New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-07-10
SARATOGA.

FENDED-PAsT AND PROSPECTIVE CHANGES-A
BOOT AND SHOE REMINIscEScE-THE GRAND
UNION TO BIZ FURTHER ENLARGED
lYRoN An oOcAsIoSAL CORRESPONDENT or TfK rRIBUrEi
SARATOGA, July al wonder why people
don't come TO Saratoga in June when tho hotels less
crowded aud the thermometer and prices lower
We were sitting on the broad piazza, Mr.. sprigqns
and I, with heels comfortably elevated above
heads. II was that spoke.
" Reasons enough why not" replied Mr.. Spnggins.
In the first place, nobody wants TO come when there's
nobody here everybody for the sake Of seeing
everybody. They don't come 10 drink the and n
they did they would Mt in June; this filling
with salt water IA bad enough with the mercury at
%. but who wants TO pickle and repeat with It
down in the sixties Man Is MT mackerei.
The De Mulligans and Van Murphys don't
come in June because the La ROurkes and Va.
OTOoles not coming till July and tho la ROurkes
and Van O'TOOes don't come in June because II IA
derstOod that the DE Mulgans and Van Murphy, won't
be here till July. The fact Is, man with family
could get here earlier II he wished to- There's Mrs.
spriggins for instances she's been getting ready ever
since Lent and says she is MT t 10 be now. And
don't think she IL, myself-a OF her age with
all those gewgaws on "a red hngumbob over yellow
what-d yeCalit and the rear stuck oui-nade bef
fantu' she calls it-with a steel spring thingamy.
We've been married nigh on 80 year. aud I'm bald ss 9
cobbe-stone bald asphalt pavement, for that mat
Oh, no, guess not. Why, she's bees
fixing for Saratoga these three months past and Two
Clipped enough 10 set grocery store, aud when
started yesterday morning she said she wasn't hah
ready yet and that always hurryng her. and that
she had nothing to that would take people down.
told Just 10 It, then, and guessed they'd ~
took down considerably. Come here in Junei msa
with wife at his back could MT get here In June unless
she started get ready January and then with six
months at 1t the chances she'd burst him 80 hs
could MT como at all" And biting bis cigar Viciousy.
Mr. sprggns disappeared in the vicinity OF the Hathon
Spring. stopping kick at small boy who intercepted
him with saratoga-and How-tO-SeeIt' for 80 cents"
"Tne idea Of seeing Saratoga for 50 cents" heard
him mutter low down IN his beard.
Mr Spriggins has had several serious conversations
with me regarding his wife's extrayasance-indeed.
married men are very apt 10 TO me for advice in
that particular knowing that We tanned several female
Cruisers" tell him 20 decline 20 pony, refuse to
ante object TO punglein short, to pug his foot down.
He says he has several occasions. but 1t has only
ended in his being obliged to put his hand down deeper
You Spriggns dabbles IN stocks, and the spring
strngency troubled bin.
The hotels not very full az vet though the pro-
pretors say they have quite many guests at cor
responding period last year. could scarcely have be-
lieved this had looked the statistics and found
il to be truenot that doubt the yeracy OF landlords
generally; race. they VeraciOus and may be re-
lied onthOugh occasionally, at rare lntefVas you run
across one who will lie. For instance. Ihaye known
some OF the fraternity TO charge only half as much "a
they agreed and give only twice what they promised
to but as before remarked these instances are rate.
and may be considered the exceptions proving the rule
the contrary 1t IL well, however, TO take the STATE
ments of hotel with some grains OF allowance, for
they arehe hopeful OF mortals, always seeing the
future roseae colors, and the past as 1t might have
been rather than 1t was, never despairng untu tho
Iaa "a md no lastOu
however ia beginning 10 promise well. Guests arc
nockng init has perhaps leaked out that am here
and 1t is probable that Notwithstanding the Vienna E1
position and the fact that OF the old springs hays
dried up and several ones have been discovered
the Summer Of 1873 VIII DO chroncled as success IN
Saratoga records.
Saratoga is emphatically the place OF hotels. 90 near
together they that yOu have half dozen IN one Tho
streets are but the basthere Is such thing ous
DOORS unless you drive out OF We live on tho
pazzas rather than in Ladies meaDder about in
directions without hats-you might think they had
lost them did It not TO you how much less likely
the creatures their hats than their heads.
This freedom ali sides the general sans faeon gives
you home feeling you feel that you are amona
friends the pretty girls your sisters the ugly ones.
cousns-how far removed you don't care The rich old
ladies' are your aunts you forgive the orusty mOnares
who stump around on equity toes, grumbliug at your
cigar smoke for not being related TO yOu and would let
them consider you OF the family if they chose
anything 10 Obige them. Doing the society business
becomes less rksome you than it could be under
other conditions Here all your friends within Q
stones throw but does MT throw stones
ut ones friends. perhaps had better say that your
enemies within that distance If you want to shy
rocks at them. Making calls Is no trouble at ALL and
ySu regret that New-Year's does not come of while
you're up here-it would be so nice. too, TO 20 round
drinking Congress water instead OF wine.
picture 1t, think Off,
Diss0lute man."
THE combination OF business and pleasure shadowed
forth in this suggestion must commend itself TO tho
most disspated and dsordered intellect Much has been
said Of the extravagant charges at Saratoga Have
not shown conclusiyely that nothing could be more
reasonable, all things considered People putting up
here forget that they really stop at half dozen hotels
and not expected TO pay any more than II they
stopped only two or three. But, seriously, there s
something TO be said counter 10 the charge
Of exravagant charges The proprieOrs Of the Grand
Union, for instance, pay rental OF so0-and even at
that rent the property probably does not pay fair in
teres value The house Is only open four months Of
the year. and OF these months sort OF dead
openandshut on the propretOrs far profit is
cerned. July and August really all that the lessees
have TO get back their money In. They make long
reaches for II In those eight weeks and do pretty WE'LL
taking the difficulties of the into accOunt-but
don't believe any could get me TO take hand at tho
game, Notwithstanding that I'm not 10 turning
an honest penny. ID rather be bosraer. Very much
the same may DO said OF the other hotels, fancy.
though I have made no "deep scrutiny" into thu
expenses they underthe fact is have given up all
idea OF going into the summer-hotel business And so
far L have not circulated around much, finding it
pleasanter to sit in a and write from imagination
than to DO out the rain without umbrella gathering
facts.
In Congress Hall, powever, remark no charges thu
furniture is about as 1t thought indeed, that
detected spittoon wo and bootJack that was
there last year. But can be certain about
sptoons-sOmetimes you think il new one, and tits