the confessions of a summer colonist-第1章

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The　Confessions　of　a　Summer　Colonist

by　William　Dean　Howells







The　season　is　ending　in　the　little　summer　settlement　on　the　Down　East
coast　where　I　have　been　passing　the　last　three　months；　and　with　each
loath　day　the　sense　of　its　peculiar　charm　grows　more　poignant。
A　prescience　of　the　homesickness　I　shall　feel　for　it　when　I　go　already
begins　to　torment　me；　and　I　find　myself　wishing　to　imagine　some　form　of
words　which　shall　keep　a　likeness　of　it　at　least　through　the　winter；　some
shadowy　semblance　which　I　may　turn　to　hereafter　if　any　chance　or　change
should　destroy　or　transform　it；　or；　what　is　more　likely；　if　I　should
never　come　back　to　it。　　Perhaps　others　in　the　distant　future　may　turn　to
it　for　a　glimpse　of　our　actual　life　in　one　of　its　most　characteristic
phases；　I　am　sure　that　in　the　distant　present　there　are　many　millions　of
our　own　inlanders　to　whom　it　would　be　altogether　strange。




I。

In　a　certain　sort　fragile　is　written　all　over　our　colony；　as　far　as　the
visible　body　of　it　is　concerned　it　is　inexpressibly　perishable；　a　fire
and　a　high　wind　could　sweep　it　all　away；　and　one　of　the　most　American　of
all　American　things　is　the　least　fitted　among　them　to　survive　from　the
present　to　the　future；　and　impart　to　it　the　significance　of　what　may　soon
be　a　〃portion　and　parcel〃　of　our　extremely　forgetful　past。

It　is　also　in　a　supremely　transitional　moment：　one　might　say　that　last
year　it　was　not　quite　what　it　is　now；　and　next　year　it　may　be　altogether
different。　　In　fact；　our　summer　colony　is　in　that　happy　hour　when　the
rudeness　of　the　first　summer　conditions　has　been　left　far　behind；　and
vulgar　luxury　has　not　yet　cumbrously　succeeded　to　a　sort　of　sylvan
distinction。

The　type　of　its　simple　and　sufficing　hospitalities　is　the　seven…o'clock
supper。　　Every　one；　in　hotel　or　in　cottage；　dines　between　one　and　two；
and　no　less　scrupulously　sups　at　seven；　unless　it　is　a　few　extremists　who
sup　at　half…past　seven。　　At　this　function；　which　is　our　chief　social
event；　it　is　'de　rigueur'　for　the　men　not　to　dress；　and　they　come　in　any
sort　of　sack　or　jacket　or　cutaway；　letting　the　ladies　make　up　the　pomps
which　they　forego。　　From　this　fact　may　be　inferred　the　informality　of　the
men's　day…time　attire；　and　the　same　note　is　sounded　in　the　whole　range　of
the　cottage　life；　so　that　once　a　visitor　from　the　world　outside；　who　had
been　exasperated　beyond　endurance　by　the　absence　of　form　among　us　（if
such　an　effect　could　be　from　a　cause　so　negative）；　burst　out　with　the
reproach；　〃Oh；　you　make　a　fetish　of　your　informality！〃

〃Fetish〃　is；　perhaps；　rather　too　strong　a　word；　but　I　should　not　mind
saying　that　informality　was　the　tutelary　genius　of　the　place。　　American
men　are　everywhere　impatient　of　form。　　It　burdens　and　bothers　them；　and
they　like　to　throw　it　off　whenever　they　can。　　We　may　not　be　so　very
democratic　at　heart　as　we　seem；　but　we　are　impatient　of　ceremonies　that
separate　us　when　it　is　our　business　or　our　pleasure　to　get　at　one
another；　and　it　is　part　of　our　splendor　to　ignore　the　ceremonies；　as　we
do　the　expenses。　　We　have　all　the　decent　grades　of　riches　and　poverty　in
our　colony；　but　our　informality　is　not　more　the　treasure　of　the　humble
than　of　the　great。　　In　the　nature　of　things　it　cannot　last；　however；　and
the　only　question　is　how　long　it　will　last。　　I　think；　myself；　until　some
one　imagines　giving　an　eight…o'clock　dinner；　then　all　the　informalities
will　go；　and　the　whole　train　of　evils　which　such　a　dinner　connotes　will
rush　in。




