walk. This walk will be
500-mle affair, the distance to be covered in
about twenty days. He may undertake it
soon, perhaps not for a year or two But
he has promised himself that he will appear
as a pedestrian one more time before he is
ninety.
Edward Payson Weston at eighty-three is
fine picture of health. He says walking did
it. His step is quick and firm, his handclasp
is as strong ever and the twinkle remains
ir his kindly eyes. Whether attred entirely
in white and wearing his two gold watches or
whether dressed in his rough walking clothes,
he presents decidedly picturesque appear
ance, and since he took up his residence in
the house on The knoll he has made friends
throughout Ulster County as he made friends
his record breaking walks It's been fifty
years since he has been i'll, and now, at eighty
three, he eats as he pleases, sleeps as he
pleases and works as he pleases, and says he
feels just about spry as he did in 1909
when he began his walk from Manhattan to
the Pacific Coast The rugged health which
he enjoys permits him to walk nearly
sixty miles every week. Sixty miles week
at eighty-three!
1t seems that all retired world champions
have longing at some time or other to get
back into the limelight, and perhaps Ulster
County isolation has been getting on the nerves
OF the worlds champion pedestrian, title
which Edward Payson Weston carried for
years and years, and which was seldom dis
puted.
81 thought when I retired quit for good"
said Mr.. Weston, as he sat in straight back
cane chair on his front porch, "but l don't
believe l knew how fond of walking l really
was. l haven't decided just where III take
this last walk or when it will be, but it will
be. I'm in great SHAPE physically and am sure
50O-mlle jaunt, stretched a certain
number Of days, wouldn't be too much for
me. Before | get much older I'll be con-
vnced that a be good at one thing,
and only thing | was a good walker.
and farmer I'm pretty bum.
"Maybe somebody about my age would like
to compete with me in 5O0-mile walk l
used to like competition, and can't say that l
would mind it much now"
Mr.. Weston lives on his Ulster County place
with his niece and her adopted son. There are