Morning journal and courier., 1890-07-29
NEW ENGLANDRRs, PUZZLE.


Where shall we goa" That everyone mast
20 somewhere for respite from the cares
and humdrum of every-day life seems to be a
conclusion arrived at without so much as a
thought. Old ocean charms many, to be
sure, and lodge by the sounding sea has it's
delights; or better, where one can do 80,
home for the nonce in some trim craft to
equaled delight of "turn to windward" in
a breeze of wind. The pleasures of yacht |
ing under favorable circumstances must out |
rank, all others, for at once there is a free. |
dom from conventionality, the comfort of !
ones own homo, the sensation of self
dependence-which makes one feel he
amounts to something; indeed, all this
makes yachting the very poetry of existence:
proud laughs the eve, and soft the zephyr blows,
Youth at the PROV and pleasure at the helm"
However, the purpose of this article ia not
to speak of the sea, but rather to tell of what
may be had In the way of health and pleas
ure in-shore.
For New Epglanders 1t is puzzle to de-
eide where to put in the week or two they
have to devote to summer recreation-that
is, to most New Englanders it is so-but
there are among the many some who have
| the wisdom born of expsrience-that have no
| worry on this score, but just as soon as they
| see the advent of their outing time dawn,
pack their kit and take the shortest cut pos
| sible to Saratoga Springs-just as naturally
| as the duck does to water. And these are
| wise in their day and generation, for when
| al. the advantages of every other place land
| there are many excellent ones in this broad
| lsnd) are fully told, the sum of all is quite
| too little to bespeak Saratoga's exoellencies.
| Nature started Saratoga right when she
| facs there, and humanity found this out
| untold centuries ago, for it seems some sci
entiic quid nuncs have been recently nosing
| around there under ground and set up the
claim and insist on it, by an argument back
ed up by such evidence as human bones and
charcoal way down deeper than any Indian
ever exerted himself to dig. These items
are SO arranged in the said scientists scheme
that thay bring one right up easily to the
conclusion that the springs were quite the
rage, if not even before Adam was born,
anyway not long after he graduated out of
short pants. The guide books of old and
recent, issue are satisfied In their historical
| sketches of the Springs to dwell feelingty
| upon the fast that "Lo, the poor Indian, )"
l were the discoverers Of the Springs and en-
| larged upon the generosity of the swarthy
| warriors that were wont to lead the invad-
| ing white men to drink the health
| giving waters, but it matters not
to US whether pre- historic man
l first drank there or some coy Indian maiden
| first used the springs for her looking glass,
| and finding reflection go to her liking tried
the taste of them; enough for US to know
that to day the brainesJ men and handsomest
women of this and every land come to the
springs with similar feeling that the good
| Mohammedan has when he makes his pill
grimmage to Mecca.
BY the habitue only is Saratoga thoroughly
understood, and maybe for good reasons is
this blessing, for did the country at large
know Saratoga as 1t is it must burst Its
! limits-that is, Saratoga husband spread
itself over the whole region round about to
hold the tighe of those who would flock
there. 1t ia matter of wonder to many
how such false Impressions of the place pre-
vail, and in casting about for a reason for 1t
one is led to believeit to be because of the
usual newspaper reports which are
made up for the "big New York dailies'
1 and this Is the manner of their making up
Some impecunious little snip of a reporter,
by dint of much persuasion, gets an "as
Segment" from the editor and railroad pass
from the business manager and an injunction
to be back within forty-eight hours; thus
equipped, he goes and seeks, of course, the
newsiest points-an hour at the race track
and that among the Jockeys, most likely, 6
L glance and description of the showiest peo
pie on the versndahs and drives-this an6
. stickful of abuse of the carriage drivers Tor
/ general principles, for he scarcely hires onei
services), this and list of names culled from
the Daily Saratogian make up his informa
ton. These items he sorts up and gets to
gether on his way home, and in it goes
| l. IL g. - Al
our staff" Naturally such conditions pro
d1ce an article entirely misrepresentation o.
what life at the springs really is, for the dig
/ nifed luxury of the grand hotels and beau
tiful villas is to the newspaper man
an unknown quantity. To know Saratogs
as it is, and always has been. one must g
| and quietly settle down, and 1t matters littl,
place is that it is at once entirely genteel ant
truly democratic, and the rule is, the mon.
| ey's worth every time. The modest board
ing place at a dollar day gives q generous
dollars worth, while the finest hotel in tn
land-the famous Grand Union, with Georg
Adams, the Prince Florizel of the fraternit.
! at Its head-gives it's value and more to-
/ when it takes your four or five dollars TO
| days entertainment. AS for charges gen
orally, those who know the habits of boil
can only wish New Haven liverymen, shop
| keepers and marketmen were as considerat
Il
! pose of this article is not to dwell upon sucl
prosaic things as these, but rather to lea'
the fancy of the reader to look in upol
the Acadian existence of the dwell
ers in this "Happy Valley" By tn
time the sun has climbed high enough t
send his bright beams over the tops of tn
Hoosac mountains the town wakes from 1t
refreshing sleep, and ere the sun is an hon
high the streets are astir with people leif
urely strolling to the springs for their morn
ing rsfreshment. At this time of day tn
most frequented are the Hathorn and Con
gress. The first named is of recent discov
cry. Scarcely score of years ago it wa
| accidentally found when excavations wer
| being made for the foundations of q build
ing. It was at once secured and opened I
the public by one Of the most enterprisin
and capable men among the many Saratog
has developed, b. Il. Hathorn. The medic
inal properties were at once recognized to
great and Mr.. Hathorn, with rare businee
ability, has made the water world-fsmoui
yet he never forgets to be liberal, and at con
venient hours every day the springs an
pavilion are open free to all com
ers, and the proverbially polite al
tention by those who serve the waite
to the lowly is as marked as during the houl
vored with much wealth. The Congress
Spring company control, probably own, tt
delightful park in the corner of which the
famous springs, the Congress and Columbia
are. To at all adequately describe Cor
gress park would require the pen of Blacl
more, for it's beauties can only be told
one wholly conversant with natures charm
This little garden spot-a dozen acres only
extent-is so arranged and kept that 1t is
. beautiful picture, or series of pictures ratl
or. At one point the noble pines of tt
primeval forest still rear their lofty heac
and sing together in the gentle breeze sue
songs as poets tell us of. Serpentine patti
e lead here and there to cosy resting plac'
where new beauties ever delight the ey
showing to best advantage the little lake an
bits of glen and clineing foliage, murmurir
fountains, ftfully tossing sparkling spra
!. In roomy inclosure herd of deer lead
pampered life of ease and have naught to
beyond eating dainty bits from the hant
of admiring mortals and standing round an
looking pretty, like dude at the circu
Added to these charms of nature and passi,
art, music lends its aid, and "from ear
morn It'll dewy eve" a we'll ordered bar
plays; the afternoon concert being especial
devoted to the little folks, every day brin
=. charming festival.
Not alone does the Park furnish the mus
for Saratoga, but each of the several lar
| hotels has its band and orchestra. and ea