Year: 1874

THR LADIES or THE LAKE.


Every Summer delightful rumOr comes
down from the North which makes the prs-
oners of the town still more rcstiye in their
fetters, and gives a brassier air to the streets,
and spreads deeper dcsolatiOn over the res
taurant and the clearinghouse. 1t is said
there is q lake in the North Country by which
q Hotel stands, and that the walters therein
are not of the usual earthly variety, but sweet
undergraduates from Northern college, wno
scorning the silkcn idleness of their sisters,
pass their Summers in ministerlng to the wants
of the exes from the city. We have heard
only vaguely of this hOstelry of faery. Ii Is
probable that those who have sojourned there
hold the precious secret locked in their bosoms,
as one who should find a river OF diamonds
Perhaps they never come back TO the world
after a Summer of such delights but gently
fade away like Arthur Pendragon, to the
island valley Of the Avalon. Or perhaps 1t Is
n myth, born of the hungry heart OF the
dwellers in taverns, wearied by Patrlck's PRIDE
and Bridget's contumely, who seek in the
realms of fancy for some sacred spot where
the walters cease to trouble and the bOarders
are at rest.


1t really seems too good to be true-that
tranquil lake shut out from the rude world,
possessing all the attractions of NJ. Melnotte's
imaginary palace, with the additional incom-
parable advantage of having ladies and schol-
ars devoted to making the lives of the in
mates happy. The song that Oftenest rang in
the ears of the immortal Knight of La Mancha
was that which said that when Launcelot
came ont of France princesses took care OF
him, and demoiselles of his horse. The dream
of chivalrous romance is realized in this north
crn inn. What were medieval princesses to
the collegiennes of our timel What did they
know of Tyndall and Trollope, OF Wagner
and the nebular hypothesis Elsa and Lohen-
grin were lovely to look at and to hear, but
one term at Vassar would have taught her to
compute his entire parallax without asking
questions and making so much trouble. To
have servants who are scholars is happiness
enough. "For what delight" to quote Mr.. Ten
nyson, "can equal those, Which stir the Spirits
:" inner deeps, When one who boards and
knows not reaps n truth from one who
sweeps and knows" To live at such a house
would be like loving Madame du Chatelet, a
liberal education.


OF course such an experience would not be
without its trials. In the first beautiful and
pathetic idyl of the King, when Enid waited
at the table where Prince Geraint was sup
ping, he had longing evermore to stOOp and
kiss the tender little thumb that crossed the
trencher when she laid it down. We wonder
if any one ever had that temptation in New
York boarding house The happy. lacustrians
of whom we speak must often be visited by
il, and it must be excellent discipline to them
to learn to suffer and be strong. Every hour
must be full of moral lessons. They must
come back with the tempers of angels. Young
Corpo di BacchO, who has been all his life in
the habit of swearing at the Boots and max
ing brandy and watery eyes at the housemaids,
is stricken into bashful propriety by the ap-
pearance of servant better-bred than his Sis
ters, who answers him in good English,
and looks at him like Lady Geraldine,
with level-fronting eyclids." Even old Pod
ager, who revenges himself on his gout by
abusing every one who serves him, finds his
Amens and other expletives stick in his throat
in the presence of these ministering spirits
who look as if an oath would blow them
bodily out of the window.


l
that reforms never come from above. We
know of no means for improving the manners
of the American public which would be half so
effective as educated service. Mr.. Lowe said
after the late extension of the suffrage in
England, "Now let us make our masters learn
"their letters" Would it not be equally effec-
tual, if it were possible, to have class of
servants whose silent example would make US
ashamed Of ourselves. If that wonderful tav-
ern exists anywhere out of the realm of the
Imagination, it is the only place in the world
where we can see to-day tho workings of
true Civil Service. The young ladies engaged
in it are doing work to be blessed of men
and angels. They all probably know their
Milton better than we, otherwise we would
quote for them the noble line which exalts the
service of those "whO only stand and Waltz