The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-07-31
American Hotel I,ifs.

Saratoga correspondent of the Now York
Tribune thus speaks of hotel life in America
Here in Saratoga, the immense caravansc-
ras are still more lifclcss, and the peculiar Sar-
atogan hotel life has scarcely began to bud.
In American customs, manners and habits, ho-
tel life stands alone in its completeness, form
ing distinct world, with features different
from those Of all other countries. AS such it
deserves to form m object of special study and
observation, and offers rich field for a novel
writer. Hotel life has many varegated CHAR
acteristics; it embraces all the ages, from the
nurslin:s i'll the cradle to the individual bend
ing under the pressure Of years and winters.
Few, however, if any of these characteristics
are laudable; few, ifany, but are of bane-
ful influence upon domestic life, on its real
ty. Hotel life, as carried on in America gen
orally, and i'll large proportions, is the carca-
ture, the pcrvcrsion of association. Besides
simpl" traveller docs net find in America hn-
tcis all The comforts of rcposc. Their only su-
pcriOrity over European hotels consists in the
possession Of water and Of baths in the rooms
on the floor, or at any rate in the same buill
ing. Eut the gorgeous, gau,ly, ovcrc!iar.scl
drawing rooms and bridal chambers are less, if
ut all, desirable. In fact, a room possessing
simple but comfortable furniture, n clock on the
mantle piece, q bureau with1 drawers accom-
modations for writing-a luxury which is to be
found i'll the smallest European hotel, and
nowhere, not in the most celebrated hotels of
any city i'll the United States. Here among
the ctageres, round tables, there is not even
special table Oh which to put comfortably
ones own writing-case. The ladies who live
IN hotels generally write on their knees, and
the travelling males run forth to the office or 10
the common pnrlor. This, howevcri fforms
one Of the minor miscrics for Obliged to
stop at an American hotel. Every male or
female inlabitant of room seems to consider
it as n duty toward himself toward his neigh
f,,, t1,, a 1.a1
him, aud toward society in general, to make as
much noise ms possible. Every one handles as
roughly rs he can everything within his reach
doors, keys, locks, blinds, windows sasllcs
stools, tables and his trunks. Neither travel
lcrs nor walters refuse themselves the pleasure
of treadIng on the floor rudey and as hcav-
lily as possible far outdong siod elephants
if elephants eau be shod. Slippers are out of
use, md the traveller retiring to his room ell
joys the luxury of tramping rs long as possible
with his heavy boots Over the head of the VIC
tim trying to sleep i'll the room below. The
rooms of European hotels generally provi-
ded with slippers, and the hotel keepers OBJ
ligc the walters and servants TO use shoes and
to walk noiselcssly i'll the halls. Here neither
gentleman, master nor servant softly shuts
any door, but oil of them hnbitually slam them
with their might. Add to this tho thn-wal-
led, pasteboard American houses, in every
thing shakes and vacllatcs. In one of the
ring'a sleepless night, 40 explosions of slam
med doors. The custom of ioing this is com
mon i'll hotels as it is in private houses and
mansions. Undoubtedly SO American parent
or tutor ever told his children or pupils that
the slan,ming of doors, instead Of shutting
them gently, forms one of the coarsest and
most striking evidence of vulgarity and of i'll
breeding. How, then, can. walters and SER
wants be expected to know. it3 Neither do
hotel keepers and stewards drill their subor-
dinates in good habits otherwise. In one
word, travellers and servants vie with each
other 9th in noble rivalry as to which can make
the greatest noise and interrupt the slumber of
the greatest number Of occupants. Genuine
Americans are, to be sure, endowed by na-
ture with sleep which can stand all such dis
turbances.
As Americans not only travel, but all times
and always do everything in haste, they nev-
er finish in their bedrooms their ablutiOns and
their toilette So they continually practice
the most vulgar and disgusting habit next to
| that OF chewing and expcctoratng Of uninter.
| ruptedly, the whole day through, pearing their
nails with their pocket-knives. Generally the
whole piazza of a hotel serves for this manual
exercise-for the completion of their bodily
filthy occupation being INDUCED principally af-
ter dinner, obligcs one to run away to avoid the
| danger of sea-sickness.
Such are some of the hotel experiences of q
| rambling life OF some years in America. Imny
however, add the observation that hotels with
colored walters arc shade nicer and have q
tint Of quietness superior to those filled with
respectable paddles.
Saratoga, besides the curative or refreshing
action OF its springs, ought to be desirable
summer resort on account of its shadowy parks
and alleys, which prompt to beneficial and ex
hilarating exercise. But have been told that
all this overturned, destroyed, discolored by
the toPsy:turvey, needless peculiaritics of tho
Saratoga lifc--a compound Of excitement, show
stupidity. and reckless fashion. Should this
prove so in reality, then Rousscau's worse than
paradox were at least partly justified here
''all is good as it issues from the hand of M
ture; AL dcgen nerates in the hands of men,
But sdh Saratognn fashionables are happily
not ineh--only caricature or diminutivcs O
a FOURTH OF july YLETTER-Among the many
applications to G. W. p. Gusts recently fo
! scraps s9fhandwriting from the treasures Of til,
Eo|d truite OF Washington, was truly remar
sEkabla one from a little Boy Of Boston. Th
tietter, that formed the little fellows applica
ettion is as follows: