The Republican journal., 1877-09-27
The Whims of Wealth. Baker the Bounti-
full. Croesus and Cookery.
Correspondence of the Journal.
BOSTON, Sept. 81. 1877

make his fellow men happy, and also has
the wealth to effect that end is to be
envied-those who have reaped the bene-
fits Of his generosity will glorify him, of
Baker, proprietor of the Ridge Hill Farms
at Wellesley. Mass. His boundless hospi-
tality is well known, and his generosity is
the wonder of New England. At an early
age Mr.. Baker entered the sewing ma
chine business-a to be great trade, then
in its infancy. Through his inventive
genius and his remarkable executive
ability he brought the Grover & Baker
sewing machine into the market. TWAS
popular make-as the young lady friends
who stitch up our shirts will attest When
the machines were turned out from the
factory they cost the firm about nine dol
lars: they were retailed for seventy five
dOllars-paying profit that would make
crazy No wonder then that Mr.. Baker
amassed colossal fortune. Money rolled
in upon him in bewildering tide-and
now how to spend it in the most original
and self gratifying manner is the study
| of his life. With reported income of
two thousand dollars day, and consid-
ering his novel methods Of spending it,
men may well say-''He don't know what
! to do with his money'-and yet it would
seem that he does know. He SAYS that
he believes that his mission upon earth is
| to give other people pleasure and amuse-
| ment. He believes that pleasure is the
chief end of existence his creed perhaps
might be thus epitomized Surrender
thy youth to pleasure, and thy senses to
| delight. Soon comes the hour when the
| wine cup is shattered, and the garlands
shall cease to bloom, Enjoy while you
may His great public entertainments
| have been the wonder Of the world, and
not the least memorable one was the
Governors Fete' holden last Thursday,
Sept. 10th, at the grand estate III WelIes-
| ley, fourteen miles from Boston. Eleven
| farms adjacent are owned by Mr. Baker
| and these are under the highest state OF
| cultivation, and form a great park of $40
acres where Art has done its uttermost to
| aid Nature, ever beautiful, and where OBJ
| jects Of quaint history, comical intent and
some of true artistic value are curiouslV
mingled.
Your correspondent was one ofthe lucky
| holders OF an invitation to the great ttsti-
| val OF Thursday. On the train we We're
asked to display our cards of invitation,
and upon doing 50 each one was present
ed with golden badge made in the form
of the new Army and Navy monument,
Of which Boston is justly proud. Arrived
at Wellesley station, there were fifteen OF
| twenty large barges each drawn by two OF
| four horses to convey the guests to Ridge
| Hill Farms. In the first carriage rode the
| Boston Cadet Band this was followed by
the carriage Ia yellow coach Of very sub
stantial construction once owned by GOV.
Eusts, in which Gen. Lafayette rode on
August Odd, 1924, when officially received
| by the Executive of the Massachusetts
Commonwealth and Of the city Of Boston.
In this rode His Honor Lieut. Gov Knight,
Hon. j. B. ID. Cogswell, Col. #. T. Sim
mons OF Charleston, :. c., and John 5.
Haswell Of the State Department, Wash
ington. The carriages which followed
contained eXGoyernors \. l.. Banks and
VIM. Clatin and many other dignitares
Of high rank and celebrity Ridge Hill
| Farms are about 4 mile and half from
| the railway station. On reaching them
the procession entered the magnificent
| domains Of Mr.. Baker, alighteu opposite
the residence of the host, and passed I'M
der a red and white striped canvas pa
| Vilon where the guests were cordially re-
ceivel by Mr.. and Mrs. Baker And it
was to be remarked that the generous
host had a different phrase to bestoW in
welcoming each guest. The versatility
Of the man was wonderful. The recep
ton over the guests marched down the
| beautiful lawn, and by Il bed of portulacca
seven hundred feet in length, to Il little
| grove in which was a long table covered
| by a substantial lunch for the guests.
| Here a scrimmage for food ensued which
reminded one of Dickens description of
hotel manners in the American Notes
When all We're satisfied with the baked
beans, sardines, sandwiches and beef tea
| queer refreshment) they strolled to the
lake, and into the krino Valley, headed by
the jolly host himself as Il guide. And
| lust here we will describe Mr.. Baker.
He looks not over thirty eight, his hair is
! black and glossy, but he is bald in that
manner described us a high forehead
reaching to the back Of the head. He has
| a small black muStache, and wears eye
glasses trimmed, not with gold, as we
would think, but with gutta percha.
| Through the krinO Valley he lead us I'M
der a carved arched gateway and by
many comical objects, such as stuffed
pigs-in memorial of a former tete-a
stuffed bear whose escape and the conse-
Quent terror once caused notable funeral,
are all memorable There was a high
monument to the ''departed spirits" made
of wine bottles, and another Of perfume
bottles that had not another ''scent lett
for tribute etc, etc, etc After laugh
ing over these, we were invited to the
Smuggler's Cave-a series Of subtcrra-
mean passages extending about an eighth
of a mile under ground. The rocks com
posing its sides are cut with grOtesque
and sphinN-ike faces, and here are also
strange and trighttuf images of wood and
stone At last we reached the steps lead
ING to "Flirtation Tunnel'-here every
gentleman offered his arm to lady To
lead her through the long dark passage
where not ray of light is visible. At the
end there was a great surprise a place
called the Stalactite GrOtto. 1t is Il great
circular cave, us large as Il good sized
church, the light streams in at noon-day
through panes of vari- colored glass in the
roof of the Grotto, which is just above
the surface of the ground. Innumerahle
stalacttes are pendant from the roof,
some are crystalline and brilliant; the
rays of light are reflected from more than
a million glitterng points; there are
lovely fountains of water-than which
there is nothing more beautiful when it
is artistically displayed and in the min
iature lake are gold and silver fish sur
rounded by a lovely shore of concll and
pearl shells Of rare and yari-colored hue
from the dazzling reefs Of Florida and
southern climes. Beautiful effects are