New-York tribune., 1876-07-24
rove or rowed in the afternoon to take sup

drove or rOwed in the afternoon to take sup
per and return by nine o'clock. Sometimes a
party of mOdish bachelors invited few mat
rons Of the higher circles with their daugh-
tcrs) to a dance and tea al feSc0 at one of
these inns. They went on horseback or in sedap
chairs, and were well guarded Oh the way, as
footpads infested every road near New-York
or Philadelphia. Not half dozen families III
the provinces owned cOuntry-seats, and these,
although we hear much of their statelnesS from
the descendants of their owners, would rank
now as thrd-class farm-houses whose rooms
were small and sitting and furnishing mean.
The advertising columns Of tO-day's TRIBUNE
not only show the progress oi Wealthler
people in the luxury required Tor thelf
Summers recreation, but (a hint OF far
decper impOrt) Indicate the universal habit,
increasing with each year among the middle
and lower classes OF escaping from town 10
country. Not only the great hotels at mountain,
or springs or sea- beach set forth their claims as
mecting-places for wealth and fashion, but
there are host of proposals from "plain
" "farmers,r "quiet private families" to pro-
vide for the great majority of penny-saylng
people "good country diet" " rf-bathing"
"nilk, fruit, and vegetables" beautiful
scenery" "decp-sea fishing" emusic and
"nO chills," "croquct and pony" "bigrooms
"and no mosquitoes for prices ranging from
So to 80 per week. There is no good gift
Of old mother Nature which is not set down
with its price in these bids for boarders, from
wcll-cOoled trout 70 Iond lilies.
Our grandfathcrs journeyed on packsaddles
between New-Y0rk and Boston only when ne
ces,ity required, in fear of wild beasts and
highwaymen Nowadays Our railroads set forth
tempting fortnight excursions to every part of
the contingent and the ocean steamers run to
and fro to all the ends of the world faster
and further and cheaper this Summer than
ever. Parties of ladies and gentlemen going
To the Pacific coast advertise for companions
TO fill out their number. Another peculiar
featmc, only to be found during the last year
or two. is Our announcement Of the mammoth
Summer cities by the sea, with their queer
half religious, half money-making aspects.
Advertisements concerning domestic servants
occupied rs large proportion OF space IN the
newspaper columns for 1776 IS now. But
they stated with minutcncss how many slaves
from Barbary would bc brought to the ham
mcr on Saturday scnnight, or raised the hue
and cry after priscilla, white seam'tress
and slave, run away;" or Thomas-alS0
shyc-"a German. machinist, well skilled in
music and book knowledge" To-day our
Swedish cooks and French waitingmaid~ dic'
tate arbitrary terms TO their employers, Wit
in choice English, in the columns OF Tie
TRIBUNE. I'm 1875 there were two schools IL
Philadelphia, and as many in NewGorh,
where bows were thrashcd into a knowledge
of the humauities and polite accomplishments,
dancing, French, and fencing. Now, what
with universities and military schools down to
the artisan colleges for freedmen, there Is not
a class i'm the country which is not provided
with its ample machinery for instruction. Wcarc
in the habit of looking back TO that age as being
one whcu there were intcllcctuala moral giants
in the land Our own statesmen we call pig
mics compared to Jefferson, Franklin, and |
Patrick Henry. Bat when we measure the |
condition of the mass oi the people with our |
own we find no better gauge than these same |
differing advertisements. Those of The Weekly |
Pcc,ct show Us that chief among the excite |
mcn.s of the capital town of the country, In |
that Summer was the curing "of the bite of |
- mad dogs by Il certain baker in whose family |
" the receipt for the charm has remained Tor |
" three hundred years" Now the ordinary |
citizen does not crowd, with hundreds of his |
Ike. to see 4 victim of hydrophobia manipu- |
lated by magic, but with hundreds of thou
sands TO the great Exhibition where every ma
tion has brought its recognition of his progress |
in mechanics, arts, science, and culture.