Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-07-14
LIFE AT SARATOGA.
PECULIARITIES OF LIFE AT THIS FA-
NOUS RESORT.
Cheap Living and Fashionable Ways
Hotels and Grounds-Some of the
Early Corners at the Springs.
Written for the SUNDAY UNION.

pie, in general, think Saratoga place to
be avoided. On the contrary, cannot
see why they should not come and enjoy
themselves.
NOW, WHAT Is SARATOGA?
A conglomeration of small hotels and
boarding-houses, where, of course, the
keepers want to make all they can during
the season. But let it be remembered that
though showing a sold frorx to. the
stranger, the demon of jealousy is, perhaps.
at large among them. Stray moments,
snatched from shelling peas or stringing
beans, are spent in seeing who comes to
take quarters at the house over the way or
above or below on the street, and the up
shot of 1t is that reasonable terms can be
made, especially if people stay long enough.
Fair quarters can be had for from 50 to
$40 per week-quarters in keeping with
the two silks and the neat shoes and gloves.
The girls can at any time make pretty
costumes out of inexpensive goods, more
particularly tins season, since the question
IN dress Is not so much that of goods, as
how they are put together The family
being lodged, boarded and clothed, what
comes next? True, the scent regulation
as to drinks, has a dampening effect, but if
one is not an invalid one need not drink.
Not few of the less expensive houses pro-
vide coolers containing the more important
waters, for the benefit of their inmates
while to offset the price paid for drink, let
us consider the scent drives. More than
one financial genius in small way thinks
he has done wonders in settling his family
at a rate Of from Sc to s. per week. and
puts on so much a week for drives-pretty
expensive when counted up. | have
known people who were boxed up at a
farmers, spent the time gazing at a barn
yard just outside their windows, and inhal-
ing the odorS thereof. Boxed up they
must remain, except for a walk on dusty
roads or drive that costs a dollar and
upwards. Bacon was the staple produc-
zion, varied by hash, raw oat meal, sour
berries and milk and eggs to bring on bill
iousness. In pity for the maid of all
work or the farmers wife, they attended
their own rooms" and brought pitchers of
water from the well. If they were the
only boarders, they were lonesome and the
time passed heavily; if other people were
there, pleasant or not, they must be borne
with. The time dragged and they came
back unrefreshed and cross But because
the weekly bill was moderate, they thought
they had gained some great advantage.
COMPETITION AT SARATOGA
Brings about plentiful tables; one eats, is
merry, and, in place of gazing at barn
yard, one may sit on piazza, talk or look
at the people go by, or take one of the
perpetual cheap stages-fares ranging from
D to 10 cents-and so for drive out to a
spring where water costs nothing. Then
what eternal walks there are at Saratoga.
The nice pair of shoes can be kept nice
not horribly whitened with the powdered
dust OF an ordinary road; the lofty trees
form green canopies; the spirit of enjoy
ment is abroad and all but the incorrigible
give themselves up to it. | have seen
four clergymen perhaps Presbyterians
and subscribers to the Westminster cate
chism, and al home austere as Satan would
have them-spend hours at croquet under
the trees, laughing at their own sport till
the echoes might have frightened them,
and then come in. to dinner and call for
four deserts-two pies, one pudding and
ice-cream. Next day, unframed, they re-
newed the attack and were ready for
more Indefinitely.
Again, to the music-loying, what con-
tinual strains are waited from Congress
Park over to the two great hotels, the
Grand Union and the United States (called
here the Union and States, and re-echoed
back from the bands that play morning
and night, and to which no very special
influence is needed to gain the well-dreSsed
stranger admission where lovely court
yards, especially at the Union, refresh the
eye, with perhaps some cheerful talk with
friends in the intervals. In beautiful
Congress Park, 10 cents renders one per-
fectly independent of friends or influence,
while drinks of Congress or Columbia
iron water are gratuitous. As the season
advances, who may reckon the scientific
conferences and conventions the confab-
bing of this learned body and that, where,
If the stranger be of an acquiring turn, he
may pick up no small amount of knowl-
edge along with his summers recreation.
is not all this better than a farm-yard or a
cheap village hotel, where amusements for
gentlemen are Hit and for ladies only that
of talking about each other.
In conclusion, allow me to bring forward
vet another
UNUSUAL ASPECT
OF Saratoga life-one certainly not dweit
upon generally by scribes, and it is that of
Saratoga as a place of prayer. / call to
mind at least three perhaps there are
more) boarding houses-two of them so
large and well known as almost to merit
the appellation of hotel-where Il service
of prayer is held each morning; where
extra Sunday afternoon services are the
rule; where indeed the whole atmosphere
is so permeated by spontaneous exercises as
TO have given offense TO an Episcopal
clergyman, who could find none of these
things laid down in the rubric, and there
fore departed forthwith. Others, happily,
who know not rubrics, are thitherward at
tracted in such numbers as to cause i'll
natured Surmise on the part of individuals
(let us presume OF the pea-shelling and
bean-siringing tribe), who insinuate that
spontaneity pays. Leaving that to be set
tied when the books are made up in the
fall, / would simply bring forward the fact
that no mean contingent of Saratoga visit
ors uphold these special features, else they
would long ago have failed for lack of sus-
tenance. Nor are the supporters either
Quakerlike in the severity of their garb,
nor are their eyes perpetually rolled up to
the ceiling in view of surrounding wick
edness. The flash of diamond earrings and
other vanities in diamonds is not infre-
quent; of lewelry in general, respectable
article might be written by an expert /;
porters can testify as to big and well-iilled
trunks, while carriages drawn up before
the doors give evidence that the Gospel
tents Just mentioned may shelter inmates
who can afford more than five or even
fifty-cent drives. Now, during early ebb
tide at Saratoga, such facts may be enlarged
upon. In fortnight they will be hidden
by the overflow of worldlymindedness. At
present only
FEW FIRST CoMERs
Wander about the large hotels, but the
notes of the on-rushing crowds are heard
hotelkeepers scout the idea that exposi-
tions can interfere with the attractions
they offer, apd in conclusion l venture TO
list the nai1ss of some well-known persons
who have taken rooms at the Grand Union
or the United States, the two hotels which
not to know of argues the ignorant one
unknown. Standing in the hearts core OF
the famous watering place, they form the
nucleus from which ey erything radiates,