The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-08-13
rrom n summer Resort.
PAVILION HOTEL, }
Woliboro', n. H., Aug. 10. 1871 I


summer resort, informing your readers that the
average temperature was between 20 and 500.
This has been the case in all preceding years,
but the past week has proved that we were not
fated TO escape the heated spell of this wonder
full summer On Sunday last the mercury
stood at 9Qo, and the guests of the house found
comfort only in sitting quiet in the shadiest
spot they could find, and since then the ther-
mometer has indicated more than so every
day. "Liie's but vapor' is a trite axiom, but
1t should be changed to read, "Life's but
vapor bath" this year at least
In my last forgot to say word about the
difficulties standing in the way of those Port
landers who would like to visit Wolfboro. If
you take the early train from Portland you
reach Dover about 8 1.2 A. NJ. There you have
to wait an hour and half for the train that
conveys you to Alton Bay. If you wait over
FOR the $40 train yon must remain in Dover
tho 40 p. NJ. In other words, every arrange
ment is made for the convenience of Boston
ians, but none for Por.landers. The compile
tion of the road from Portland TO Rochester
will therefore be hailed with joy by the resi-
dents of the Pine Tree State who may then
visit this delightful spot without suffering the
discomforts entailed by an annoying suspen-
sion of their journey. Then again, the mail
arrangements are very imperfect. 1t takes two
days for the PRESS to reach Wolfboro by mail,
while passenger, who leaves Portland by tbs
early morning traip, can bring copy in his
pocket which he may read on the piazza of
this hotel at IL o'clock same noon I under.
stand that the papers go to Boston first and
are then dstributed-a decidedly round about
method.
The drives around Wofuoro are delightful
one in particular, that reioices in the title of
the 'Tweuty Mile Square, would challenge
comparison with any L know of. Leaving the
hotel you ascend high hill, from the top of
which q lovely view is obtained of the village
at your feet with the lake stretching out on
one side in either direction as far as the eye
can reach; thence descending you pass through
an avenue of beeches, at least mile in length,
with the lake cleaning through the leaves on
one side and pond on the other, the atmos-
phere rendered delightfully."- cool by the dense
foliage of the trees which completely protect
you from the suns rays. You hardy emerge
from this avenue before you enter another, and
so on ior the first ten miles, avenue succeeding
avenue, and view succeeding view from the
SUBMITS of the hills whence your eye COM
mands prospect of some twenty miles radius
with the little villages of Wolfboro, Tufton-
boro and Moultonboro nesting in the valleys,
while in the distance before you Chocorua lifts
its head in silent majesty, and Ossipee displays
its finely modelled proportions. As you turn
to the right, on Your return, the road suddenly
emerges Dpon charming little beach which
courts the embrace OF the laughing, rippling
wavelets, and refreshing breeze from the
lake causes you TO grasp your hat firmly lest
sit should take unto itself wings and fly away"
the view forcibly reminding you of Cooper's
picture of Lake Horizon, when Deersayer and
Chingochsool first sought the ark-house of
Hutter, the squatter; and thus constantly pass
ing from one scene of enchantment to another
you finally dash up to the door of your hote
with capital appetite for your hot supper,
having accomplished your twenty miles in two
| hour and q half
| Another delightful excursion, but extremely
| iatiguing, can DO made TO a place designated
| by the euphouous title of "Ths Devils Deu,',
and is, L think, but rarely undertaken by
strangers as no mention OF it is nade, as is
also the case with the 500 mile square," in the
| guide books. 1t is distant but seven miles, yet
! so steep are the bills, and so many in lumber,
| that it takes two hours to accomplish the
| journey. The views, however, from the top of
these hills, are superb, evenDow, ever ch ang-
| ing. The Devils Den" is rift in the side of
bill, so narrow that only one person can pass
| at a time, and when once in you must keep on
| to the eud, for there is no turning back. This
| rift is some 200 feet in length and passes over
| some pretty wide chasms in the rock where, if
| the foot should slip, it would be certain death
to the adventurer, and is lighted only by a lam
tern carried by the guide, which sheds Just
| enough light to enhance the dangers of the
pass as it CLEANS like a glow-worm in the dis
tance. At the end of the "Den," perpendcu-
lar ladders must be ascended which carry yeu
through to the chimney of the 'Den,'' to the
top of the hill. Our party on this expedition
numbered 40, the greater portion of whom
were ladies, and must say they showed gre
deal mere pluck than the gentlemen. The
drive home by moonlight was something to
| ger in the memory.
In my last l promised to make my mex
more spicy, but the wea ther is too hot for
the excrtion in the first place, and in the sec
ond place we have celebrities here to scan
dalize. Men don't work so hard here for their
pleasure, and endeavor to be going somewhere
or doing something every second of their
time, that sin their anxiety to save their sec
onds they will be likely to leave their widows
| their thirds" The concert by Miss Hattie
Stafford and Mr.. Hoffman, last Saturday eve
ding, was a great success, considering the
weather Miss Stafford is pupil of Erran's
possesses powerful soprano voice of great
compass, very flexible, and manages it with
great skill. Our citizens will have an oppor
tunity of listening to it the coming fall. She
has but lately returned from trip to Calfor-
mia with Ole Bull. Next Saturday, We are to
have grand moonlight excursion on the Lake
in one of the steamers with Gimore's Band
to furnish the music. Sunday night the Band
are to give Sacred Concert, and on Monday
night will furnish the music for grand hop at
the hotel. On Tuesday next, shall probably
leave for the Pennigewassa House at Plym-
| outh. L close this with the sentiment attrib-
uted to the Rev. Henry Ward Beeeher, when
| he entered his church one morning last sum
mer, and Which it is unnecessary to repeat.