, 1879-05-16
AMERICAN COUNTRY GENTRY
Their Gradual Disappearance from tho Enst
&ti1 Iurk Itltfi,

T1IGir Gradual Disappearance from tho Enst.
&ts1 lork Ttmits.
This spring is witnessing brisk movement
in renl estate" In tlfs city md on the Lower
Hudson, but It Is n well known fact that the
largo plncea aboyc the Highlands nrc almost 4
drug In tho market. Herr, II anywhere In
America, 4 country gentry class might he
found. The houses are large aud ronlny. with
mod crn cunfcn!cnceb; the grounds will often
equal these Of many well kuown EnElishconntry
houses, with line trees uni well kept lawns,
largo Eroycs. vide sweep Of lneadow, aud un-
cQualed Views OF river and mountain. Tlern Ii
nothing, apparently, hcss TO pseyess the resi-
donco Of IL wealthy class Of American country
gentlemen, who could hayo much pleasant So
cicty among themselves, anil create y Kind Of
conservative element especially needed III Our
American l1fc. The material eOndIt innss seen, to
nc ptcsnnt.S Thc d!stancr 10 thc metropolitan
Freely. and p permit 4 short scason IN town Ii
the sprlng nk,nts. Tlcu, tu o certain extent,
whatever ID blstortcnk blood there is in the
country IL to he fouul umonE ths owncrs Of
t1luse properties. Tic Schuyler, nMl Van
Rynsseiaor, md Vcrp1anrs famlc, still possess,
in certan branches, considerable tracts on the
Hudson; nn tho Ltyi1sgslUs, WHO hays pre-
served or gained more wealth thal most of our
historical families, still setain largu estates OH
tho river, we'll as In otl,er parts OF tte s'nse.
Tlle houses nIlt! plnees oI tltsu families, ms wpll
as Of many otl,rr wcalthicr. such ~ those Of The
Astors, wnull aec'n tu f0rln good basls Tor
Yet, with MI this, there Is hardly locality on
The river where there ID, through tho year, n
rally pleasant nn,l lively ru!nl society among
wealthy !am'iica or rcupir u mnch snlcrtonrre
mpru or less aoctat lsfe, at"! ylngcs with vluge
}ttc, nna a,,,fn,er resorts with ,ln visiting NIL
gayuty Of the city transferred tl!crc during i!o
summer tnonths. Hut tur uc!Elbor]loods. whore
quests come and telart, artl there Il 4 ythuna
country 1ac, such M ,he taTsy chronicles OK ths
| Hudson describe, We hardly know az 0le. The
| En.ll.l nlacea ne almost uInnlablc. several
| as,o1o tho Highlands haye heen turned tnto
| hr!ckynrtlH; some will be cut up Htut hohl In
yilnge lots; ,lli owilrrs OF soma have Etyun up
.he!r parks Tor t!Nler cnttEs 0slsers arc sti1,p-
~ burden 9! Ss',ooo or S:4AOa u year On itielr
lonKig iuto tho opening of tho Illgllnnl, witt,
! grounds n,Hl Views nut surpnssa It III EUROPE ur
America, l.as lust brsn ~ II Hlicrc! Tor @ meic
ably be swallowed up BY that loYcr of rural
acenury. Mt jni Gould.
IIe kau,e condition. OF things exists In othel
parts Ut this state, ami In ntl.er atars Of the
uulol,. That ts t0 sAy, ANYTHING like tic liu Vi
EnElts, rural famIli.s nov, has pastal away II
tlc Eastern Status, and probably wiz never arise
IN tlIa Western. The rcuso.ls Ars obyIulis. Nc
political weight il acquired by sirll iamily 70
frfct. Iii fllet many u eounlry gentleman
would oitrn urllIcyc slrcrsA sumner In = t"wn
especially II hu l.sppsntt! to bcioug to the party
Of tie minority III ll country. The 1oca! oiiicol
nra al very little accs,lint, and arc usually WUt
by pessons more Ga.nlliar With tile 0rlinur,
voters. Even II gained, they aro thnnties
pIAcrs. anu uro accepted us DUTIES rir tlian ii
steps ia hnt,.'rs. Some ot thv families livt
abruaA; others speuti tslu winter In Ner Yorl
untI the summer ut HeWport Or III Europe; ~.
tl,u representatives Of tie hlhtotle4! 'falnilie
gradually sink out Ut view u, tho couuttea wAer,
Their fatl.rts lived with hoor, nu.l ut length ar
almost uunotieeI Il, AtRuslea1 saclrty or rolit
ical lfc III ull probability q siluilae TRANSITION
Ii gofng on throughout Europu. Iio eIlie
! Rbsorb soclcty. Public lltr anu tte convenience
unt pleasures Of Towns ATTRACT from the oil
quilt nlII regular country ilie. Tho couutF
gentry are passlrE nHay.