II。

The　cottages　themselves　are　of　several　sorts；　and　some　still　exist　in　the
earlier　stages　of　mutation　from　the　fishermen's　and　farmers'　houses　which
formed　their　germ。　　But　these　are　now　mostly　let　as　lodgings　to　bachelors
and　other　single　or　semi…detached　folks　who　go　for　their　meals　to　the
neighboring　hotels　or　boarding…houses。　　The　hotels　are　each　the　centre　of
this　sort　of　centripetal　life；　as　well　as　the　homes　of　their　own　scores
or　hundreds　of　inmates。　　A　single　boarding…house　gathers　about　it　half　a
dozen　dependent　cottages　which　it　cares　for；　and　feeds　at　its　table；　and
even　where　the　cottages　have　kitchens　and　all　the　housekeeping
facilities；　their　inmates　sometimes　prefer　to　dine　at　the　hotels。
By　far　the　greater　number　of　cottagers；　however；　keep　house；　bringing
their　service　with　them　from　the　cities；　and　settling　in　their　summer
homes　for　three　or　four　or　five　months。

The　houses　conform　more　or　less　to　one　type：　a　picturesque　structure　of
colonial　pattern；　shingled　to　the　ground；　and　stained　or　left　to　take　a
weather…stain　of　grayish　brown；　with　cavernous　verandas；　and　dormer…
windowed　roofs　covering　ten　or　twelve　rooms。　　Within　they　are；　if　not
elaborately　finished；　elaborately　fitted　up；　with　a　constant　regard　to
health　in　the　plumbing　and　drainage。　　The　water　is　brought　in　a　system　of
pipes　from　a　lake　five　miles　away；　and　as　it　is　only　for　summer　use　the
pipes　are　not　buried　from　the　frost；　but　wander　along　the　surface；
through　the　ferns　and　brambles　of　the　tough　little　sea…side　knolls　on
which　the　cottages　are　perched；　and　climb　the　old　tumbling　stone　walls　of
the　original　pastures　before　diving　into　the　cemented　basements。

Most　of　the　cottages　are　owned　by　their　occupants；　and　furnished　by　them；
the　rest；　not　less　attractive　and　hardly　less　tastefully　furnished；
belong　to　natives；　who　have　caught　on　to　the　architectural　and　domestic
preferences　of　the　summer　people；　and　have　built　them　to　let。　　The
rugosities　of　the　stony　pasture　land　end　in　a　wooded　point　seaward；　and
curve　east　and　north　in　a　succession　of　beaches。　　It　is　on　the　point；　and
mainly　short　of　its　wooded　extremity；　that　the　cottages　of　our　settlement
are　dropped；　as　near　the　ocean　as　may　be；　and　with　as　little　order　as
birds'　nests　in　the　grass；　among　the　sweet…fern；　laurel；　bay；　wild
raspberries；　and　dog…roses；　which　it　is　the　ideal　to　leave　as　untouched
as　possible。　　Wheel…worn　lanes　that　twist　about　among　the　hollows　find
the　cottages　from　the　highway；　but　foot…paths　approach　one　cottage　from
another；　and　people　walk　rather　than　drive　to　each　other's　doors。
From　the　deep…bosomed；　well…sheltered　little　harbor　the　tides　swim
inland；　half　a　score　of　winding　miles；　up　the　channel　of　a　river　which
without　them　would　be　a　trickling　rivulet。　　An　irregular　line　of　cottages
follows　the　shore　a　little　way；　and　then　leaves　the　river　to　the
schooners　and　barges　which　navigate　it　as　far　as　the　oldest　pile…built
wooden　bridge　in　New　England；　and　these　in　their　turn　abandon　it　to　the
fleets　of　row…boats　and　canoes　in　which　summer　youth　of　both　sexes
explore　it　to　its　source　over　depths　as　clear　as　glass；　past　wooded
headlands　and　low；　rush…bordered　meadows；　through　reaches　and　openings　of
pastoral　fields；　and　under　the　shadow　of　dreaming　groves。

If　there　is　anything　lovelier　than　the　scenery　of　this　gentle　river　I　do
not　know　it；　and　I　doubt　if　the　sky　is　purer　and　bluer　in　paradise。　　This
seems　to　be　the　consensus；　tacit　or　explicit；　of　the　youth　who　visit　it；
and　employ　the　landscape　for　their　picnics　and　their　water　parties　from
the　beginning　to　the　end　of　summer。

The　river　is　very　much　used　for　sunsets　by　the　cottagers　who　live　on　it；
and　who　claim　a　superiority　through　them　to　the　cottagers　on　the　point。
An　impartial　mind　obliges　me　to　say　that　the　sunsets　are　all　good　in　our
colony；　there　is　no　place　from　which　they　are　bad；　and　yet　for　a　certain
tragical　sunset；　where　the　dying　day　bleeds　slowly　into　the　channel　till
it　is　filled　from　shore　to　shore　with　red　as　far　as　the　eye　can　reach；
the　river　is　unmatched。

