The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-07-27
FROM BONsYDE TO sHINGLEN OOK.

About a dozen miles west of Min
neapolis, Mimi, there is handsome
body of water, or body of water
handsomely set, called Minnetonka
Lake. The name is Indian and sig
nifies Big Water. Minneapolis is
City of Water, Minnesota is some
kind of water, Blue Water, perhaps;
Minnehaha, is laughing water. There
is in Kansas somewhere stream
called Weeping Water. Lincoln
thought this must have been "Minne-
| boohoo!" Minnesota abounds in lakes,
has several thousand of them, and
Minnetonka is counted among the
larger class. Few lakes anywhere
excel it in beauty. 1t is difficult to
estimate its size, it is SO irregular, has
so many arms and bays, but it may
be briefly described as being twenty
miles in length and from one to five
miles in width. If one should under
take to measure its endlessly devia-
ting shores with arrow boat one would
have prodigious task on hand and
yet an agreeable task if given enough
leisure and strength for it, since the
continual succession of charming
views would more than compensate
for the WEAKNESS encountered in such
voyage. Minnetonka has no resem-
blance to Lake George, nor to that
paragon of small waters, Lake Como,
in Italy. It lacks in ruggedness of
outline. 1t has no mountain back
ground, no high bold cliffs hanging
over it, no wild forest approaches. 1t
has few lovely islands and consid-
cradle wooded shores. Five points
of land jut into it here and there. 1t
has some quiet pools and secluded
hooks. 1t is beautiful, very beauti-
full, but its beauty is of soft, mild
type.
Minnetonka lake is becoming and
has become an important summer re-
sort for the people of Minneapolis
and St. Paul especially. Chicago
and st Louis have enthusiastic repre-
sentatives there every season. 1t af-
fords a delightful escape from the
hot months. Its climate is healthful.
The population of its green and shady
banks already amounts to several
thousand. Simple cottages, and ele-
giant cottages, cheap ones, and expen-
sive ones, are springing up around it.
Its lands vie with the city in prices.
1t has two or three large hotels
where fashion and gaity disport them
selves. Among the attractive resi-
dences there is one built and owned
by my nephew, W. G. (which
he calls Bonsyde. The name is Dor
rowed from Scotland and rendered
into English by Good Site. The spot
it stands for is certainly good, or
beautiful site.
The grounds consist of three acres
and half Of green lawn, trees and
shrubbery. They have decided de-
cline to the south, toward the water.
The sun has a fair chance at every
part of them nearly the whole day.
The outlook from the house could
hardly be more pleasing. If l may
be pardoned for what l have written
l will add this: AS l have my home
with my nephew, I live, in summer,
as he and his family do, at Bonsyde.
l partially superintend the planting
of trees and shrubbery. sometimes
hold the hose that waters the grass.
l walk about mornings and evenings
on the velvety turf. | sit on the wide
pillared porch and gaze dreamily or
otherwise at the lake, which at this
point, appears more like a broad
winding river.
| went to Bonsyde this year in
April-the spring and eutumn are
after all the best times for enjoying
the country-and remained until June
II, when circumstances took the fam
lily East. My son rented cottage
at Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island,
and invited us to spend the summer
with him. So we exchanged Mime
tonka Lake for the Atlantic Ocean,
Bonsyde for Shipglenook. This is
the name of our house here. The
nook is not quite so apparent, but the
house is shingled from top to bottom,
on the sides as we'll as roof. Many
houses here are covered in this way.
The reason is this-shingles do not
have to be painted, and the salt water
or fogs, or something else, destroys
paint in short time. This is my first
attempt to spend summer by the
sea. Which do l like the better, the
lake or the oceani The two are