The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-25
for The National Era.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA.
UNITED STATES HOTEL. 1,lo

i For the National Era
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA.
No. 3.
UNITED STATES HOTEL, 1tlq. 3, 1859.
My DEAR g.: A thousand thanks for your
long letter and all its charming details
told you of our projected ride to Saratoga
Lake. 1t came off yesterday at five o'clock
The rains had soaked the roads around this
place, which are sandy, so our drive was the
pleasanter for clear day and cool tempera
ture. The east piazza, fronting Broadway
after dinner is crowded with guests-those who
are so fortunate as to own carriages make w
parties to drive out every fine day not that
they can by any possibility enjoy the same rou
tine OF driving, any more than any other ever
recurring occupation, but then it is a dstinc
ton here to ride out in ones own carriage,
when SO many stand to gaze and admire, and
envy the fortunate ones who ride, while they
must go on foot This seems hard Judgment
upon poor human nature but, then, somehow
it is so, that men and women do things when
they are stared at, that they would never do all
alone by themselves. | speak out of my own
experience, for every day feel how much of
my pains-takihg in dressing is to please a crowd
of people, not one in a hundred of whom /
know, or care to know. But you do not want
my wisdom, but pictures of Saratoga. Well,
then, it is five O'Clock, and Broadway in front
of the hotel is crowded with turn-outs of its
wealthy inmates. The piazza is crowded with
ladies and gentlemen promenading, doing the
agreeable TO each other. Here and there you
see fiat or bat, which shows you lady who,
at the hour appointed will, with her party, leave
the disconsolates to hide away in their cham
bers, to drive off to the Lake or elsewhere A
drive is charming enough, under certain cir
cumstances; but to be cramped up in car
riage for two hours, when the company is not
through with as such. l am told, in dry sea
son, tho roads so dusty as to be all but IN
tolerable, and that these carriages follow so
close To each other that the sense of suffocation
is ever present and the entire route is one
long.continued discomfort. How imperious are
the demands of fashion,
After we had promenaded with others half
hour on the piazza, Mr.. H. signalled for our
carriages to come up. Mrs. A. led the way,
taking me by the arm, and was followed by
| Amelia and Dick. We filled the first car
riape. Mr.. H. seating himself on the box with
the driver Miss Clara and Miss Eliza d., with
their cousins Henry and William, filled Mr. ID. S
carriage, which had been loaned to Aunt
| Martha " for this afternoon. Al ter had taken
nv seat looked along the line of beautiful
women. to see if | could see Aunt Jane among
them. and there were not a few faces who look
ed inquiringly, as if they asked, Who is that
young girl?"
The drives near Saratoga have nothing very
delightful in scenery to make them attractive.
After we had been out about an hour and a
half. we reached the Lake House, and there we
saw the same carriages we had seen from the
piazza. and our fashionables thronging this
little hotel and it's grounds. Some were seated
under awnings, some on the porches, and some
in summer-houses, very many of whom were
sucking sherry-cobblers through straw, or
eating ices-not certainly because they needed
sustentation of any sort, but from very idleness
Why such people do not die of dyspepsia IS O
wonder to me. Their various capacities are
: always at work, eating three meals day. ano
having papers of French confectionery IN then
: pockets to keep their stomachs constantly at
work.
The lake is seen from the high and steep hi
, ON which the hotel stands, extending north. Il
is beautiful scene, as we saw it lit up by {
bright sun, and swept over by fresh breeze
. As we did not drink sherry-cobblers, we de
scended to the shore of the lake, and were hap
l DIV in securing fine large boat for sail abou
the lake. 1t was glorious afternoon, and whit
+ clouds, piled high up, looked like silver dome
| Il -. oil "a RI
: heated some sweet poetry suitable to the scene
| and was charmed with its propriety and ele
= gance then, too, her enunciation was perfect
5 Mr.. H., whom | am beginning to like, took u
E his parable-I believe that is proper; it Gel
t tainiy is biblical-and gave us some admirabl
2 recitations. then looked at Dick. TO see IT h
t had nothing to add, but the thought neve
t came into his mind that he was expected to sa
e something in the same line. Not sign did n
e make, though | think his admiring looks, a
S Amelia was making her Rotations, was all tn
/ compensation she sought for. 1t happened Jus
4 az | feared it would, when Aunt Martha,
d turning to me, asked "if / was not poetica
g and had nothing to contribute to the peasur
r of such an hour as this" | replied, "No, dea
s madam, l learned 30 many of Doctor Watts
N Divine Songs in infancy, and his Psalms an
e HYMNS at Sunday school, that was weary
II rhymes before WAS COiupeicu w Pooo 'S
e Night Thoughts at school. When the rehux
:, poetry will flow into my soul | cannot tell,
e ever Miss Amelia was incredulous, and,
& try me, she dared me to repeat any one OF ID
Watts's Divine Songs, which, she said, ma
u been taught her by her nurse whom she KEEL
at her bedside at night, fearing to be left alon
a in the dark, repeating these hymns till she wa
4 utterly exhausted and fell asleep with I'm
k unfinished" This challenge was enforced
Mr.. III. and "Aunt Martha" Feeling my hone
Is was in question, began with the Cradle Hymn
2, nv voice trembled at first, but / became rea
!? sured, and went through it very creditably, an
Is with applause from every one. They were q
n profoundly silent; not rustic OF silk nj
* change of movement was heard, which to n
Sc was a sign of greatness of genius for when u
ir Tyre is touched by master mind, its tones
Is brate and thrill all hearts.
Dear Doctor Watts how many millions
little ones have been hushed to sleep, battle
i'd in visions of love and beauty, by this swe
hymn. To get back on board our sail-bos
nv Amelia said, " this was not one of the Divll
Songs though it was indeed divine; so, the
m repeated,