Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-02-28
Ghoife aaliseellanu.
THE SOCIAL LIFE OF THE WEST.
What an Eastern Man Says of It--Pleas.
ant Impressions of Theodore TiIton.

What an Eastern Man Says of It--Pleas-
ant Impressions of Theodore Tilton.
Theodore Tilton writes to the New
York Independent:
Domestic life in the West is more self
than in the East; that is a
home in the West must, of necessity, find
its sources of enjoyment more within
itself, and less in its Surroundings, than
home in the East. The West furnishes
fewer advantages of well settled commu-
mites, of old neighborhoods, and of long
established friendships. A Western farm
house generally has no neighbor nearer
than a horseback ride. Accordingly, the
ings at home. A visit requires the labor
of a Journey. Social life-that is, life
among eighbors-becomes possible only
in villages, towns and cities. But, wher-
ever social life exists at all in the West, it
is heartily and enthusiastically enjoyed.
l suppose that within the space west of
the Allegheny Mountains and north of
the Ohio there are at least two hundred
towns and cities which have five hum
dred people and upward. In all these
places-with few unhappy exceptions,
that are over-given to money-getting-
there is delightful social life, particu-
larly in winter. In many of thesetowns
almost every well-reputed family knows
every other; and this furnishes a great
opportunity. Moreover, there is no aris-
tocracy, and this is the greatest of social
blessings. The rich and the poor meet
on equal terms, for the good reason that
the rich were lately poor, and the poor
may be shortly rich. A social evening
spent in Western mans house is as
warm-hearted season as one can desire.
There is very little of that cold formality
which sometimes Though l know not
why) passes for politeness. If the far
mer's daughters can sing, they sing with
out making mawkish excuses. If they
can enact charades, they plunge into the
sport without unnecessary objections
Frosty manners are grievance to genu-
inc souls. .........
/ had not expected to see cottage archi-
lecture illustrated by SO many specimens
of beauty as L have encountered in these
renose regions. The ideal New Eng
land roof, as you know, has no projecting
cave-no rich shadow to bedeck the
weather-boards; but in most of the new
cottages of any pTetensioh in the West i
notice happy touch of the picturesque.
Particularly have been struck with the
architectural prettiness of many of the
station houses along the railroads, show
ing many of the ingenious adaptations
of the Swiss roof by making it to project
over the platform for the shelter of pas.
sengels from sun and shower. Some OF
these modest buildings are of exquisite
proportion, and here and there / have
seen one so absolutely perfect that have
been patient with the belated train solely
senger station. These models, as one
can easily see, have had much influence
on the taste for cottage building in the
thrifter Western towns.
But cannot hold my peace concerning
Western brick. The color is ugly and
abominable. 1 do not mean the Nil
waukee tinge, which is pleasant, and to 6
stranger novel; but | mean the Jersey
mud complexion of the ordinary rec
brick Of the West. Houses built Of sucl
brick ought to be either painted into /
Christian appearance or else hidden by
growing vines. Left raw I believe they
tend to corrupt the public morals. Al
ugly house helps to. make pervers'
man. -,, ,,..,-..-,,..i. q .,,...ft... ...
cultivate more house plants, 4, Western
dwellings never have 50 many flower pot
| in the Windows as an Eastern man seer
at home. The ehouseholdg geranium-dear
|, sacred Plant I! seems to have. no right
| which the Western people are bound tt
| Respect. And yet, by common consent
I,it has fee simple, a clear title, an undis
puted right, to live in every good wo
| mans house in all the land. or course
| the prairies are full of flowers in the sum
mer; but thisjs all the more reason why
the prairie cottage should be full of flow
ers lii the winter. j shall never forget ;
certain cottage on the prairie at Prince
| ton, into which, aftera long walk through
the snow, / entered to find u whole bow
er ofsummer green inside Such hous'
| offered hospitality, not only to the body
hut to the soul. And l aiterward met
| i'm university town, q law professor IL
whom the sweet charities of life abound
ed 10 such degree as to be totally mex
,plicable by anything belonging to hi
dusty and mouldy profession and
should have gone off without an eXpla
nation had not happened to.detect hi
face all aglow while In the pretty act Q
watering his plants "He that wateretl
shall be watered also himself"
Personal beauty is not so common II
the West as in the East. Indeed, II
not common anywhere, But have 90
served that the inland atmosphere of tn
Western States lacks something of tn
magic by which the salt afr of the sea
side adds roses to u woman's cheek
Western men are finer looking thai
Western women+-a factwhich attrit
ute TO their frequent tjourneyings ON busi
ness from climate to climate Moreover
take a thousand Western children gather
ed into Sunday school audience, (al
experiment which have had a dozel
opportunities to witness), and q carefu
observer notices their cheeks wear les
of bloom than the cheeks Of children ol
j the seaboard. / do not.niean that West
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