The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-09-27
Hotel Life in the Adirondacks.

From Bloomingdale until within two
miles of Paul Smiths the farms were
much improved, and the houses nearly all
frame. Then our club struck into what
bore some resemblance to a wild country.
The forest was dense. there were deer
tracks across the beds of the brooks, blue
jays and squirrels screamed and chatter.
ed in the woods, and an eagle sailed leis-
urely across the blue rift above their
heads. 1t was eventide, and the way.
farers watched eagerly through the open.
ings for the first glimmer of the sunset
seen upon the bosom Of St. Regis. Pres.
emily the glorious, inspiring bay Of hounds
fell musically and mellow upon the ear,
the sound Of q chopper was heard near at
hand, small dogs barked falsetto accom-.
paniment, old wagons, woodpiles, and other
evidences Of civilization hove in sight, and
IN few moments q turn in the road
brought the hotel and the lake simultane-
ously into view. A minute more and the
Club was shaking the kinks out of his
legs on the long piazza at Paul Smiths
A numerous and motley crowd gather.
ed around to greet or survey the new.
oomers. Tipstaff inquired for the land
lord
Paul said, "Here :"
He reported an abundance to eat. but
no beds. Was the piazza pre.empted ?
"Yes-every individual plank" No room
on the lawn? THAT was occupied, too,
by dwellers in tents The boat-house,
bowling-alley, barn, out-buildings i? Cali
were full" Hat-racks and clothes-hooks
in use "Yes." Tipstaff inquired for
Spalding's glue. The landlord had some.
How could he accommodate the guests :?
He would do everything in his power. He
had already succeeded in making the house
hold twice its capacity. "Then," said
Tipstaff, you will have not the slightest
difficulty in sticking US up against the wall
for the night. Consider these clapboards
engaged by the Club"
A volley of cheers followed this sally,
and the Club became favorites at once.
Several ladies offered their extra trunks
for lodging. 1t was astonishing what null
titudes of trunks there were-likewise
guns, rifles, fishing-rods, creels, landing
nets, knapsacks, rubber over-coats, oil
cloth suits, casts of flies, patent mosqui-
to-nets, waterproof boots. self.acting
pocket pistols, meerschaums, and the like
standing in corners, hung on pegs on
the doorposts and walls, and lying around
loose generally. Strings Of sick fish
were laid out on the porch for the inspec-
tion of dogs and guests. Wooden models
of big trout that had been caught in days
bygone were stuck up conspicuously, with
the date of the achievemtnt and the name
of the achiever The guests, too, were q
motley crowd. 1t being after the regu.
lar supper hour, they swarmed upon the
piazza and lawn, aud the Club had full
opportunity to survey the won'lrous scene.
There were danes in longitudinal trails,
who promenaded luxuriantly maidens in
full-dedged paniers snobs with canes
and eyeglasses, strutting in intensest
agony of self-conceit professional sports.
men in fshing-suits ofapproved material
and cnt excursion parties ia Lusli- W.. Ii
habiliments, just returned from far.ofl
woods and lakes; invalids in flannel
wraps and big easy-chairs old gents in
Panamas and homespun, who read the
latest papers; young gents who played
euchre and slipped their claret per last
arrival; nurses with fat babies; ubiqu;-
tous boys in short frocks, who rubbed
molasses taffy on every body's clothes
and petite little misses in starch and fur.
bellows, who minced, and smirked, and
carried on imitation Artations with child.
rem of larger growth. Then there were
games of croquet upon the lawn, boating
parties upon the lake, lovers saunterine
in the woods,and a Chicksring drumming
in the parlor. Down at the boat.honse o
party Of incipient but now self.approved
anglers, who had passed their first fort.
night in camp,were discussing theoretical
points with the guides and a couple of bad
boys were trying to set the hounds To
fighting on the lawn.
This was the "St. James of the Wilder.
ness" 1t was astonishing how three
hundred guests could put up SO cheerful
ly and harmoniously with accommoda
tions designed for only seventy.6ve! Il
was a "happy family."-CHARLEs HAL
LOCK, in Harper's Magazine for august