The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-07-15

used to pay $1,000 month for the Wood
ward cottage "Devilstone:" more modest
10-room cattage on the sea, rents for $500.
A good native" cottage, as the simpler
houses built by Maine people are called,
may be obtained at rates varying from 5000
some for as low as $500. but they seem very
simple In place like Bar Harbor. In short,
Bar Harbor Is no place for persons who con-
slider themselves only moderately well of.
Such people would be better pleased with
Southwest Harbor, which has fine scenery
and excellent society; but enjoys immunity
from great display.
Since the collapse Of the real estate
BOOM" Of three or four years ago, prices of
and at Bar Harbor have not dropped so
much as might be expected; hut there has
been rather less activity. In the main, those
who had good property have held onto 1t and
are getting good prices when they sell. The
position OF Bar Harbor is assured. The
Maine Central has made it accessible, and
the stream OF wealth which the railroad has
oeen largely instrumental IN turning In
there has made so much of the place that
Bar Harbor Is likely to continue to 60 forward
for many years. Therefore there Is no reason
why the holders OF desirable real estate
should not be serene in spite Of the bursting
OF the BOOM" 1t Is said that the Rodlcks
still continue to smile placidly at futile
OFFERS OF S2OO, 600 or so for their little island,
which lies beside Bar Harbor.
Inc motel season Is just opening. For a
year or two the hotels have not done so well
as formerly, on account of the construction
OF so many large cottages aud the consequent
removals OF many guests to homes Of their
OWN. This year the proprietors are hoping
to do better; and II the month Of August Is
favorable they will be likely to meet their
expectations. But the days Of the old Bar
Harbor. with the hotels crowded and social
life regulated by hotel life, are gene forever
That famous old Office at the Rodick, where
all the youth and beauty used to cOngregate
70 cnat aud gossip as evening came on, is
still there. but those peculiar crowds have
lett II. They used to call 1t the fish pond, !"
but even that name Is being forgotten. So
cial life has taken a different turn.
Of course Mr.. Blaine's health Is a matter
OF interest at Bar Harbor as we'll as else.
where. All the sensational stories come back
here, and are talked over in the light Of what
each one here may know. While there Is
considerable difference of opinion as to Just
how sick Mr.. Blaine is, there Is no dlsposi-
tion to believe sensational stories such as
was sent out recently by a correspondent Of
the New York World. That correspondent
did not see Mr. Blaine, excepting In a very
Iaushable way. Mr.. Blaine went out fer a
ride, and the young man found 1t out. Hir-
Ing carriage, the correspondent directed
the driver to keep Mr.. Blaine's carriage in
sight, which the driver did. This was as
near as the CORRESPONDENT came to seeing the
SICK man; but he promptly sent a despatch
to his paper relating the particulars of a
ride with Mr.. Blaine, telling what Mr.
Blaine said about the scenery, etc, and Civ
lDg large number OF imaginary incidents
OF conversation which could have taken
place only through distance Of quarter of
a mile or more. OF intervening space between
the two carriages. So much for the rO-
mances. As for the facts, there do not seem
to be many. The Bar Harbor people think
Mr.. Blaine was pretty sick when he came
here, and that he is some better now. They
see him riding out, sitting up In lis carriage
without pillows or other signs Of spt cial in
trinity. Beyond this they have only the
statements OF his family and physicians,
which must, necessarily, be somewhat indef-
inlte. When he was In New York It
was given out that he was not very sick !;
now 1t Is given out that the public were una
ware how sick he was In New York. and
that he Is greatly Improved here. This In
definiteness Of statement which encourages
the sensational writers to send forth all sorts
OF cock and bull stories, Is explainable by
one Of Mr.. Blaine's peculiarities. Like
many another man of strong will and active
mind he has an idiosyncrasy that seems
strangely out of place in one Of his parts
The The least bodily ailment seems 70
he is sick he is. very likely to
assume at once that he is liable to die. His
friends have long understood this, and OF
course his family have. A man with this
iuiuSynCEaSy Is Oh course q very troublesome
patient Above all he must not be encour-
aged In the belief that he Is very sick. In
New York, MI. Blaine undoubtedly saw
some OF the leading newspapers, and any ut
teranceS OF his physician or his family would
get back to him at once. If his family or his
physician had told the papers that he was
very sick, they would have in effect have
told him SO, and the results upon very neI-
vous and sick man would not be difficult to
toIesee What physician or what
friend would dare TO inform
the newspapers of the exact facts? Mr.
Blaine's family certainly had an excuse for
not taking the public into their confidence
during the stay in Yew York That they
are now taking the public into their conf
dence to a certain extent, at least, is prob
able since Mr.. Blaine Is showing that he Is
able to be about considerably, and has i'm
proved slGce he came to Bar HarbOr.
Whether he will be able to go to work again
so soon as next fall his family probably are
not certain, since there is no known means
OF reading the future for well man or
sick man. lie has been very sick with some
thing like nervous prostratlon, and he Is un-
doubtedly In the position Of other people
who bave such troubles The rate anu ex
tent Of his recovery depend upon MS reserve
strength, his physicians and nurses, anu MS
surroundings In reading reports from bar
HarbOr it should be remembered that MS
friends must necessarily take the most nope
full view, and that the correspondents OF SEN
sational newspapers will send OF anything
their fertile imaginations may be able to In
vent.