The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-07-24
THE UsAGEs' OF FASHIONABLE SO
CTETv

Great wealth and great poverty are alike unfa-
vorsble TO the development of pure individual
and social morals All extremes are dangerous,
aud saietyis only found midway between the
two. A careful observation of the morals of So
| ciety as presented in its two extremes of wealth
aud H"verty will satisfy any uuprejudiced mind
/ of the truth of these statements We find in
the usages of the fashionable society of our land,
many things OF doubtful propriety and delete
rious moral Influence. This will be apparent to
any OF close observation, who win spend
! season at one of our fashionable watering places.
| The bad morals Of our fashionable society NJ the
places Of fashionable resort, is thus described
by an able writer in the N. Y Round Table:
! BY common consent, the formal inauguration
| OF the watering place season was to have occur
red on the first Of July; but the warm weather
| OF The past week or two has cuused change ia
| the programme Practically the watering places
were opened by the middle of June, at which
date the crowds Of visitors began TO arrive As
we have before noticed the summer exodus from
the cities have been more general than ever be-
fore, aud the indications are that the watering.
place hotels and boarding houses will have an
unprecedented business. 1t may be observed,
however, as one Of the signs Of the times that ;
the number of private villas throughout the
country has largely increased during the year,
aud that hundreds Of families who used to resort
to hotels have now purchased or rented rural
cottages In these retreats is to be found the
genuine enjoyment of the summer; for life at
the watering places, however fashionable it may
be, is generally anything but comfortable.
The letters from enkins with which the news
papers now attempt to amuse their readers give
but vague idea of the routine of watering-pl place
existence. In fact, the correspondents, who are
usually dependent upon the landlords for their
board and lodgings, dare not tell the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth, concern.
ing the establishments at which they are rusti-
catiRg. When grand ball is to be described
or famous belle arrives, Jenkins is in his
glory, and fou'ishes bis pen vigorously: but va
look IN vain for any criticisms upon the misera.
bic cookery, the champagne manufactured from
cider, the exorbtant bills, and the impudent
and inattentlve walters, which are the most
prominent features Of the summer hotelries-
These facts quite out of the province Of
jenkins. He reves in the fctions of impossi- ,
se dresses and Of entertain mepts which are only
splendid to those who were not present, or whose
maSinati6us are sufficiently vivid TO enable
them to- 10y Barmecide feast.
At all the watering places the summer is
passed in very much the same way There may
be few local variations; but these amount to
very little. You rise and dress, and sit down to
a shabby break fast. After that. you promenade
to the beach to the springs and take the water,
nwardIy at Saratoga aud Sharon, and outwardiy
at Newport and Long Branch. This consumes
the time until about ten o'clock Then there
are billiards, bowling, music in the parlor, long
walks for young lovers, and repairing of dresses
for the elder female folk until one o'clock. At
that hour lunch is served, and is usually remark
able for the absence of eatables. The siests
follows the lunch. Then everybody dresses
Same Uo ont to drive and others tn sail and nj
sundown all gather upon the lawn and the por-
tcoes and await the signal for dinner. This 10
the great event Of the day, and every lady knows
that her costume must be prepared for the Sc
veIest criticism. Woe TO the woman who wears
the same dress at two consecutive di0nes!-
Sometimes clever person will manage TO appear
in the robe twice week by adr0tly
changing the trimming; but it is very seldom
that such devices escape detection and exposure.
Dinner over, there is dancing in the hotel par.
lors, which is kept up until after miduight, es-
pecially upon Saturdays, which are fete- days at
the watering PLACES, for then the young men
come from the cisy to stay over Sunday, and the
chances for good partners are better.
This is the regular routine at the watering.
places, and It is repeated day after day with
wonderful consistency. The excitements which
divert the minds of the ladies and gentlemen
who take part 10 the performance are dressing;
lrtatiolr and drinking.
The ordinary rule is that the ladies' change
their costumes five times in every twenty -four
hours and the gentlemen three times, although
many exceed this Lumber The mammoth size
Of the summer travelling trunks p, therefore,
easily accounted for Filtration is at once IEe
occupation and the relaxation Of all the water
ing place visitors They are engaged 10 IL from
morn ill noon, from noon to dcwy eve, and from
dewv eve until long after the hour for retiriBg.
The young people hirt the dogs delight to-
bark and bite, for It's !her nature to do so; but
eldorly people and married people frt also, and 4
often more assiduousIy. Scandal, the twin sister n
of filtration, is continually busy. Few names
arc left unsulied when the season is over But
worse than this is the uoiversal drinking. Lar
dies whose creates. excess at home is glass Of
she1ry champagne, indulge in cock fails, cob. n
bers and mint tjuleps every day at the watering-M
places, aud regret to add that the most
mournful spectacle 10 the world--an intoxcatedX
woDan-is Of not infrequent occurrence at these
summer retreats. We are no: writing sermon,
and shall not attempt to picture the dreadful
cDnsequences Of such indulgepces. The customs
at the watering places are all fashionable; and
as society is Constituted, it seem. useless to3
protest against them. But still We canpot help
vobdering that people as searible as AmericaE*
men aud women should willingly consent 10 cx-
change the comforts of their city homes, or the
real delights Of the fresh, pure and healthful
country, with iis air. its flowers, its felds, its
woods, its shady lanes, and its beautiful lakes,
for the close, ;nconvenient rooms, uncongenial5
associations, late hours, constant costuming,I
dangerous fr,atious, and immoral dissipations2
Of summer AZ a fashionable watering place,