The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-08-12
A Pacnlinr Place

Near Wellesley, Mass, lives gentle
man named Baker, whose eccehtricity
Is known to nearly everybody. He has
expended much money upon his pi ivate
grounds, putting upon them nearly
every thing which will amuse because
of its oddity. A correspondent of the
Philadelphia Press recently visited the
place, and describes some of the things
he. saw, as follows,
From the windows of the stable, as
you approach, are seen protruding
horses heads, but on close examina-
tion they prove to be only very clever
wooden limitations of horses. But most
curious, and at the same time most
characteristic, are the den of fancies and
frivolities, and the grove. In the form
strip of land along the lake, the trees are
trained into fantastic forms, and are
clothed or painted so as to represent
men and animals in ridiculous positions
In every rock you see some startling
face or form. Upon the brow of hill
stands, as q warning to those who fill
nigh their bumpers. huge represent
alton of human figure; the body is q
hogshead, to which are attached head
a. n and legs, and which is painted to
represent man fairly bursting under
his accumulated weight of flesh. Some
times inscriptions are placed upon the
figures. For instance. in one place is a
whisky bottle ten feet high, made of
beer bottles strung upon wires; this is
labeled: "The last of the spirits"
We were walking along by the green
houses, admiring the flowers and beau
tiful lawns, when the owner himself
suddenly appeared. Mrrching up to
one of the. young ladies nf the party, he
seizeu her by the arm, and, exc,aiming
in gruff tones, "What are YOU walking
in the path for? why don't you walk
there, where you belongP' he thrust
her over on the carefully trimmed grass.
A few years ago, some South Carolina
compar les came on to Boston to attend
celebration there. Mr.. Baker ent, r
tanned them and the Boston companies
one day, and one of the exercises which,
from his position as host, he insisted
upon, was that the officers from the
North and the South should shake hands
across small cannon that stood on the
terrace. The proof ofreconciliation was
performed with all proper ceremony, to
his entire satisfaction.
In the grove his fancy has been given
full play. This is place OF practical
Jokes. The pashs are full of springs and
traps to startle the unsuspecting visitor.
AS you cross dark chasm on narrow
bridge, suddenly there springs upon you
from behind the rocks a savage looking
negro, with a club brandished above his
head, and it is only after you have got
done screaming (if you are a woman)
that you perceive that the man is stand
ing too still for a would-be assailant,
and then, upon Investigation, you dis
| cover that it is a wooden figure called
into view by your foot having pressed
unawares secret spring in the flooring.
The demoniacal cereus blooms every
ten minutes on sunnv days" is a notice
which stares at you from the side of a
box containing an ordinary. looking cac-
tus plant. Naturally, you sit down on
the seat before it to await the phenom-
enon, but with your weight the seat
sinks, and you find yourself Frustrated
before red devil, which has suddenly
risen from the earth with the cactus
upon his head. Again, as you are eav-
ing a tent stored with curiosities which
have been taking your attention, the
ground suddenly sinks beneath yon, and
you find yourself pitching about upon 81
spring-supported platform which had
been deftly hidden from view. Mr..
Bakers ambition seems to have been to
make people laugh, and he has sue.
ceeded. 1t has been his custom to in
vite schools and societies from Boston to
spend the day with him, and it is said
that on such occasions he is lavish in his
entertainments