New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-23
HIGHLY MORAL HOTELS.

A dozen years ago pair of Quaker CHEEKY
bes made a novel venture i'll the hotel bust
ness. They were professors IN well endowed
Nev-England seminary and had leisure dur
ing the summer for an enterprise which was
widely at variance with their scholarly tastes
and habits of lite. They purchased pictur
esque tract of land on the borders of IA beauti
full mountain lake and opened summer resort
with the avowcd purpose OF conducting it on
the strictest religious principles. There was
to be no public bar; there was to be neither
wine in the dining-rOOm nor whlskey lin IA
private cupboard in the Office; there was to
be neither card playing nor dancing in the
parlors: there were to be neither arrivals nor
departures, neither driving nor boating on
SUNDAYS and there were to be religious ser
vices every morning OF the week. The pro-
fessors received very little encouragement when
they announced their plan. They were
laughed at as a pair OF visionary pedagogues.
They were reminded that large majority of
American hotels depended upon the profits OF
the bar, and that strictly temperance house
kept open only three months of the year was
doomed to failure. They were told that even
dcmurc and sedate Americans who had never
to bed soon after curfew, would find the con
scousness of restrictions simply intolcrabe
What they never felt inclined to do at home
they would want to do if they were not allowed
to do it., and on this account goodygQody
summer resort would he extremely unpopular
The professors were commiscrated on their lack
of practical experience, ana their advisers and
critics predicted either the collapse of their en-
terprlse or the abandonment Of their principles
at the close of the first season.
Strangely enough, the CHEEKY bles pros
pered. Every year they enlarged their hotel
and extended and improved their domain.
When ten years had gone by, another mountain
lake with large tract OF rocky and wooded
territory was purchased, and now each of the
twin brothers has his own hotel and each re-
joices in the others prosperity. Each year
their houses are filed long before other summer
resorts are on a paying basis, and the profits of
the older establishment are at least $1,000
for a season OF lour months. The predicted
collapse has never come, although the brothers
have never sWeTved from the principles with
which they entered the trade. If 4 railway
president arrives at the static with jOSial
party OF friends and several hampers of cham
payne, he is cOurteously told that he and
lis companions will be welcomed at the hotel,
but that the wine must be left behind. Scru-
pulOus pains are taken to warn expected guests
10y circular and letter that the houses are
Quoted on pecu liar principles, 50 that mlSap-
prehension and disappointment may be avoid
ed so far us possible. Those who cannot enjoy
a holiday without liquor, billiards, card play
ing and dancing stay away, while those who
go to the hotel season after season are fully
prepared for whatever restrictions are imposed.
The CHEEKY bcs are too kindly and liberal in
disposition, and too sensible withal, TO OBJ
trude their religious ideas upon their guests
in any offensive way. The observance OF
Sunday is quietly accepted as the habit of IT,
house, and there is neither discomfort nor rest
lessncss. The success of the Quaker enter
prise has silenced captous criticism. Prin-
ciples which would have been rldiculed if
their al, coates had not risen far above the
level of moderate prosperity are now pro-
nounced shrewdly sagaclous AS well as emf
nently respectable.
The CHEEKY bles were twitted. when they