The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-08-18
For rse National Fra.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Of SARATOGA.
UNITED 81 NrEs HOTEL, Aug. 2, Is

UNITED ST 2rEs HOTEL, Aug. 2, 1859.
DEAR g.: You will not expect me to write
you anything that ioes not come under my own
observation. Adolf the line from Virgil as my
motto, put into the mouth of IEneas, when, tell
ing Dido his sad STORY of the destruction of
Troy, he says of ~ All which saw, and part
of which / was" Only shall not be able to
to tell you half tina which interests me here.
Early in the M ming, Dick knocks at my
door, and by seven am ready to go with him
to Congress Sprin... My dress is always a
morning costume, i>ith my large straw fiat trim
med with lace, wh1ih, while it shades my face,
allows both hands 10 manage my hoops and to
hold up my dress The Congress Spring is
owned by Clark g. 20, and is the only firm in
the world whose llag-continued liquidation is
source of entire satisfaction to numerous
creditors. The Vf-ey of Saratoga is remarka-
BILE for its variousl combined mineral waters !;
but of all, the old Congress Spring is the
one most patronized. In the morning there
is a constant strel>el of visiters flowing down
the avenues in all frections leading to this IA
nous spring. La hes in morning. dress-so
nice and white arttfresh looking, wearing all
manner of head goa, and very many without
any covering for .tb7 head, and gentlemen, in
every sort of summe- wear, accompanying their
lady friends or along; all anxious alike to drink
ths;r three, fonr. f. and six glasses of Con-
gress water. II
The spring is 50 x some five feet below the
platform of the psS-ion which covers it, and
four boys are es@loyed in dipping three
tumblers at time.srpr the thirsty and expect
ant multitude, who stand two and three deep,
waiting for the raj Hg of the waters. The pa
vilion is real Bet 1esda, but then We have few
impotent folk here and then these waters are
in constant ebullitian, and not one of the many
that come to this )untain of health need 20
away unhealed; for Il may drink without money
and without price dough think it very mean
to do So for the f r boys who dip the water
ought to be rewafEld; but so it is, hundreds
drink to the full Ely morning at this spring,
and never give thts, boys a dime during the
season. 1t is not q with Dick, and so soon as
we come we are su7~of as many glasses as we
wish. Having dral K two glasses, Dick and l.,
as is usual with t1e guests, stroll around the
park, the walks of hlch are kept in the best
possible order, and Esept every morning with as
much care as lady'9 parlor. 1t is sweet sight
To see the gay part es as they pass along, all
bright and happy, if not alike beautiful. find
"the States" sends '5ut few of its inmates to the
spring. Those of then who drink the water have
it brought 10 bottfss to their chamber doors
and these are but E., of the mixed multitude.
III never drink of tn, waters" said young lady
to me this morning. IN the piazza. Now, there
nothing in these wc.ds which convey any spe-
cial meaning to xsur apprehension, but as
spoken, the tone, manner, and look, all said to
me, at is not fs ,ionable, it is indeed vul-
gar, to drink water sarly in the morning, at the
spring." and | am sure my doing so has been
set down as a black mark, and Dick and | are
by some regarded a. parrenues, whose want of
fashion is only to be excused on the score of
my extreme youthfuness and ignorance of the
way of the world. But | like the water, and
love to listen to the music of the band, who
play opera airs from seven to eight O'Clock,
seated in an orchestra built not far from Con
gress Spring, and at the head of the main
walk. 1t is to me also a matter of pleasurable
interest to see the faces of those who drink the
water at this hour Their dresses do not al
ways arrest my attention for any style they
bear, but then it is delightful to see SO many
happy faces, for certain it is that happiness
consistent not in the abundance of dresses one
has, nor in the preciousness of their jewels; for
these last are matters of great solicitude-at
the springs especially-and are deposited for
safety in the office of the hotel and are with
drawn by an order duly signed every time they
are worn-a practice universal with those guests
who have any considerable portion of their
treasure laid up in pearls and diamonds.
Last Saturday morning, met Miss Fanny B.,
of Fourteenth street, at the spring, in company
with Senior O., her husband elect. The Tribune
recently had an article headed "The Golden
Wedding" which contained most exaggerated
account of this match, stating that the cost OF
the diamonds, pearls, opals, emeralds and
other elegant articles presented to the be-
trothed, amounted to 100000, when their
value is but about one-tenth of that sum, and
saying, too, that Senior o. was sixty-fve years
| of age, and Miss b. only seventeen, when she
is in her twentieth year, and he is about forty,
and a very handsome man, of the most ire
proachable morals, who never has smoked a
separ in his life / met Miss B. first in the
saloon of the National Hotel winter before last,
when father took me to Washington to spend
| the Christmas holidays. She is tall and grace
| full very stylish in her mien, with a sweet face
and fascinating smile, which shows her lovely
mouth and teeth to the best possible advantage.
This coming match attracts much attention
here, Tor SenOr ". is man Vi great Weaitn
His mother left him and his only sister, now
about fifty, and unmarried, estates, consisting
of sugar and coffee plantations in Cuba, worth
seven millions On last New Years day, Senior
o. met Miss B. for the first time, and it was one
of those happy accidents that novelists love to
commemorate. Her father, Lieut.. Bartlett, Of
the U. s. Navy, took an active part in upset
ting the doings of the Navy Retiring Board,
and, strange to say, he was for this LEFT out IN
the list of restorations made by President Blu
chanan, after every pledge had been gwen by
members of the Cabinet that Lieut.. B. would
be, Of all officers retired, the very first restored.
This ID one of the mysteries of President 8
Administration, which, when revealed, will add
J to the "blackuess Of darkness" now investing