New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-07-08
4 WORD IN SEASON.

During this month Of July July 0ne-thlru Oh
the population Of the cities betakes itself to
Summer resorts Before the season opens, we
have q word for the keepers or hotels ana
boarding-houses. 1t would be as well for the
former to pitch their scale Of prices even lower
than those to which they were forced to come
last year, as the Centennial will draw away
much of their usual transient custom ana
shorten the stay Of permanent boarders
Vacant rooms and idle walters are sights OF
which they should have quite learned the sig
niticancc last Summer. But the veteran hotel
keeper does not need advice; he knows to
hair Just how much extortiOn the average
American will bear aud how much he Will pay
for mere fashion, and the chance OF look
ing nj fashionable people. The keepers OF
boarding houses, however, which are dotted by
thousands Oh the sea beach and mountains,
make the mistake of supposing that all their
patrons have these fashionable aspirations IN
view when they leave their homes in town
and fly to the country. The history of most OF
these houses follows the same depressing line.
Two or three artists or sensible Manufacturing
people discover quiet corner on the noun
tains or seashoro, and go to it season after
season with books or tackle or paints, camp
ing nj some quiet farmhouse where they have
plain fare, cleanliness, and quiet and pay "A
sum which proves a grateful lit TO tile
farmer in settling his yearly accounts. Presto
the ambitious host turns the coy old house
into staring hotel hired Piano jnSles
in the par!or; insolent colored walters
from town take the place OF his
pretty daughter; the table Is stinted to
Day for this "style y a few vulgar pioneers OF
TIE class who delight in tawdry and cheap
fashion invade the land giggle and dress and
naunt through the tranquil sOlitudcs ana their
old friends fly to find some other hlding-place.
IL is time that some OF the owners OF accessi-
bic resorts near New-Iork understood that
quiet, seclusion, and freedom from the con-
ycntionality of city life are the objects sought
by n large class of people in coming to the
country, and that that class is one able to pay
for their wants and most certain to do it.
The same mistake is made by large major
ity of the managers of boarding houses III
town. Hash, discomfort, dirty carpets, cheap
spendor: here is the picture that rises To every
mind at the name of low-priced boarding
house, simply because of the attempt in them
to ape the manners of a social world TO which
tiltlr inmates 40 Iloi btIOHE anu VI NhiNH
their owner knows nothing. There Is small
minority of people in this end other cities who
in their own homes choose to live en- 0rdHde
tcgue; in "a bOarding-housc for their accommodate
ton, trained servants, a dinner of many courses,
and full dress etc, etc., are ordinary and proper
enough. But the great mass OF Wcli-to-do
Americans, with equal refinement and good
sense. prefer i'll their own houSes to avoid
parade which requires much money and skilled
service to make it comfortable; yet, when they
board they are annoyed by cheap imitation
of this parade, and made to pay for 1t too
Here j. a table filed with clerks-lads but lately
from the countTy, and used to solid fare-mer-
chants. LAWYERS clergymcn, all of whom in their
own homes were accustomed TO sit down TO
sauare meal, for dinner juicy roast, well
cooked vegetables, good pie or pudding made
by their wives own hands. Why should they
b. treated to snowy china and plated ware,
drcary succession of thin soups, bits OF stale
fish, rcicyccs and entrees, of which their wolf
skins Of French names are All too short TO
hide the familiar face of yesterdays tough
mutton A. in the care of Summer resorts, real
comfort and the quality of the food are sacrificed
TO pay fox tawdry show. We may look for
reform when The managers OF these houses
lin which half of New-IOrk iyeS) learn the
real wants OF the people whom they serve.
That will probably not be long. With every
year sham grows weaker in It's hold on even
the vulgar Bowery swell. and common sense
more bold and outSpolcn. Our boarding
houses will some day cease to be pointed out
as typical of our vulgarity and love of false