The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-08-03
Americans from North and South
doing the Burgundy
DIFFICULTIES EN- ROUTE
Miserable Steamers and Dining
Facilities at Discount.
AMONG THE KANUCKS AT MONTREAL.
NIAGARA FALLS.

How Americans md Foreigners Fare ut
tho Ha nds OF the Landsha rks-Thc Hoo |
teis, Hacks, Gossips, shoddyitcs and
Fnsh iona blcs-An Interesting scene Mt !
Table d'HOtc.
NIAGARA FALLS, July 20, 1S12
1t Ia little early in the season for Niagara Falls
and the hotels are therefore now only half full OF
quests while the Keepers of the curiosity stores and
the hack drivers wear long faces and grumble at
the hardness of the times. ave only have three
months in the year. any way,r they cry, In chorus,
asand for twO-thirds OF that it's much as we can
10 to pay expenses" The class OF people, too, So
dourning ut the Falls Ia little below the standard
of the "best society,"; that Is to say it is rs yet des
titute altogether OF fashionable boarders No
doubt month hence there will be many more vu
gar or obscure people than there are now but the
social SKY will be lit up by the temporary presence
of the Potiphars ana the De Families and
the Cresuses, and so the rest Of
the world will fall back into the
middle distance or the background of the picture,
according to their Importance. Meanwhile how
ever, the small fry enjoy themselves with pleasant
absence OF constrant. After supper in the cool of
4he early evening, the guests even Of the best ho-
tells. ladies as we'll rs gentlemen, and the latter
with their cigars, sit out on the lower verandah,
Iacng the street, and chat and watch the passers-
by and listen to the OF the Falls, which, rs the
thadows fall deeper seems to grow even louder and
more solemn 1t Is hard to say OF what this reminds
you-though 1t awakens In vague sort OF way
memories of the Paris Boulevards and the music
gardens OF yienna-but you feel at once that
1t is an innovation at home. Probably a few Ger
man families first introduced the practice, and
then American ladies saw that II was great deal
pleasanter to SIT with their husbands even in the
midst OF clouds OF tobacco smoke and within n few
yards OF the entrance to the harroom, than TO
nope alone on the upper verandah. SO, knowing
~ frequent experience the relative charms OF a
cigar and wife to a married man Of over forty
lhey determined to make him perfectly happy BY
,Opying the Teutonc fashion and giving hun the
chance TO enjoy them both together Thus
TIL PRESENT HIGHLY PLEBEIAN CUSTOM
has grown to be feature OF evening ne AZ Mag
ara, though 1t may, perhaps, fell into dcsuetude
the season grows older and more fashionable. And
this IA but an illustration OF the general prevailing
tone or the place just at present. Every one does
pretty much what seems good in his or her own
eyes, and the canOns of etiquette even If they have
been ever learned (Which, in a majority OF cases,
is extremely donbtiuD, are thrown TO the winds as
soon as they are found to stand in the way Of com
fort or enjoyment. II the weather were rs hot as
1t was Ia New York week ago, l have. indeed,
little doubt that there are many gentlemen here
who woald be perfectly capable of appearing at the
zen denuded OF collar. Let 1t not he supposed.
owever that there are no exceptions 10 this
farming disregard to the influence of Mrs. Grundy.
the table where it mas pleased the head waiter
place me there Is a family OF two parents and
&c budding daughters, who take care TO let
.erybody near them know that they are not thus
lsensipc to the voice of fashion. Last Sunday was
lamIna sailed in with new number OF Hu,ppr's
azar, which she diligently studied aloud during
10 long leisure allowed by the waiter.
''MARY MY DEAR,r SAID SHE,
foo-lard silks are again being extensively worn.-
hen followed an animated sabbath discussion on
lis Interesting point, after which mamma again
.apsng into her fashion gossip, fshed up from
me to time other items OF similar value
nd Importance The conversation seemed little
lriOus, however, owing to the shockingly desh0
We condition OF the party, which looked very
ON a picnic at Jones' Wood and stripped Of their
ob0ns. But at dinner there was gorgeous trans
rmation. Each OF the ladies was trcked out In
.zzling ralment, and the eldest and prettlest girl
ore two gilded butterflies and couple Of hollow
saen globes in her har Mamma Mamma stu l ha d her Ter
udy. But she suddenly came to full stop,
AN UNKNOWN FRENCH woRp
% s or ws sss does that
arr" inquired she OF the daughter with the butter
ss and the globes, who had no doubt been to
finishing school, and had studied the French
,guage and literature; But Mary hesitated .
snce and struck in. "A-koo," cried he, "why
ats a coin Of some Kind; it means money, Of
afyoure getting didn't say a-koo. How could
idy wear money trimmed on her fOunces It's
ed into silent sulS, casting iurtlve siances at
rest OF us to see what we thought Of the mat
And We most OF Us thought that papas at
fering place must really have splendid time
agara as i need scarcely say, enjoys and still
srves the reputation OF being the most extor-
ate place In the country. The old story Is still
you can't walk u dozen steps In any
cton without being called upon to stand and
yer, While the hotel keeper at the end is
,etGing TO be dreaded. The hack drivers have,
fever, been brought 10 book eliectually and
only dare charge you at the rate OF So an
ar. That Is an improvement, OF course, and
tnt ono. The hotels are not only excessive In
cir charges, but also keep q snamefuly bad
ole-s0 bad that no one with tendency to indt.
stiOn should, under any circumstances, venture
TO their power. But every has heard this
fore. and most people change, therefore, after
70 or three days devotion to the Falls to fit
way to other resorts. And until the whole system
things Is changed, until II IL possible to get de.
,ntly cooked food and polite hotel clerk, and
sOm that doesn't look like q prison cell until
,ckmcn are forced to wait until they are called,
I'd cease TO pull you 30 pieces In the
-eets; until Goat Island passes under an
ieIqent, and one might almost say, patriotic
Engagement. and until many other apparently
possible things come to pass, hotel keepers and
iers interested must look In vain for better
les. We must all see Niagara OF course but az
st we need not stay there after we have seen 1t
less II Is made pleasant haven OF refuge.
What a pity 1t was, by the way, that the whole
hon OF the Falls was not made national park,
same as the Yellowstone is going TO be. is IL
late for the State OF New York to step In, even
Y, and sweep away the existing scandals. The
sule the one point to which every foreign trav-
DO the one point where the most selfish and
onest specimens OF American human nature
uid be found.
OWN THE ST. LAWRENCE.