Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1857-06-02
Decline and ran of Hotel Life,

A change is progressing among us which,
though imperceptible by the careless observer,
is quite Obvious to the watchfuI student of so
CT iI city life. Hotels, as residences, are on
the decline. A tas;e for doInesticity seems to
have sprung up: our vSsmen, as Col. Benton
wonl'f say, growing sS,ofs industrious. and
appreciative of home. Those monstrous pal,
aces of gorgeous sIoth and immortal ease
the first class hotels--are subsiding into their
legitimate sphere rs receptAcIes Tor the travel
ing public; resident bachelors still-wisely
perhaps-hang their hats there; but the NUM-
ber.ot families that live there from January
to December is diminishing monthly. The
last and best of the downtown houses-the
father of the great notes.-the Astor House
has just adopted the English nIan of having
an eating-house attached, where you may dine
alone at any price from fifty cents. to five dol
lars. This innovation deals the death blow to
the old system Of family life at hotels.
Let us thank heaven for the sign. Wise
and thoughtful men are apt to say that if any
danger oyethangs this republic, it is not from
the Slavery Question, not from Stale enmities,
not from the Mormons, or the Secessionists, or
any other political enmity; but from the steady
decline of great -heattedness, and mental so
briefly, and habits of usefulness among our
women. II is common remark thRtfAmeri-
can ladies', in good society,"" are rapidly be-
coming unfit not only. to. be mothers, but to be
wives, and members of eociety AT all. = 1t, is
loudly asserted that they are not only incapa
bic. from physical ard mental weakness, of ex-
teading parental care to their children, and
wonaiIly counsel and comfort to-their hus
bands, but that they cannot, as ageneralitule,
discharge satisfactorily any one of the func
tiUns for which they were sent in the world
can neither.wQFk, nor cook, nor make a bed,
nor form.a rational jadgulehton passing events
nor Interchange sensible, ideas.sa We know
not what truth this yeEy common opinion may
contain but we are we'll assured that for the
evidence on which It rests hotel life is in a
large degree answerable..., - 5Si57as .st1sit
A few years ago, syeFv considerable num-
Der of families Id the cfties-resided habitu-
ally hotels. The men went to. Their. IrSi-
ness in the e.motning. and were absent all day
Tire women had nbthipg to do. and didipoth-
ing: ,Idleness, growing by indulg gsnce, sbscamo
their ruling passion woman With one or two
children, living IN this or that great hotel,
were incapable Of making their 4ebillren's
Clothes aud spsnt their whole iifel5in gossip
ing with people Of both sexes WHO were as
idle as themselves. Utter freedom from care
the excitement Of the tdbLe f'Jfote and the
drawing roon--tha eoutact with ueTs6ns sbf
funSiesifakie astesededntss4 etefaal idlepess-
pefflops associations Of idle yomen=-could
not hut have produced phenonena such as the
advocates of The alioyelnenti6hs In gallant
theory dd5te In support oftheirs views! 4Fssl
Let US Be thaakf1l chat this esuse, atleast,
IS beng partially removed. Eating houses
area barrier which no female can cross !. and
les pssay itaboldi .Inanis anil ll.Datufsd brnte,
and liIe i dog, would rather feed ts.lone than
with his wife. The main pillar Of .fumily ho-
t@l iiee Was the t6ble d'hote destroy that and
sof necessity the women viii bass honaes.
Those who canuot afford ohirea whole Iouse
alone; will take q boafder Or two ssbut all viii
have homes, where nsce sity viii lsompe them
to practice tie high Virtues Of industry. econ.
omy and useiul1ie lzesEef,s JHesklly.a asa
-. The Cologne Gazette Of The 9Th April
states il as very remarkable that, In this year
as may not happen for many years again, al
days and dafes cor espond exactly With tiiostt
of 1870, as also al inoyeable festivals, with
out exception. and even The quarter sdays, Sc
that The calendar cf Is 80 may Be made us,
sof far fhia sxasr n