Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-08-05

E0atOrlal Notes.

that you gaze upon with cOntented delight
from your open car window, into which
pours the cool breeze caused by the rapid
ly moving train. Landing in the ancient
and pretty town of Bedford. a ride of .
mile and half yet remains between you
and the wonderful valley where half
dozen great springs burst forth close to-
gether from the mountain side, Of different
virtucs-a royal family indeed, clustering
around very king of mineral springs.
Bedford ought to be as frequented as Sara
to.a and this its visitors have been saying
for many years. The Anderson spring is as
beneficent as the Congress-, and even more
valuable in the opinion Of its vOtaries. 1t
is accessible and near to the centre of pop
ulatiOn. 1t is among the cool, sweet val
leys of the mountains, instead of OH a fiat
andarid plain. Yet thousands resort to the
one place, while tens go to the other. Evi-
IDENTIFY Saratoga is not visited for its
waters. In this great country of ours,
where the people grow rich SO rapidly and
| in such numbers, a desideratum in a sum-
mer resort that Saratoga has supplied is
place where the most money can he spent
in the shortest time and the greatest dis
play be made of its possession. The newly
rich want their wealth to be seen and ad-
mired. Ugly women load themselves with
handsome dresses and great jewels, and
enhance their usliness in comparison,
that their adOrnment may be wOn-
dered at and. they receive tho reflected
glory of such ownership. Men are fools ;
and so Saratoga is possible.
And pleasant place it is even for those
who do not use it for a show room. 1t is
| pleasant to look at the show :; and the
waters are delightful to the taste. They
are more agreeable than the Bedford water,
because of the carbonic acid gas with
which they are freely charged. The
hotels there Are palaces at Bedford, in
comparison, novels. These springs have
always been in possession Of the Anderson
family, and they are now managed according
to the family traditions without change or
shadow of variation from the old ways.
Hardly new nail is put into the sacred
wood, which does not venture to decay
though it puts on the grey and weather.
beaten visage of age and seems to frown
upon the gay fashions of youth. In tone
with the spirit of the place the company
comports itself. The ladies dress once for
all day in the morning, selecting from their
trunks the attire of sOberest hue, but put
ting on their diamonds, which Bedford loves
as passport at its gates. Bedford visi-
tors are as as rule wealthy people, who
could easily buy all the comforts and glare
of Saratoga, but who love this homely place
for its essential life and endure with CON-
plaisance the rude accommodations which
are in sharp contrast with the too soft
luxuriousness of their homes. The men
come here with one suit of clothes and a
small valse, and have precisely the same
appearance at all times of fthe day and on all
days of the week. A couple of years ago
1 appeared with Cape May trunk and un-
dertook to air its contents to keep out the
moths. The resultant sensation was
enormous, and if Barnum had come along
then with his show would have been
lassoed for exhibition along side the woody
horse.
The same bells are about this place that
rang in the early part of the century, and
now with cracked voice, all through the
day, speak out their messages to servants
who have listened to them all their lives.
The same dishes appear upon the table,
served in the same way, at the same hours.
The breakfast time is over at nine, and the
dinner hour is limited to from two to three
The attendance at the table is excellent'
and the fare quite good enough for any
body who goes to the springs for some.
thing else than to eat. The table is abun'
dainty supplied, although there is that
sameness in the supply which you would
expect in place that is so steadily run in
ancient ruts. 1t could not be persuaded
to accept a new idea, and one would almost
think it sacrilege to suggest it. For in.
stance, the thousands of chickens that
flock about the kitchen door would seem.
ingly be better cooped but there has neve,
been a coop and a coop would interfere
with the practice of the negro executioner,
who calls the flock to him as he stands by
the prison box into which he casts them as
rapidly as he picks them up; then he opens
the lid and draws them forth with one
hand, while with the other he pulls their
heads off as fast as he can handle them.
Bedford used to be great place for the
politicians of the state to gather, but this
season there have not been many of this
class registered upon the books. Judge
Sterrett with his large and handsome pres
ence at present looms up almost alone
among the men of the state we'll known to
fame and he should not be classed among
the politicians. This special character
would seem to bring some discredit even
here, Judging by the way in which 1
heard cabman speak, one afternoon as I
passed group of them in the hot hours
of the afternoon, on the lawn, where they
had usurped the chairs of the guests. 81
don't argey politics. amt none of that
'ere kind but tell yer Garfield is the
man and that's all there is of that. I"
Perhaps he had copied that style of dis
cussion from the guests it is quite ia
vorite style with people who affect to
despise argument.