The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-09-16
Blue Lick Springs.
Correspondence of the Herald.)

Nicholas Co., Kentucky, Aug. 25, 1872
The Qualities OF the Blue Lick Waters-1he Scenery
Around- Rirer and Tunpike-Ihe Hotel there
The Conlpany-Mr. Chy-Dancing-R Riding
Couting- Chit Chat-IHe Ladies-Polities.
DEAR BENNETT
am subscriber to your invaluable paper, and as
daily reader Of it, have been both informed and
amused by your letter writers from the Springs and
other waterlng-paces in the East. | have thought,
as you are no exclusive, you would have no objec-
| ton to hear something from the great West
| write from of the most delightful places
with which beneficent God has at intervals blessed
this earth The Blue Lick Springs have hitherto
| been little known, owing to their never having
been IN proper condition TO entertain vlsiters
The waters far superior to those of your Sarato-
ga, and am told by physicians and travellers SUI
perlor to any in the United States, and equal TO say
the least, TO those of Bath, in England The warm
bath is most delicious, and more potent in its puri-
| flying effects upon the skin, than any thing have
ever tried-intlnltey more effective than that of the
| salt ocean itself.
| We are in the midst of the " Hills of Kentucky"
bounding the view every side with their graceful
| undulatlons. The foliage of the forest trees mo-
desty veIling their bosoms from the open day, like
the robe thrown DER timld beauty's charms serve
only to helghten and aadorn The Licking River
| flows within hundred yards of the house. sweep
ing in graceful curve around US, and is visible
from three sides, or rather its course, marked by
the hills that rise upon its borders. The country
around Is fertile, hlly, and of course romantic.-
The main road, fine turnpike as ever travelled
| on, from Maysvile to Lexington passes in front of
the house within hundred and fifty yards. This is
customary stopping place tor stages, two of which
pass here daily, one from the West by Ike way of
| Lexington, the other from Maysville. This is the
regular mail route and the stages are of the best de-
scription large and comfortable with fine fast hor
ses.
| The " Blue Lick House" itself is well conducted
| by its gentlemanly and oblgng proprietors, the
Messrs. Holiday, who purchased the estate within
| the laet year, and since March last have enlarged
and improved it with remarkable CELEBRITY and con-
verted 1t from a country tavern OF the better Sort
| into an establishment accommodating with ease
from $50 to- 200 visters. This, however, is only the
beginning OF It's Improvement 10 the course of the
ensuing winter and spring, 1t will be enlarged and
prepared to accommodate from four to five hundred
| Though the weather has been exceedingly unfavo-
rable (cod and rainy) during nearly the whole sea-
frequently much crowded. The table is abundant
to overlooking with the best that this fine country
suppy-venson shot in the vicinity, the best Of
beef, lamb veal, the finest mutton in the world-the
best pastry-vegetabes of all kinds, delicious and
fresh from the field, such as the seelhing stalls of
large city supply in fine, every thing that
can provoke or crafty the appetite. So much for
the pace-a place which will take the stand
in the West that Saratoga occupies In the East, and
| will probably offer fair contest for popularity
throughout the Union.
Now let us take squint at the company, and let
me tell you Bennett, have seen your bellies of Sa
ratoga, Rockaway, Long Branch, Cape May, &c
| &C., and will yet put Kentucky against the world
| for pretty girls. Oh, it would do your heart as well
as eyes good, (married though you beg to look upon
these bewitchng creatures, graced with all the
tura beauty of your eastern BELLE but free from her
prim formality and affected airs-simpe hearted
natural and affable--modest without affectation,
arisiocratc without pride-ihey form constella
ton of wit, beauty and responsibility, that many
eastern people would be much surprised to meet
with, in what they ignorantly deem wilderness of
dem savages, at least OF d much inferior to
| themselves.
There have been here during the present season a
large number Of the Marshall familyGthe Johnson's
not least. number Of Cay's family, with the gal.
liant Lord of Ashland himself, looking as well and
hearty as If he had never gone through summer
and winter campaign of civil Generalship, such as
no other could have succeeded in, or if succes-
| full, could have survived at King Hall his age.
Here has also been the hale and hearty old man OF
the revolutionary limestone OF the pioneers of the
west, and early settlers of Kentucky, within few
years of Boone's first settlement. Colonel Lee, the
only surviving member of the old Virginia Conven-
| ton, crowned with many years, and with the es-
TEEN and affection of all who know him; cour-
| school-he is, though stricken in years, as strong
| and active as man well can be, whose head has
borne the rests OF eighty winters, and the suns OF
as'many summers. He has seen changes in the as
/
| fallen to the lot OF one man to witness.
| 1t has frequently been my custom to sit upon
| comfortable lounge at one end OF the drawing
| rooms, from which position | can see most every
thing that is going on in the two rooms. Here sit
| and make my observations, and when the band
strikes up its music signal for the ball, (Which
occurs every night stroll into and about the ball
| room, preferrIng in general 10 look upon the gay
scene Of flowing ,bes, and flying feet, and spark
| ing ewes, to Joining in the dance myself.
! For an hour or after tea, the drawing rooms
are generally solitary, the ladies being either out
| riding, their rooms, or costly talking with their
particular beaux upon the balcony above stairs.
| The gentlemen for the most part are smoking their
| segars upon the portco, or stoop as you would say
in New York A few evenings since, after having
finished my usual luxury of good "Regalia,"'
| found myself at my place of observation. WELL"
| Mr. Viator, says quiet observer like myself, TAX
ing seat by me, "the ladies are rather late this
evening, are they not, in making their appearance
| have just arrived, and am anxious to see these
| beauties you have been telling me about" sob !!
they'll be here presently. | suppose they mean to
| look particularly exquisite tonight. | saw mum
| Der OF flowers brought in this afternoon-they are
arranging bouquets and selecting the prettlest flow
ers to bloom upon the valley of temptation as
though everything were needed to attract the eye
thither. 81 should not, indeed, think anything
were required if the description Of the region round
about, which you have given me OF some OF them,
You'll see tor yourself b dlre hai
the way-thls graceful creature IN rich orange CO.
| lored dress how its long folds float around and
after her. what an air and carriage she has-and
| that long jetty curl waving and dancing wantonly
about her neck and shoulders, whose soft whteress
| is made more dazzling by the contrast Aye, and
| more tempting by its amorous contact. Who would
not share the tate OF Drake's CuPrii Fay to be
for one short hour ensconced within the folds OF
that happy curlr' "Why, would risk my very
soul for happiness like that nay, even for one kind
smile Of beauty such as hers | must know her
will you present me to her % "Certainly--but be
| not TOO hasty know, en- apant, she is married.
| "Married-the d you are testing; It's mpossi-
ble." cts no joke, assure you, but sad reality
see, yonder comes her husband, that good humored
| iovial looking fellow" "WelI, with deep sigh)
since she is married, l am glad she has
| good looking and clever fellow, as he appears
| to be-but you have not told me who she Is nor
| from this State, worthy daughter of Old Kentuck
but has been Long in Lousiana-that least since
| she was married" Why, that cannot be long;