Evening star., 1923-09-15
The Library Table
BY THE BOoKLovER

AS the booklover sits on the piazza
of his Adirondack camp ne feels that
/ he is harmoniously occupied in read
ing Alfred L. Donaldson's two-volume
History of the Adirondacks." He is
Finding this book especially interest
ling because he himself, beginning
with early childhood and continuing
to the present time, has spent many
summers in the Adirondacks and has
lpersonal recollections of some of the
history of the North Woods" The
book is, however, SO we'll written and
illustrated that It is very readable
for any reader, and I am sure that
1t must already have sent many
hastening up to these mountains to
camp and follow wild trails, or at
least to motor and be lazy at some
| cottage surrounded by sweet-smelling
| fir woods.
| The first chapter of "a History of
the Adirondacks" is concerned with
the geography Of the region, located
In New York state, north of Lake
George, west of Lake Champlain and
south OF Canada. "Geographers
usually include them (the Adiron-
dacks) in the Appalachian system.
but geologically they are related to
the Laurentian highlands of Canada"
tThen follow chapters on the dis
coyery of the mountains, by Samuel
| de Champlain: the Indians found
there; early ignorance but growing
knowledge of the wilderness to the
north of them by colonial New
Workers, and finally, nearly 200 years
after Champlain's discovery, the
earliest settlements. The stories OF
the various purchases, tracts and set
Elements and the pioneers who made
them locally famous occupy succeed
1 ing chapters. Among the pioneers
were William Gilliland. Joseph Tot
ten. stephen Crossfield. the Jessups,
Charles Frederick Herreshoff and
John Brown of Providence, II. /. This
John Brown, who owned u tract of
10000 acres, chiefly in Herkimer
county, is often confused with John
1 Brown of Osawatomie, the abolition
ist, who was hanged at Harpers Ferry
in 1S59--a far better known figure in
! United States history than the re-
spectacle Providence merchant, who,
\ by the way, vigorously defended
slavery when he was a member of
Congress.
The most interesting chapters of the
book are perhaps those devoted to
Adirondack celebrities. One chapter
tells the whole story OF John Brown
of Osawatomie, who bought farm in
the town OF North Elba in 1S4s, which
he made his home. his headquarters
for abolitionist activities and a refuge
for escaped slaves until his tragic
death ten years later. Here, by the
SIDE OF a great bowlder. john Brown
| files the United States flag. Here also,
IN 1883, with funeral ceremonies. We're
inferred beside John Brown the bodies
of ten of his followers. which,
through the efforts of persons inter
! ested, had been disinterred and
brought to North Elba for reburial
The Booklover remembers attending
service as child at the little white
church at North Elba, and hearing
the singing led by several members OF
the Epps family-a negro family
] Brown.
The history of DR.. Trudeau. pioneer
in the modern treatment OF tubercu-
losis. and his original sanitarium at
| Saranac Lake. is told in several chap
ters. Coming to the Adirondacks as a
young man, in last effort to fight
the disease which was rapidly getting
the better of him. DR.. Trudeau re-
ceived benefit, remained and devoted
his life to the relief and cure of suf-
ferers from tuberculosis. Today Sara
| nae Lake is one of the worlds best
known places of treatment for the
! disease. 1t was here that Robert
Louis stevenson spent the winter Of
| lsS7-1SSs, and chapter is given to
his life and writing in the Baker
. & 1ty lyr
! as the Stevenson cottage" The chan
ter on Paul Smith, dean of pioneer
| guides and hotel men," pictures a
unique personality-a rough but
| shrewd woodsman who became "a fad
with people of wealth and fashion"
and died a millionaire. Reduced to
{ It's simplest terms" says Donaldson,
| there is little doubt that the founda-
tion OF PauPs success lay in his wife's
ability TO cook good dinner, and in
| his own to tell good story He
joked with a millionaire just as he
did with anybody. else. Perhaps the
| novelty of being treated like a man,
| instead of like a bank account, ap-
pealed to the millionaire. Something
did, at all events, for he and his kind
kept coming to the place paul
Smiths on st. Regis Lake, in ever
increasing numbers. Before long they
| began buying land and building paIa-
tial camps upon II, and Paul. of
| course, sold them the land, the lum-
! ger anu their supplies.
n y 4
Special chapters are given to the
more important towns and resorts of
the Adirondacks, as Saranac Lake.
Lake Placid. Keene Valley, Ausable
Forks, Upper and Lower Jay, Raquette
Lake. Long Lake. Blue Mountain
Lake and Adirondack Lodge. The
burning of Adirondack Lodge. at the
foot of the Marcy range, and the ruin
of the dense first-growth forest about
IL by the terrible forest fire of 1903,
together with the 1ast-moment es-
cape of "Mr. Van" CHenry Van Hoe
venberg), the builder and presiding
deity of the Lodge, form a most dra-
on Adirondack Murray, the most IA
nous OF the early guides; Mount
Marcy and the Source of the Hudson.
Old Stage Lines and Drivers, The
Philosophers Camp, Old Military
Roads and laundering.
| 4
A rather sensational but thorough
ly truthful book on the narcotic busi-
ness and habit IS "The Black Candle"
by Emily r. Murphy, fancy Canuck,"
police magistrate and judge of the
| Juvenile court, Edmonton, Canada
During six years In the Juvenile and
police courts of Edmonton Mrs. Muir
ply has had many opportunities to
observe the effects Of narcotics on all
| sorts of human beings. She is con-
vinced that only the most vigorous
4 and sincere contine Mt wide fight can
\ nhlifaraYa n the drug habit uTha BLACK