The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-04-07
CHAPTER xxx.

Hotels ara one OF the strongest attractions
in America to Americans, especially the
ladies'
When we Europeans travel We elight at
hotel. because It is impossible that we should
nave pitching place Of our own In each
town We visit, or friends able to receive us.
IN other words, we so 10 the hotel, because
We cannot help it, When We leave our good
bel and table, and set out 10 see the world a
little. We say to ourelves. "fhe worst Of it il
that we shall have to live In hotels perhaps
Tor q month or two, hut after all, it cannot
be hcpcd. we must put up with hotels since
we have made up our minds 10 see Switzer.
and, or Scotland. or Italy Our object in
travelling is 10 see new countries, make pleas
ant excursions, climb mountains. etc, and 10
attain that object we must use the hotels as
convenience. AS a sad necessity.
In Europe tho hotel is means to an end
In America. 1t Is the end
People travel hundreds, nay thousands OF
miles for the pleasure Of putting up AT certain
hotels Listen to their conversation and you
will find that il mainly turns. not upon the
fine views they have discovered, or the ex-
cursions and walks they have enjoyed, but
upon the respective merits Of tho various
hotels they have put up at Hotels are for
them what cathedrals, monuments and the
beauties Of nature are for US
In February. 1855 went TO So the Anerl
cans take their pleasure in Florida During
the months OF January, February and March
aocks Of society people from the towns In the
north 60 TO Florida where the sun IS warm
and the orange trees are in full beauty OF
fruit and flower Jacksonville and ST. Au
justine are In winter what Saratoga, New
port and long Branch are in summer, the
rendezvous Of all who have any pretensions
to a place in the fashionable world.
But what DO they do at Jacksonville and
ST Augustine. all these Americans in search
IT good timeF You think perhaps that
IN the morning. they set out in great numbers
TO make long excursions into the country or
on the water that picnics, riding parties and
such out of door pastimes are organized
NOD so They get up, breakfast and make
for the balconies or piazzss OF the hotels
there TO rock themselves two or three hours
IN rocking chairs until lunch time, after this
they return TO their rocking chairs again and
wait for dinner Dinner over. they 80 TO the
drawing room, where there are more rocking
chairs. and chat or listen 10 an orchestra
until bed time And yet, what pretty en-
yirous the little town Of JacksoSyille has, for
instancel For miles around stretches villa
dotted orange grove.
And the table d'hoto
ln France We look well at the hill and
study it. we discuss the dishes, arranging
them discrce;ly and artistically In the mind
before making their acquaintance moro fully
Oh the palate We arc gourniets. In America
the question seems TO be not, (which OF these
dishes will 20 well togeiheri' but, How
many Of ,hcin can manager Il Is 50 much
day; u,s moderate eaters pay for the glnt
tons
zoe sss ~ornen come down at 70 break
iss. In -iD attire, and decked in diamonds.
And whst q breakfast First al orange and
banana 70 srssben the mouth ari whet the
appetite; then fish, bacon and oggs, OF ONE
let, bcefstesk or chop with fried potatoes,
hominy cakes, and preserves
How little you eat, you French people"
said an American to mo one day, rs ! was or
iering my breakfast Of cafe au lait and bread
and butter
"You are mistaken ! said, "only we do
not care for our dinner AT 3 O'Clock In the
morning
The larger tho hotel Is the better the Amer
leans like il. A little quiet, well kept hotel.
where. the cookery being done for twenty or
thirty persons instead of a thousand, the beef
has not the same taste as mutton; "a hotel
where you are known and called 10y your
name. where you aro not simply No. 5's like
a convict. this kind OF pitching place does
not attract the American He must have
something large. enormous, immense He Is
inclined TO judge everything 10y its size.
jacksonville and St Augustine boast
score Of hotels. each capable of accommodate
ing from six hundred TO thousand guests
These hotels are full from the beginning Of
January 10 the end OF March
have almost always accepted with reserve
the American superlatives, followed by the
traditional I'm the world !" bnt 1t may safely
be said that the Ponce de Leon hotel, at 81
Augustine, is not only the largest and hand
soonest hotel In America but IN the whole
world Standing in the prettiest part Of the
picturesque little 'a~n. this Moorish palace
with It's walls Of onyx, lis vast, artistically
furnished saloons ~ orange walks, foua-