The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-09-06
MIR. BEECHER AND THE TWIN
The Plymouth Pastor on Things
in General.
MOUNT WASHINGTON.
What q Hard Place 1t Is to
Keep q Hotel.
SUMMIT HOTEL,
M0lfNT NJ AQuIAnrAN Sant 1Q1d


robbed OF most OF its staying terrors Here am
at the Summit House, $3.50 ieet above tide water,
having only recollection OF eleven miles of stay
ing IN the transit from New York. There 10 really
gap OF only five miles, that Ia from Fabyans, the
terminus OF the White Mountain Railroad, to the
Ammonoosuc station, at the foot OF this lordly
hil which towers up above its fellows, as Presi-
dent Grant towers above his Cabinet In the pOpu.
lar eye. Happening. however, to have broken
my itinerary hitler by Q stay at the
Twin Mountains to hear Brother Beecher
preach last Sunday. and let the HERALD
readers know what the great sermonizer
said stage Journey longer by six miles than 9th.
erwise necessary Was the result This is not much
to complain of, for when took my seat by the
driver yesterday morning the air was clear and
fresh, the morning bright and the SKY lovely
blue, with great, heecy clouds sailing majesticay
above the green mountain tops OF the Franconla
range. The night before had been what the ma
tives call smoky" but Boreas and Zephyrus had
together 1Own across the noun tains, stripping
their swelling bosoms Of their gossamer wells OF
mist, all Of which means that the northwest wind
had folded up the clouds during the night and sent
them on where Nature washes her soied gar
ments, which must be somewhere near Brooklyn,
to Judge by the quantity of foul linen in the hands
OF the public laundress there.
MR.. BEECnER AT THE TWIN.
Before telling you OF the delights Of that morn
ings ride along the valley OF the Ammonoosuc, let
me lift corner OF the curtain behind which Henry
Ward Beecher takes his autumnal ease .lar from
the maddening crowd" The Twin Mountain House
is not very pretentious edidce, and, viewed from
the railway station, with an unstghty plank
bridge over the orawling river and weather.
stained sawmill in the foreground the aspect IS
DreDOaRpgStnU. 4 oh AT
neat and white outside and cosey within. Why it
was ever put where it is viii remain mystery.
The position is not COMMUNICATIVE prospect no
better than could be obtained at almost any part Of
the mountain region. 1t has. however, advantages
1t Is habitabe far into October and 1t is easy OF
cess. But its great feature is that Mr.. Beecher
makes 1t hts vacation home. AS result 1T has
become the resort OF thirty or forty first class
families, who find it homeke and pleasant, far
beyond the possibilities Of the majority OF noun
tain houses.
THE BEECHERIAN ROLE.
Mr.. Beecher informally plays the part Of master
Of ceremonies. chatting with and smiling on every
body, taking the lead in organizing little after
noon pastlmes and evening pleasures. When we
remember the rigidity which prevails In the aver
age hotel and know what social iceberg the aver
age hotel director Is, we must account the Twin
Mountain man lucky to have in the person OF O
paying guest one who takes upon himself the
most delicate part OF the duties Of major d0mO,
while being at the same time as great
IN attraction as the mountains themselves
indeed, Mr.. Beecher makes the spread OF social
amenities dogma IN his humanitarian doctrines.
His sketch In last Sundays sermon OF the unsocial
hotel guest being stage picture worthy Of Lester
Walack's delineatton he cannot do less than Illus
srate his ethcs and it is good thing for the hotel
II tboth od Ia lac oSpct
the counter alter tea, and forms the centre OF an
admirng and interested throng; cracks Jokes,
tells stories and INDUCES In repartee to the top Of
his bent. The guests can never get enough OF 1t !;
Il Is as much to them as the board and lodging
and does not appear in the bill. He did not seem
particularly bright on Saturday evening, but after
his slashing sermon OF Sunday morning he seemed
the nappiest man alive. As has been frequently
stated all reference to the painful topic is avoided
In his presence, although deep interest attaches
70 the question there as elsewhere.
THE ARRIVAL OF THE PAPERS
In the evening stirs the matter up somewhat, and
after careful look round the vicinity subdued
comment il made in a whisper. Mr.. Beecher reso-
lutely guards the gate to his secret, and, like all
painfully acute sentinels, challenges when nobody
Is dreaming Of advancing on his beleagured out
post. Thus, in conversation about religious
20 the congregational Counciw when he should
have said Evangelical Alliance" Mr.. Beecher
quickly corrected the innocent who did not recol.
lee! until so informed that he was forcing Mr..
Ececher to save his Bacon by turning the subject.
But ne sometimes puts out feeler In cautious
way. political chat turning upon General But
lor's chances in the Bay State brought the signlf
cant query from MIR. Beecher:-
'gs ne very successful as lawyer"
I'm political cases." said the gentleman ad-
dressed, Eyes. In-ah-other cases-yes'-(a wk-
ward look general among the company -"well-
ah-not very" (Sigh Of relief on all sides and SUI
perserviceable haste to direct the political chat
several points South and West.) When the papers
arrive, and for a little while everybody is diving
into their recesses Is Mr. Beecher's nauuais quart
Cheuye de Rabelais. II ever look OF
MPATIENCE OR IRRITATION
10 visible upon his fine countenance It is when he
comes suddenly upon man reading fresh news
paper. With regard to that worldwide means OF
keeping pace with progress he is very explicit SO
far as personally concerned. He says
~ NEVER READ THE -APERs."
It may be; but beware OF the public man who says
he never reads the papers. de knows what's III
or course Mr.. Beecher does not suggest to any
body that papers are inrrinsically pad. He refers
to them much as man ordered not to drink
brandy by his physician does to drinking when
ever he sees late boon companion with well.
nled bottle. There is such spice of regret that
such q pleasant thing should hurt him In his re-
fusals that | think II would not be safe to trust
that invalid alone and IN the dark with iagon OF
cognac. said MIR. Beecher to gentleman OF the
press:-
PUBLIC CATTLE.
"You newspaper people regard public men as a
''rhey don't all milk alike" said the scribe.
''NO," added Mr. Beecher smiling some are
short horns and some are long horns; some mix
easy and some kick over the pail"
Without asking the reverend gentleman to what
class OF bovine he belonged the scribe went his
way vthiRking how glad as general shing, cows
and public men are TO be MIXED. The likeness ID
perfect.
STRANGELY CONSTITUTED.
Inc state Of Mr.. Beecher's mind at present
Would De study which no one bit he could pic
lure IN on Its depth OF light and shadow. In his
statement We caught glimpse of MN in time OF
trouble IL was CHASTITY, haunting picture OF
mental agony which he drew, and bears truthful
Impress so far as regards the suffering he paints
IN sucn somDre colors. Yet, however windy the
hgnMlngs or wrath Mashed visibly before his eyes,
any one VINO saw hlm yesterday would feel assured
that sorrow could no more rest ornament y upon
Qul a, 49,,