INTRODUCTION. xi 



no chills and fever, and which is not too remote from 

 city life and its attractions, it is as near to Paradise 

 as this world permits. 



There are many such places near New York. 

 Gorgeous villas dot the banks of the Hudson, and 

 congregate together thickly on Staten Island ; there 

 are beautiful spots along the coves of Westchester 

 County, and persons who do not mind expatriating 

 themselves go to Jersey; but there is one locality 

 that far surpasses all others. The steep banks of the 

 Hudson, cut off as they are from the westerly winds 

 by the Palisades and higher hills beyond them, are 

 uncomfortably hot ; Staten Island is overrun by sour- 

 krout - eating, lager - beer - drinking, and small -bird- 

 shooting Germans, who trespass with Teutonic de 

 termination wherever their notions of sportsmanship 

 or the influence of lager leads them; Westchester 

 County, like some of our famous prima, donnas, is 

 fair to look upon, but great on shakes too much so 

 for perfect repose ; and Jersey will be a pleasant 

 place to live in when the inhabitants, individually 

 and as a government, cease to live off strangers. 



The locality referred to the chosen spot of this 

 earth the Eden of a country village has none of 

 these drawbacks. An invigorating breeze blows over 

 pure salt marshes ; Germans do not trespass nor 



