The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-08-18
BY KATHERINE HOPKINS CHAPMAN


 Lake Chautauqua. N. F., Aug. F.
 Chautauqua visitors may select quar- ters ranging from lake front hotel rooms at s4 per day (American plan) to cubicles in small plain cottages at SC per week for both room and board, or, they may do Tight housekeeping" in rented rooms even more cheaply--so says a Chautaudua guide.
 We compromised on boarding house of medium prices and occupy a room whose geography reminds us of Lake Chautauqua. This beautiful sheet of water is about twenty-five miles long and three or four miles wide; in the center two high points of land jut from either shore until they almost meet. This forms the Narrows which connect the two lobes of the Lake and through which the large steamers have to pick their way cautiously; hence the old Indian name, Chautauqua which means "a bag tied in the middle" Many of the fat women now here illustrate the Indian idea in their figures while the corpulent men reverse the figure.
 I hope our room is the only one which follows the bag tied in the mid- dle arrangement, for it requires time and forethought to avoid accidents. The two large beds coming close to- gether in the center of the room form the Narrows, while the dresser and
 
 washstand and trunk nearly i'll the other. Mother and I can by adhering to a pre- e-arranged schedule, use dresser and washstand alternately, passing through the Narrows at given signals without collision.
 But when the breakfast bell rings and Lon-boy tumbles eut of bed. scrambles into easy-walkers. a sweat er etc, dashes to the washstand to give his face a dip and his teeth lick and promise rushes to the bureau and brushes the front of his hair; while this morning squall lasts we heavier craft sail fortA if all sails are set. if not we anchor in some sheltered cove. In the latter case Young America calls back from the door. "Geei but you all take a long time to dress!"
 For the first few days after our arr rival our united efforts failed to tn- duce our young hopeful to renovate his costume in the afternoon after his ath- Ietic sports were over for the day. But one afternoon, returned from an ex- tended absence, we found that squall of unusual severity had passed over our lake-like room. Dresses, hats, lin- gerie were strewn as wreckage from the dismantled trunk in which the Young Cyclone had lashed around un- til the desired white shirt and dress suit had been cast up. The picked over cravat box the scattered tooth powder the open perfume bottle, show cd he had not scorned these aids to his toilette.
 "Ah" sighed his satisfied mother, sPIl have no more trouble about Lon's appearance. He has fallen in love again"
 Yes agreed his grandmother. "and I'll venture to say she is several years older than heat least 15." And both surmises were correct.
 in our boarding house. as in most here, the waitresses are well dressed, we'll educated girls, generally school teachers who wish to make expenses while studying some speciality. Our particular waitress studies expression between meals and practices on us du- ring meals. We consider her quite profcient in some attitudes, such as in difference, but advise application in others such as attention, etc. When she asks: Fish or beefg" and Lonboy says "Both;'' or if she asks: Pie or ice cream?" and we answer: Pie and cream. please" her face and manner cIeafEy indicate her disdain of robust appetites. But the outdoor life here is not conducive to plain living" even if the lectures do inspire high think Ing
 Our fellow boarders represent nearly every State in the Union, including quite little colony from Alabama. They also furnish many interesting types. The original Jim Dumps Is here probably taking a vacation on the money received for posing for that ad- vertisement of the food which trans- formed him into Sunny Jim; but either the food has lost its value or he has grown tired of 1t, for he Is the most wan and miserably melancholy man imaginable.
 Occasionally one hears of nove' situation, novel at least to Sout1ern7 CTS. For instance we have bride of four weeks here with her new mother in-law while her new husband remains at his desk in a near by city. The other day this grass-bride plunged self; she should have realized an en- tirely new step was necessary for one of her advanced position.
 One general characteristic which Is quite noticeable is that Northern and Western people specialize to the exclu- sion of general reading or culture. They are letter perfect in their special ty. but rather blank when affairs of national or international interest arise.
 The season of Chautauqua lasts two months, July and August; the summer schools have two sessions of three weeks each.
 The daily program provides a series of public exercises open to all visitors. This program aims at variety, balance and harmony. That is, each week of the season as a unit is arranged to in cIude sermon. a series of ethical ad dresses, at least one continuous course of lectures on history literature, sci ence or social economies, several ad dresses of a more popular kind from men or women of distinction. series of literary interpretations or readings, two grand concerts four open air band concerts, two stereopticon lectures,