Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-07-28
LOTOS EATING AT BERKELEY.
Life at the Old Historical EavOrite-
Charms OF tile PlRce-HOw Time
PaSseS-WhO Are There, ETC.
Correspondence of THE EVENING SrAR.



BERKELEY SPRINGS, WEST Va,
July q, 1888.
With the thermometer at 81 degrees and the
sun shining brightly after the heavy rains Of
Monday and Tuesday, one feels much more like
writing than in the hea ted and dust-laden at
| mosphere OF the city. Were you ever at Berke.
ley! l presume you have been; but for the
benefit Of those who have not. let me say that
you have only to get in the cars at the B. & O.
depot and arrive at Sir Johns Run In three
| short pleasant hours from Washington. The
scenery all along the road is lovely and at Har-
| pers Ferry, as every one knows, 1t is grand
Coaches are in waiting at the station, and a
| ride OF two miles and half. over a rough
| mountain road, brings you to the famous Berke-
den with Its wealth Of shrubbery. The Warm
Spring mountain rises abruptly above it and
seems to enclose it in. You cannot see the sun
set unless you go to the top of the observatory,
which is built on the browning point, and from
whence you can view four counties, with the
Blue Ridge in the distance on the north and the
Alleghanies in the south. Here one can breathe
| the pure mountain air and rejoice in the beauty
| and sublimity of nature.
There are two large hotels at the Springs, one
Kept by Nr. Trego. OF Baltimore, and the Flor
| ence House, kept by Mr.. Charles Greene. Berke-
ley Is no mushroom watering place Just spring.
ing into existence, but has been resorted to for
more than century by the aristocracy of vir-
ginia. Gen. Washington himself with his fami-
~, used to come here, in great state every sum-
seek its healing waters. But, during the war.
the place fell into decay, and the hotels and
lighthouses were used for barracks. No battles
were fought here; only little skirmish on top
OF the mountains.
b The place has, however, been thoroughly re-
stored. and the baths put in proper order again.
These are unrivalled by any in the country in
their pleasant effects upon the system. There
are two large and beautiful pools, one for
ladies, and larger one for gentlemen. The
latter is sixty feet long. and contains $1,000 gal
Ions of constantly changing water. There are
also private baths. hot and cold. The natural
temperature of the water is "a deg. Faren-
heit. 1t is said to be efficacious in arrangement
OF the stomach. diseases of the bladder and kid
neys. bronchitis and local paralysis The water
| seems very cold at the first plunge, and it re-
quires a good deal OF resolution to jump in, but
after that one feels cheerful glow. and comes
out refreshed and inyigOrated. The ladies battle
between IL and IL o'clock in the morning and 5
great sport. shouting and laughing. in the pools,
| and there are Some excellent swimmers among
the visitors
1t is not crowded here at present, although
the season has fairly begun. A fine band has
| arrived at Tregos. and discourses sweet strains
every morning from 10 to II O'clock, aud every
afternoon from to g. They play in the beauti-
full grove adjacent to both hotels and public
grounds Here the ladies and gentlemen. ba-
b!es (Of which there are numbers) and nurses
promenade, sit and read or work and talk nearly
all day. 1t is charming place. full of walks
and winding paths, and here you drink the
pure spring water There are good bowling
alleys to both hotels. Some OF the ladies are
excellent bOwlers and beat the.gentlemen at
their own game. At TregO's they have billiard
| and chess rooms. There is dancing there every
evening in the large ballroom, but very few
take advantage of it. The floor is mostly Occu-
pied by children. Once in while you will see
lady and gentleman whirling in the waltz. l
| suppose this indifference is due to the scarcity
OF dancing beaus-a chronic complaint at all
watering places.
At the Florence there is bevy of charming
dreadful state of things: There are not many
Washingtonans here as yet. Col. Nc Kee, Mrs.
Dennis, Miss Dennis. Mrs. GOff Mrs. Whitney,
and Miss Jennie Moore are all at this house from
Washington Mrs. Coffey, son and daughter are
at TregO's, and a few others. Mrs. John Startz-
four daughters and son. and Mrs. Henderson,
with her three daughters, from the same city,
are at the Florence House.
There are many beautiful cottages here among
them that of Mrs. Defrees, who has her daugh-
ties. Mrs. Semple, with her two children, and
her son. Lieut.. Defrees. U.S.A., and Mrs Chas.
H. Davidge, Of Washington, spending the sum-
mer with her.
Mrs. Dole and Judge Wright, Of your city,
also have their summer houses here. Hon. Bev-
erly Tucker has taken cottage, aud. with his
children and numerous grandchildren around
him. looks quite patriarchal
We got up q lite dance here last Wednesday
night, which was very enjoyable. Our genial
host OF the Florence was one OF the nveliest
dancers, aud two or three other gentlemen
were captured and made themselves very
agreeable. C.S.W.