Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-17
THE SUMMER COTTAGE.


During Recent Nesrs.
From Hsrrer's Weekly.
There have been signs during the current
season Of @stiyation that the institution known
as the summer hotel has reached the heigh. Of
its popularity and power in this country and
that its continued progress is more likely to
slant down than up. The reason Is not that
city families learning 10 spend their sum-
mers at home. for they flock 10 the lakes. the
mountains and the seashore in greater num-
beers than ever, but a smaller proportion Of
them live in hotels and considerably greater
proportion in cottages. At Bar Harbor this
season several of the largest hotels have re-
manned closed. not because the vogue Of Mount
Desert has waned for il never SO much tha
fashion, but chiefly because the island /.
full of cottages and the best peot,le' live in
them. thereby damaging the hotels directly
by the loss OF their own patronage and
indirectly by censing to serve them ns
bait. The tendency which IL illustrated in N
exceptional degree at Bar Harbor is renerallv
noticeable in the majority of the .un,mar
places. and a natural and commen.labl. t,.,,
dency II is. The part of the population "a
which 1t is most essential to get out OF town are
the women and children. end for them hotel
life. even in the summer. IL decidedly "A se,o,.d
best expedient- The American hotel bred n
FAM. with whom Mr.. Henry James in the GARNER
wears OF ms literary industry helped to make
the world familiar. IA a type which 4, l. A. IN
should not survive outside of the fiction "a a..
last decade. without admitting that il ever
was a very prevalent type. IL is safe .nnu,h ~,
assume that the more American childr.3 ara
enabled TO substitute the atmosphere of A sum
hotel the better il will be for sh, ma,nar. %
the rising generation. ~
vi course, Al Is by no means a new thing for
rich Americans to have summer hsmes. IN.
growth OF moss and ivy ON scores Of the Nex-
port houses attest that OF course. too. a sum-
her cottage as a luNurs, and Injuries are ever
prone to make their first bows TO the peorl.
WIN the most money. Netersheless. Their. .rs
cottages and cottages, and whenever f.,nil,.-
,nst nave been used to taking refuge in summer
no'eis once meke up their minds that thew would
Ike cottage better there is no sound francsl
reason why they should not eyentpailx r..
one. The main difficulties are to decid. vhers
IL shall be and to bring the famly's mind A., -
point OF giving hostages 10 return 10 th,. -.
place several summers in succession. For "a
.o'a.s an'ess one II rich enough to have am
assortment Of scattered dwellings. IL il ~.
ehtravagance to build house unle.s he !.
going 10 occupy IL or can rent II No go
the possibilities Of vagrancy in tbe s,,,'.,.,.D
noea method constituted originally one a
~ Tvs en'ei Charms. IL enabled people to try at
ie-st one new piece every year and ascert,,,.
nnaily where they preferred 70 20 I'm, ar,
very quality in II has helped the siey.l,,,,,.'.s
OF cottages, since after due series Of xlfs1s,'s
seasons. the family lie able out OF il An s,s,.'.s
experience. TO declare a settled preferencs g.
some particular spot. There tho spirit of Al.
venture, having given place 10 The a..,r. -
assured comfort, the cottage begins H. rra.ts
and finally develops into true hop,r- s;,h -.
accompanying possibilities of ho-rit,l,tx "a
Oh continuous aecretions OF grace and st,,,,,.,a
The observer who watches the proxrrss -
american ,civlization mn.f be both in,eros "a
anu edined AT The spread of the summe, coz
.sse. ne nnds IN IL another sign o. dc =, =
tnng OF the population which IL i'm proce~. "A
winch makes the land constantly pIeas inter "a
more h~bitabie as ID goes on. II h one rh,a :
OF the adjustment Of the people 20 the co,'.,,.
uons arising from q vast increase Of xe,sss
and from the upsetting Of all old haiti, "a
possibilities Of living which has foiIo I'D ~.
progressive Development Of railroads. Mo-
over, Is The only considerable ansper I'm :, -,
to the problem how the bettsr-.bIe cl..,~ -
americans are going 10 gen any country Ire
ihey are bound shese bciscr-ablos. 10 H.. !.
eanes a. long ns they live at all, YET thew vnre
70 snatch such surtlse country joys !. thew en-.
and NE summer cottage h the tangible sxr-sS
non Of thas yhoassonc VIII.