The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-15
"A West Va. Summer Resort.
LIFE AT THE GREEN BRIER WHITE SUI
PHUR.

III
LIFE AT THE GREEN BREER WHITE Sui
PHUR.
(Cor orrespondsnee OF the Grbphlc) .,,-.
GRIRABuER, WHITE SULPHUR sPRMGS,
... WnT Vm0IHIA, July s. !
Sitting on my porch this morning look
ing across the lawns and toward the
mountain peaks, listening 10 the lay oI
the song birds, drinking In the fresh air
OF Greenbrier, and sheltered by the gen.
erous canopy OF oak leaves, am tempted
to believe The Happy Valley, II II ever
had 0 history In keeping with the fairy
legend, must surely have been here. This
Is q favored spot. Little wonder that our
Southern princes Of other days found this
the happiest Of summer homes. Imagine
q grove oi noble oaks, the grounds beau
tilully laid out, the lawns closely trim
med, gravel walks free Of debris ol any
kind, the whole estate surrounded and
hedged In by heaven. kissing hills. In the
center OF tho grounds an immense hotel,
and on an elevated plateau, some three
or four hundred feet from the main build.
Ing, an unbroken row oi cottages extend
Ing around three sides ol the square.
Here live and move and have their being
Messrs. Peytons' summer family, number
ing, at this time, three hundred guests,
and as many servants; In three weeks
hence there will be 1000 guests and six
hundred servants. Comfort first, fashion
afterwards, seems to be the motto Of the
present hdbitueS of White Sulphur. Fash
ionable dissipations, nightly reVeS, or con-
stantly changing dress seems TO be un-
known, the pleasures are quiet rather than
rapid, and the health Of the people excel
lent. The advantages Of sulphur bathing
are too well known 10 require endorse
ment by the Daily Graphic. From six to
ten In the morning, one or two invalids,
who are unable 10 walk, are wheeled
down to the bath.house 10 receive their
daily application OF sulphur bathing, vary
ing in degree according 70 the condition
ol the patients system. Twenty or thirty
young ladies, attired in morning gowns,
their faces shaded by generous sun.bon-
nets, silently steal through the grove to the
bath.house during the morning, not really
because they arc sick, "but 1t Is best to be
careful, you know" as demure little
beauty OF South Carolina remarked TO me
the other day. A few gentlemen baIhe,
but the majority drink the water from the
spring hard bY-that Is, with "stick" In
It. "StiCks" are furnished at the hotel.
After the bath l will assume the iair Alice
or the modest Constance 70 be engaged in
discussing the latest novel, or she may be
sleeping, or possibly q little OF each.
At best, can but theOr:ze on this
point, as their cottages arc as unassailable
at this time as the most guarded nunnery.
But notice the charming freshness Of their
cheeks, when they emerge at
one o'clock at the first notes OF the Or
chestra stationed under the spreading |
branches OF the oaks on the lawn Here
we llnger for an hour, drinking In the
silVery sweetness oi the orchestral per-
iormance. Food Is boiled and Morpheus
is courted until ak in the evening. Then
more music, followed by tea. We then
await fresh arrivals by the trains, and al
forwards dancing till twelve. So go the
the days, pleasantly, dreamily, happily.
Naught TO mar the even tenor Of the day;
the gentle dews Of heaven descend BY
night; we seek our Couches, and, undis-
turbed by torturing dreams, yield our
selves to the embrace ot sweet repose' ls
It not an altogether charming existenees
No excitement, no cares, no untitled de-
slres.
Later In tho season the Presldent isex'
pected, having written that he will come;
If convenient. Possibly there will be
ball In his honor. With this exception
the programme olexclting joys is blank.
Where excitement Is not desired, It's ab'
sence Is not missed. An occasional drive
10 the famous sweet ChalybVate Springs,
sixteen miles east; q fishing excursion;
q ramblc In tho woods; dance In the
evening; these are our joys, and possess
Ing these, we are content