New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-07-23


But in too many Of our hotels the rule Is tne
reverse. The landlord says, in practice: !" ms
is MY house: have certain rules by wmcn IS
governed: if you pay me two dollars ana nan .
day, l will grant you the privilege OF submitting !"
my ORDERS" One is often received WIN mug
nifcent condescension, which says, as PLAINLY as
words: "See what favor am doing you IN re-
ceivipg Won into nv house - In reality, the house,
the furniture, the servants, do not belong 10 the
landlord, but to the traveller. l intend, some day,
10 write an Essay on Hotels, in which shall dis
cuss the subject at length. and therefore viii not
anticipate it here.
NV friends were delighted with Pittsfeld, which,
in it's Summer dress, was new to me. We spent
90 much Of our time at the windows, watching the
evening lights on the mountains, that it was unan
imously resolved to undertake an excursion this
morning before the arrival of the express train for
Boston. We took an open carriage and drove out
to the Hancock Settlement of Shakers, four miles
west Of this. The roads were in splendid
order, last nights rain having laid the dust washed
the trees, and given the wooded mountains deeper
green The elm, the characteristic tree of New En-
glal d. charmed us by the variety and beauty OF its
forms. The elm, rather than the pine, should
figure on the shield of Maine. In all other
trees--tbe oak, the beach, the ASH the maple, the
gum, and tulip trees, thepiOe even-Massachusetts
is surpassed by Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, and
Kentucky, but the elm is plume which Will
never be plucked from her bonnet.
Here" said one of my companions, pointing
to one of the many wooded knobs by the roadside,
els one of the unreasonable advantages which
America possesses over Europe. Every one OF
these groves is a finished home, lacking only the
house. What we must wait a century to get, what
we must be rich in order to possess, is here cheap
and universal Build house here or there, cut
down tree or two to let in the distant landscape,
clear away come of the underwood, and you have
a princely residence" Bear in mind, my fashion
able readers, that my friend has only been Six
weeks in America; that he has not yet learned the
difference between q brown.stone front on Fifth
avenue and clap-boarded house in the country;
that Il blush to say it) he prefers handsome trees
out of-doors to rosewood furniture indoors and
would rather break his shins climbing the toughest
hills than ride behind matched bays in carriage
ornamented with purchs sed heraldry. admit his
want of civilization, but record this expression Of
his taste that you may smile at the absurdity of
European ideas.
Our approach to the Shaker settlement was
marked by the superior evidences of neatness and
care in cultivation. The road became an avenue
of stately sugar naples: on the right rose 10 pairs
the huge plain residences of the brethren and
sisters-ugly structures dingy in color, but scru-
pulously clean and orderly. / believe the same
aspect of order would increase the value of any
farm SIS an acre, SO much more attractive would
the buyer find the property; but farmers generally
don't understand this. We halted finally at the
principal settlement, distinguished by huge cir
cular stone barn. The buildings stood upon lot
grown with fresh turf and were connected by
flag stone walks. Mats and scrapers at the door
testified to the universal cleanliness. While wait
ing in the reception room which was plain to bar
reDDess but 80 clean that its very atmosphere was
sweet, amused myself by reading some priated
regulations, the conciseness and directness Of
which were retreshing. "Visitors," so ran the
the first rule, "must remember that this is not a
"pubHc house. We have our regulations just as
/" well as other people, and we expect that ours
I" will be observed as others expect theirs to be-"
Another was: "Tbose who obtain lodging or
who are furnished with meals at their own re-
"quest, are expected to pay for the same" One
of the most important, apparently, was this:
Married persons visiting the Family must oc-
"cupy separate apartments during the time Of
" their stay"
Presently an ancient sister made her appearance.
She wore very plain book muslin cap, and a
coarse blue gown, which hung so straight to her
feet that more than one under garment was scarcely
possible. She informed US, cOurteousiy. that GU
rious strangers like ourselves were not usually ad-
mtted, but made an exception in favor of my CON-
panions seeing they had come such distance,
and called one of the brethren 10 show US the barn
This 10 really curious structure. The inside is an
immense NOV, divided into four sections for differ
platform, around which dozen carts can drive
and unload at the same time. Under thia platform
are the stables ranged in circle and able to ac-
comodate hundred cattle. The brother, with 40
air of cresy which was slow to understand,
beekoned the gentlemen of our party to portion
of the stable where he had fine two-year-old bull,
which, be seemed to think, was not proper ami.
NAL for ladies 10 look upon.
The sister afterward conducted us to the dairy,
where two still more ancient listers were engaged
in cutting up curd for cheese. They showed us
with considerable pride the press-roOm, cheese
room and milk. room, which were cool and fra
grant with the rich, nutritive smell Of cheese and
whey. The dwellings of the separated sexes,