For　my　own　purposes；　it　is　not　less　acceptable；　however；　when　the　fog　has
come　in　from　the　sea　like　a　visible　reverie；　and　blurred　the　whole　valley
with　its　whiteness。　　I　find　that　particularly　good　to　look　at　from　the
trolley…car　which　visits　and　revisits　the　river　before　finally　leaving
it；　with　a　sort　of　desperation；　and　hiding　its　passion　with　a　sudden
plunge　into　the　woods。




III。

The　old　fishing　and　seafaring　village；　which　has　now　almost　lost　the
recollection　of　its　first　estate　in　its　absorption　with　the　care　of　the
summer　colony；　was　sparsely　dropped　along　the　highway　bordering　the
harbor；　and　the　shores　of　the　river；　where　the　piles　of　the　time…worn
wharves　are　still　rotting。　　A　few　houses　of　the　past　remain；　but　the　type
of　the　summer　cottage　has　impressed　itself　upon　all　the　later　building；
and　the　native　is　passing　architecturally；　if　not　personally；　into
abeyance。　　He　takes　the　situation　philosophically；　and　in　the　season　he
caters　to　the　summer　colony　not　only　as　the　landlord　of　the　rented
cottages；　and　the　keeper　of　the　hotels　and　boarding…houses；　but　as
livery…stableman；　grocer；　butcher；　marketman；　apothecary；　and　doctor；
there　is　not　one　foreign　accent　in　any　of　these　callings。　　If　the　native
is　a　farmer；　he　devotes　himself　to　vegetables；　poultry；　eggs；　and　fruit
for　the　summer　folks；　and　brings　these　supplies　to　their　doors；　his
children　appear　with　flowers；　and　there　are　many　proofs　that　he　has
accurately　sized　the　cottagers　up　in　their　tastes　and　fancies　as　well　as
their　needs。　　I　doubt　if　we　have　sized　him　up　so　well；　or　if　our　somewhat
conventionalized　ideal　of　him　is　perfectly　representative。　　He　is；
perhaps；　more　complex　than　he　seems；　he　is　certainly　much　more　self…
sufficing　than　might　have　been　expected。　　The　summer　folks　are　the
material　from　which　his　prosperity　is　wrought；　but　he　is　not　dependent；
and　is　very　far　from　submissive。　　As　in　all　right　conditions；　it　is　here
the　employer　who　asks　for　work；　not　the　employee；　and　the　work　must　be
respectfully　asked　for。　　There　are　many　fables　to　this　effect；　as；　for
instance；　that　of　the　lady　who　said　to　a　summer　visitor；　critical　of　the
week's　wash　she　had　brought　home；　〃I'll　wash　you　and　I'll　iron　you；　but　I
won't　take　none　of　your　jaw。〃　　A　primitive　independence　is　the　keynote　of
the　native　character；　and　it　suffers　no　infringement；　but　rather　boasts
itself。　　〃We're　independent　here；　I　tell　you；〃　said　the　friendly　person
who　consented　to　take　off　the　wire　door。　　〃I　was　down　Bangor　way　doin'　a
piece　of　work；　and　a　fellow　come　along；　and　says　he；　'I　want　you　should
hurry　up　on　that　job。'　'Hello！'　says　I；　'I　guess　I'll　pull　out。'　　Well；
we　calculate　to　do　our　work；〃　he　added；　with　an　accent　which　sufficiently
implied　that　their　consciences　needed　no　bossing　in　the　performance。

The　native　compliance　with　any　summer…visiting　request　is　commonly　in
some　such　form　as；　〃Well；　I　don't　know　but　what　I　can；〃　or；　〃I　guess
there　ain't　anything　to　hinder　me。〃　　This　compliance　is　so　rarely；　if
ever；　carried　to　the　point　of　domestic　service　that　it　may　fairly　be　said
that　all　the　domestic　service；　at　least　of　the　cottagers；　is　imported。
The　natives　will　wait　at　the　hotel　tables；　they　will　come　in　〃to
accommodate〃；　but　they　will　not　〃live　out。〃　　I　was　one　day　witness　of　the
extreme　failure　of　a　friend　whose　city　cook　had　suddenly　abandoned　him；
and　who　applied　to　a　friendly　farmer's　wife　in　the　vain　hope　that　she
might　help　him　to　some　one　who　would　help　his　family　out　in　their　strait。
〃Why；　there　ain't　a　girl　in　the　Hollow　that　lives　out！　　Why；　if　you　was
sick　abed；　I　don't