New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-27

oual;tx snrnr;sa o,e when one knows that green
peas do NOT actually cost the proprietor moro than
cont or two apieoe TO grow A finer oroquet ground
never saw. Croquct, of course mas gone ou' VI
date: the only playing have seen this season was
by party of mild lunatics at DIR. COOKS priVa'e
asyIum but the ground answers well 10 spread
Iunch-tables on for a lawn party. And of flowers
there are sufficient to sat up half dozen norists III
trade and run their shops season in and season out
In one peranium bed there are 1929 plants-if you
think | lie about it, you are at perfect liberty
N 90 out there and count them for yourself.
Then there is nice roomy building for the
moral drama charades, &c, built separate from
the house; and in another part of the grounds You
find billiard room and Photographic gallery
Thompson, by the way, has the reputation OF beng
the best dry photographer in the United States
do not saw that he is for do not know exactly
what that means, but he photographs good doal
and ought to be dry enough for he doesn't drink On
the premises too. there is nice stable, with room
enough for ali the horses and wagons that modest
man would care TO keep at his country residence.
And-if You will believe me-the cost OF the whoie
thing WAS but little over 800 O00S125O00 perhaps.
The idea Of your crowded population living IN tene-
ment houses. in small. hot. ill-ventilated rooms
when good. free breathing space and comparative
comfort can be had as have just illustrated IN the
countryl The idea il prepOsterOus! There cannot
be more than 100 acres attached to SOnnenberg-the
greenhouses surely do not occupy more than one
acre and half, the various buildings perhaps as
much again-and yet they very seldom have to SEND
down TO the city for vegetables; the neighbors
generally raise than they want Tor themselves
And as for hay and oats for the horses. there are
farmers in plenty near at hand who quite willing
glad, / might almost say-tO supply all such
things at city prices.
Notwithstanding its cheapnesS, Sonnenberg is one
of the most lovely country places ! ever visited
Situated on the highest ground III the vicinity, 1t
commands the view in all directions. The lake,
with its ever-shifting surface and ever changing
color lies in 'front.' either hand green fields ana
forests slope down to the horizon, and you have an
unedualed panorama of sky. The sunsets are like
those on the ocean. What the sunrises may be do
not know, but Michael the butler-who is man Of
observation-disclosures me that his wife has been told by
the chambermaid that the dairy maid says that she
has no doubt but that the sunrses the finest in
the world and that it is a source of regret TO her
that the boy who feeds the chickens has never got
up sufficiently early to call her to witness one.
There is one popularity about Sonnenborg which
makes it o good country place to be at About the
grounds one detects violations of taste which
temper ones admiration prevent ones praise from
being hearty and tempt one ut every turn to say to
the proprietors, Why do you do this J or Why do
Won not do thati My critical eye detected the need
Of only two changes in tho architectural arrange
ment of things and these boldly offered, One was
the shooting the spot-no matter what spot, so
long as 'twere some vital part-of the ugles-
looking and worst hammered dog ever | saw the
other, the importation of boot-black. These inno
vations would not add materially TO the cost OF
keeping up the grounds, and then you would have
Il Nlb
ought to be within the means of every one-ii it
were faIr square deal all round. mean.
But if Sonnenberg is beyond the means Of any one
contemplating country life, there is something else
for YOU good friend. The banks Of Canandaigua
Lake furnish some charming situations, and the
residents of the village have sub-cOuntry seats, as
'twere there. Here the most frugal simplicity pre-
walls and one learns how little is really necessary
to happiness. Pine Bank" an accessory after the
fact to SOnnenberp is mere cabin, built Of boards
and containing good many rooms, but unlathed, n
upholstered, implanted, and unexpected. When the 4
proprietor Of Sonnenberg wishes to place himself
and his guests face 10 face with nature and get a
chance to practice on the French born, he re-
treats hither. The preparations for migration
are very simple furniture is already there in
abundance; it is only necessary to pack up sheets.
blankets, table linen. china silver, and provis-
ions, take the butler and two or three servants
along, and the thing is done. Two trim little
steamboats, make the trip TO the head of the Lake
and back several times each day. and the ride is a
most enjoyable one, particularly In early October,
when the naples ablaze the hillsides. and the
walnut trees are beginninglto show like huge but
ter-cups The brilliant ivy crawling over the rocks
wreathes the tree trunks with living flame and
all the varying colOrs interpreted with the emerald
Of the evergreens make 4 rarer piece of mosaic than
ever human hand turned out. Nature never errs in
the arrangement of her necklaces and breastpins.
The shores of the lake abound with wild glens
where the guests may stroll and climb and break
their necks at their leisure. i remember one spot
where any mother-in-law, with single spark of TO-
nance i'll her nature, could be persuaded to walk
unsuspiciously and where she would get sure fall
of something near q hundred feet AS the glen
might be purchased reasonably, l suggest that a
Joint stock company be formed on the ToDtine plan
for believe 1t is by the TOntine system that the
survivor alone is benefited. l will engineer the
speculation in the general interests of humanity and
for sufficient consideration will act rs guide to the
falls.
Oh the beauty of those moonlit evenings at Pine
Bank, when we dashed The Adirondack Boat and
1.-THE Family Tub" together-two boats with but
single thwart-and hoated over the water, our oars
keeping time to the tinkling of Julias guitar and
the wild melody of Thompson's French horn. Still
in the ear of memory runs The Mill in the Valley"
golden ring she gave me,
And promised TO be true
/ took the ring she gave me
And pawned II with O Jew.
Or words to that effect. There are famous echoes
on the lake, too. Last evening Thompson piloted
us to one; resting on our oars in mid-channel
he drew his horn from its case and sounded the
various bugle calls. No response from the rocks
Another round. The hills were voiceless. Yet