.

Steamboats of improved model and of increased size seemed to spring up
every day, and might be seen passing up and down the Hudson night and
morning. Now a company of reckless New Yorkers proposed to build a
steamboat two hundred feet long, and with an engine of one hundred and
fifty horse power, to navigate the Hudson to Albany at the rate of
thirteen miles an hour. This great experiment, regarded so hazardous at
that time, sent the honest and peace-loving Dutchmen along the banks of
the river into such a state of alarm that they called meetings, and in
the most solemn manner declared that no man's life would be safe while
sailing at such a dangerous rate of speed. And they further declared
that all these new-fashioned methods of putting an end to the lives of
honest people must be stopped. In fine, they predicted nothing but
distress and ruin on all who had anything to do with them.

It was at one of these meetings, held in Nyack about this time, and
presided over by the school-master, that a number of these honest and
peace-loving old settlers resolved, after much grave deliberation, that
a man who paid his debts and was contented with what he had was the only
true Christian. And it was further resolved, that the world was getting
to be very wicked and very full of foolish people, who were in such a
hurry to get to the devil before their time that they had devised these
steamboats to carry them. And seeing that it was neither wisdom nor
prudence for honest people to travel on such craft, they would also not
send their vegetables to market on them.

This resolution was kept good for a number of years, the honest people
who made it firmly believing that all good and prudent persons would
follow their example, and in that way drive the steamboats from the
river. Alarming as these things were, there were others which fairly
frightened these honest people out of all their courage. The gossips had
gathered in force at Titus Bright's inn one night, to enjoy a pipe and a
mug of his new ale. There was the school-master, and Doctor Critchel,
and Hanz Toodleburg, and other choice spirits, who knew all about the
affairs of the nation. When they had discussed all manner of subjects,
Titus drew from his pocket a newspaper and read, to the astonishment and
evident alarm of his guests, that a man in England had invented a
machine to do away with horses. The doctor set down his ale and adjusted
his spectacles, and gazed at the s