The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-07-06
Our 0lio.
From The Aidins for July.
American Watering Places.

American Watering Places.
1t is very difficult, almost impossible
1t seems, to feed well huge caravansary
full Of people. The men who keep the
hotels have not mastered the subject, as
they have in Europe. At Baden Baden
one is as well fed as at the best cafe in
Paris. So at all the crowded places in
Europe; but here it has become serious
question, whether it is safe to take n
family to one Of these large hotels for
the Summer, the food being an Offset to
the advantages obtained by change Of
climate. One is almost sure to lose an.
petite alter four days at even the best
hotel, aud to come reluctantly to table
which appears to be groauing with every
luxury. This has driven people to tax e
country quarters in farm houses, to 20
to very dull and disagrecable places, but
very often the results are not much bet.
ter there. The genius of cookery has
not descended gu our North American
continent. Let US hope that it may be
one OF the effects Of the European war,
that number of French and Italian
cooks will be driven over here.
Such are some of the physical evils
OF the American watering place. Let
us now look at the mental and moral
side.
There is no doubt that the pouriu-
IN OF divers people into one house, com
PEELED to a sort Of intimacy, all ut leis
ure, with the added charm of band of
music, dancing, boating, croquet, and
other Observation-Disclosures we'll
dressed womeU, and men relieved from
the horrible monotony of black coats
aud stove pipes, and recreating iu the
becoming light colors aud straw hats Of
Summer, presents, at first glance, very
attractive picture. IL is none the less
true, that before three weeks is over
everybody is very tired of it, aud very
anxious to change the scene. What eau
u be that descends so like pail over
1.-THE senses, after fortnight or less at
watering place? l. it because it is all
unnatural, and because no one is respon.
|sible for anybody else? Imagine such
scene at an English country house,
with an amiable hostess at the head of
liz, and We would gladly 90 on for ever.
But l have seldom seen people who
could stand one watering place more than
month. They want new slavery, and
so of-from Sharon to Newport, from
Newport to West Point.
Now for the moral aspect of the
American Watering place. Unao~L,ud-
I y it is bad. II IS the hotbed Of scan.
Al, Of Irritation, Of that school of man.
hers which is so reprehensible, aud so
ruinous to our American society.
Ii is the arena where the dissolute
Ind vain young married woman carries
"a that career which is sapping the sa
,reduess Of home. 1t is the VANITY
Fair" of the present day. 1t Of course
opens the door to an easy familiarity
Which is shocking in its outward effects,
md most dangerous in its tendencies.
| Of course, envy, hatred, and all uuchari
tableness, are the immediate growths.
To sit on the piazza aud hear the char
acters Of those who walk up and down
before you, assailed, is to doubt if it
we're best ever to bring a young girl
INTO such sirocco Of scandal aud sus.
picion. The American woman never
appears to such disadvantage as she
does at the American watering place.
OF course there arc ladies everywhere.
Of course we must not ignore their cx-
stencc, but the "Frisky Matron," and
The Handsome Harpy," and the "As-
,ociated Harpies," aud the "Girl Of the
Period" all crop out in full development
snd are the prominent aud conspicuous
ones at all these resorts.
| Side by side you see the good moth.
,rs, the modest girls, the perfect ladies
1t is all mixed up together; but no
one can deny that the other class are in
the asceudincy, and that they have the
American watering placei 10 their power.
| 0ae would imagine that broad piazza,
bright moon-au assemblage of we'll
educated and refpcd people, gathered
together for that pursuit Of happiness, y
which the Declaration Of Independence
declares to BE an iualienable right
would bring about a beatifc state oil
enjoyment; that witty aud abundant talk
would flow freely; that politics, litera.
ture aud art would, each 10 turn, engage
the Conversational wrestlers, and that
something good would be evolved But
such is seldom the case. Either az
awkward silence, or deafcning noise o.
nothingness or worse, the dissection oi
character engages the group-"At every
breath a reputation dies" and the glow
Of eloquence, the witty repartee, The
quiet philosophical reflection, or the
learned experience fails you. It is moi
what you have hoped for or expected.
At American watering places there ],
nothing to do out Of the crowded hotel
No Kursaal. No music on the grounds
a noisy band screechiug at dinner, wher
you want to be quiet, is the only equiv
alent. No lovely clean walks for neatly
booted ladies woman must be s'shot
like a mountaineer" if she walks out
A billiard room or bowling ALLEY afford.
distraction for an hour. What are yot
to do with the other fourteen.
OF course We cannot have the Ole
castles, the historical interests, we can
not have the charms Of a European
watering place, but We might copy som,
Of the good features. For instance
respectable ladies never dress "6ue" at
watering place in Europe. They wea
plain costume, almost always dine il
their bounets, and devote their time b
sensible out Of door life.
The four o. Ave ball, or state COS