The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-11
NJ, t.4.fF For the National Era
FIRST IMPRESSIONS IOF SARATOGA.
UsIrEp SrArrs Horr1. INN % Isy

EXAMINATION of all my hopes has been attained
FAnd have made my FIRST appearance at the
Springs. Dreams of years are now realized
and the world of fashion is a real world to me
ia which live and breathe and have nv being
And you will ask, "What sort of a world is it Z? ,
Yes, that is very easy for You to ask, but how
can tell you my constantly changing estimate
OF the society around me9 AS / wish to see
only what is lovely and attractive / am en-
chanted, being surrounded by large company
OF persons, all of whom are we'll dressed and
well hammered, and all alike at leisure to enjoy
aud be enjoyed. lfr1 So 7ie
But you want me to be specific, and tell You
all that interest me. Wen, then, am inter.
sesfed in everything ant. with everybody, as is
hataraf enoughin young girl just out of school,
entering the world of which she knows nothing
and hopes everything.
| 1t was delightful to me to be driven from our
house, with our carriage piled up with trunks,
containing all the dresses which had been the
source of so much solicituae and care in their
selection, and anxiety and trouble in the making
up; threading way through streets devoted
to trade | had never before seen, though a
native of New York on our way to the Albany
liae steamer" New World "a most fitting name
for the boat which bore me up the Hudson on
my way to Saratoga. And when on board
was surrounded b. multitude, all of whom,
like myself were vending their way to some of
the many haunts Of fashion. | sat watching
them, and was surprised to see so little Of in
terest expressed in their faces. To all but N.Y.
| self, it seemed matter of routine, and many
looked as if they were already weary in antici.
patton of a journey to me so delightful. And
truly some had reason to be distressed, for
they were encountered by ruby children, who,
in spite of all entreaties and commands, would
lose themselves among the crowd, to the great
| Government of mammals and nurses; and
wondered that they should take their children
away from homes, where only they could Sc
curely find play for their activities but then,
perhaps, to benefit these children was the only
motive for the journey-at least, this was the
urgent reason given to fathers.
AS we glided along the banks of our beauti-
full Hudson, gazing with delight upon the beau
tiful villas which crown every height, and spying
| out sweet cottages hid in the hooks, and which
| my imagination pictured as the homes of beauty,
| taste, and refinement, my attention was attract
| ed to party near us, consisting of three girls,
whose air and bearing showed me that they
belonged to the upper tendon of some city,
and whose beaus were the very pinks of per-
| lection. Such whiskers and moustaches and
| imperials never before looked upon and then,
their way of talking and walking was so dash
ing, that l quite envied the girls their good
| fortune, for dear Cousin Dick looks like stu
/ dom rs hQ nc baS q ipa OF Of tba
Man of the World about him but then he is
SO good, and good looking too, and, above ALL
he Is so kindly cousinly to me, that | am proud
of him, and mean to make him proud Of me
before we return to the city again-ifI can.
| At FIVE in the morning we reached Albany,
and after having breakfasted at the Deavan
House, we took the cars for Saratoga. The party
had so carefully watched sat on seats oppo
site u.s. and gathered up from what heard
and all this was fragmentary, for the rafting of
the cars made so much noise that talking was
an effort-that the girls were not sisters, nor
were the gentlemen brothers--the bevy of girls
being chaperoned by a dear, motherly lady, they
all called Aunt Martha" The young ladies
| scanned Aunt Jane, and next Dick, and then
| me--and seeing Bridget sitting by the side of
| Dick, they looked at us again---but we evident
| ly made no impression. Indeed, they were so
entirely well pleased with their own party, that
they did not give single look of inquiry
! around them. All the rest of us were in their
regard only members Of that numerous family
| whose only use is to make up sets in a ball
room, in which they were to shine as sta,s Of
the first magnitude, the bright points Of the
picture, while all the rest do but fiji up the
background useful, indeed necessary, but the
| palpable obscure for all that.
IT was eleven o'clock when the GAYS rushed
| ipfo tho will of 4
caught my Grst glimpse Of the paradisiacal
gr99nds Of the United States HoteE--tha Eden
af my longing aspirations. As father had en-
gagged rooms we were in no doubt where we
should go, and | was glad to see our Boston
party, as j guessed them TO be, preceding us
through the gates leading into the grounds, and
lounging along the smooth walks with the air
of persons at home to WHOM e.e.Y object. SO
full of beauty a.sd nuwness 10 me, was already
familiar.
Know then, dear G., that the United States
Hotel takes rank OF old Congress Hall and the
Union, and is, par erceilence, Tic aome OF
fashion here. 1t Is {, .ast caravansary, which,
while !. hoids but eight hundred guests, feeds.
when full as it is now, full twelve hundred per-
sons; the surplus over what is housed a-s
colonized-that is the word-ia aoases in the
vicinity. The grounds into which we enter,
coming across the street from the railroad de-
pot, are beautiful for their walks and shade
trees The wings Of the building aud cottages
occupy the sides of the lawn, while the main
buitdtng fronts broadway the street leading 10
CoAs,es- spYfna. The great saloon of the hotel
is quite equal in size to the East Room of the
Presidents House in Washington, and is SPLEEN
didly furnished with mirrors, SOFAS and all the
appliances of taste and luxury. Here it is that
the mob of fashion meet after dinHer sna Ia tne
evening" before going oNt 10 the hotel ball room
which is one the most perfect dancing halls I
haye eyer entered-of course, my experien. e III
such matters IS not worth much. Spacious
piaazas, lofty as the root, supported by pillars,
extend along the front of the house and in the
rear. Here is where the guests promenade,
after tea especially, and where ladies in the
morning sit about in groups, knitting, netting,
and crocheting, as they please, IN .na aios. at
tractive negligee co.tuIee., and with an abandon
perfectly bewltching, with all the world to gaze
At them; and these lovely ones as utterly indif
ferent and unconscious as they would be in
their own parlors. must confess It was With
some shrinking that I Seased myself with q
party for the ftst time on the piazza fronting
Broadway, with q mixed muItitdd saUntering
the piazza around me, and in the gaze of all
the world passing on the pavement of the street.
But then we soon get courage to do as others
do, and now can work on your riggolet which
promise to knit for you, and never drop a
stitch for the hour together, nor once ,,Sot up,
though hear the creakjpa 0. boots at my side |
but the calos will colArSe Sometimes, as j feel
some gentleman is gazing at me, and cannot
help myself from giving sly glance g; : Is rect,
70 seeif they are hgna,ss.as. "'' ~ - "f
: You see IhaSve no hmestt6od in my letter and
have not told You even that Aunt Jane aud /
have very nice rooms in the south wing. with |