The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1880-10-16

ladies discard hats, some wear a scarf o
white or black lace draped GRACEFUL,
over the head, but the majority use onl,
parasols, certainly a novel custom.
| have seen many fine hotels, but neve
one that could eclipse in all its appoint
ments, comfort, beauty and elegance, th,
Grand Union which belongs to the. Stew
art estate. 1t is built in the form of /;
hollow square and the grand parlors al
aglow with the crimson hangings ant
its furniture of varied hue, its court will
its large trees, shrubbery, flowers, fou,.
tains, electric lights, the beautifully
dressed ladies and children and the music
seem like the dreamy visions of fairy
land that so delighted our childish minds
when we read and believed the fairy
tales. The Windsor is just as elegant
but much smaller and its ex6rbitant
prices are suited only to the millionaire
Every body rides to Saratoga lake, takes
a sail across its lazy waters to one of the
hotels and indnlges in dish of Saratoga
potatoes-;s delicious relish.
We had lovely stroll through the
grounds Of the late Frank Leslie's rural
Summer retreat on the border of the lake
all in rustic style and as sweet and snug
as doves nest.
In the olden time the Springs were
visited by invalids chiefly; now, Sarato-
ga attracts visitors from all parts of the
world who go for pleasure alone, some
to look on, others to plunge into the
maelstrom of dissipation and gayety.
One must be prepared to see every phase
OF character there. Many go because it
is fashionable, and to keep up appear
ances, wear paste diamonds, fine clothes.
cut Dash generally and call that happi-
ness. Nowhere in the world can one sec
more real aristocracy, elegance and re-
tnement, and nowhere, more of glitter
ing sham, more Of Podsnapism. Nowhere
is there more to interest and nowhere is
there more to disgust those who tower
above all the weaknesses of poor frail
human nature.
From Saratoga we came to the White
Mountains, including III our ronte a sail
on Lake George, the Como of America
and Lake Champlain.
Truly, there is nothing comparable
with a so,journ in the mountains. l have
realized the utmost of anticipation, it is
all grand and remunerative, every point
affording beautiful scenery and mex
haustible pleasure.
John prefers the sea shore, he loves
old oceans roar, is fascinated by its vast
ness, wildncss and terrific grandeur,
while shrink from it as from some de-
mon of destruction--it is grand, but so
treachcrous, so fitful-one day all smiles,
tapping the shore sweetly and caressing-
ly the next all frowns, heaying up its
bil1ows as if it would fain engulf every
yestige of land. The waves of the sea
are laighty and rage horribly"
The mountains inspire feelings of trust
fulness and love as well as admiration
/ for their Interchangeable beauty and
grandeur. In their presence the soul is
replete with happiness and in its ecstacy
exclaims, "Nearer, nearer my God to
| thee!'
| We went first to the Crawford House.
ascended Mt. Willard and rode through
the gorge to the Wiley House, interest
ing for its great age and having been the
home of the unfortunate Wiley family,
all of whom were destroyed by land
slide, quite near there, many years ago.
The Profile House is the incest of all
the mountain houses. We took a stage
at Bethlehem and rode eight miles over a
splendid road and reached there in time
for dinner, then a stroll to Profile and
Echo lakes, both perfectly lovely. The
Profile Lake is so called because, high
up on one of the mountains which seem
to project from its depths, is the profile
of a mans face, the man of the mountain
as it is called, carved there III all its per-
fection by the hand Of nature.
The hotels are all delightful and com
Portable. I found the report true with
regard to the employment of college
students and schoolmistresses as walters
in, ho ,tnip hot fa
tom in all of them. Harvard, Yale, Bates
and other colleges have their representa-
tvcs there. The proprietors make the
duties very light, asking of them the
serving of tables only, and giving them
fifteen dollars per month Visitors,
knowing the fact that they are served
by young men of the first respectfully
struggling to get an education, make it
point to give them an extra, their per-
qusites amount to quite large sums often
times. One gentleman gave five hundred
dollars to be distributed among them.
Would our young men Ee willing to do
likewise or would they prefer with hands
in their pockets to idle away their time,
nurs p their pride and remain in igno-
rance' very much fear, if that would
be the alternative, very few Southern
boys would go through college.
We ascended Mt Washington from the
Fabyan House. We took cars seven
. miles TO the base through {; wild and
rugged way-the sun shone brightly and