the confessions of a summer colonist-第2章

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〃Why；　there　ain't　a　girl　in　the　Hollow　that　lives　out！　　Why；　if　you　was
sick　abed；　I　don't　know　as　I　know　anybody　't　you　could　git　to　set　up　with
you。〃　　The　natives　will　not　live　out　because　they　cannot　keep　their　self…
respect　in　the　conditions　of　domestic　service。　　Some　people　laugh　at　this
self…respect；　but　most　summer　folks　like　it；　as　I　own　I　do。

In　our　partly　mythical　estimate　of　the　native　and　his　relation　to　us；　he
is　imagined　as　holding　a　kind　of　carnival　when　we　leave　him　at　the　end　of
the　season；　and　it　is　believed　that　he　likes　us　to　go　early。　　We　have　had
his　good　offices　at　a　fair　price　all　summer；　but　as　it　draws　to　a　close
they　are　rendered　more　and　more　fitfully。　　From　some；　perhaps　flattered；
reports　of　the　happiness　of　the　natives　at　the　departure　of　the
sojourners；　I　have　pictured　them　dancing　a　sort　of　farandole；　and
stretching　with　linked　hands　from　the　farthest　summer　cottage　up　the
river　to　the　last　on　the　wooded　point。　　It　is　certain　that　they　get
tired；　and　I　could　not　blame　them　if　they　were　glad　to　be　rid　of　their
guests；　and　to　go　back　to　their　own　social　life。　　This　includes　church
festivals　of　divers　kinds；　lectures　and　shows；　sleigh…rides；　theatricals；
and　reading…clubs；　and　a　plentiful　use　of　books　from　the　excellently
chosen　free　village　library。　　They　say　frankly　that　the　summer　folks　have
no　idea　how　pleasant　it　is　when　they　are　gone；　and　I　am　sure　that　the
gayeties　to　which　we　leave　them　must　be　more　tolerable　than　those　which
we　go　back　to　in　the　city。　　It　may　be；　however；　that　I　am　too　confident；
and　that　their　gayeties　are　only　different。　　I　should　really　like　to　know
just　what　the　entertainments　are　which　are　given　in　a　building　devoted　to
them　in　a　country　neighborhood　three　or　four　miles　from　the　village。　　It
was　once　a　church；　but　is　now　used　solely　for　social　amusements。




IV

The　amusements　of　the　summer　colony　I　have　already　hinted　at。　　Besides
suppers；　there　are　also　teas；　of　larger　scope；　both　afternoon　and
evening。　　There　are　hops　every　week　at　the　two　largest　hotels；　which　are
practically　free　to　all；　and　the　bathing…beach　is；　of　course；　a　supreme
attraction。　　The　bath…houses；　which　are　very　clean　and　well　equipped；
are　not　very　cheap；　either　for　the　season　or　for　a　single　bath；　and　there
is　a　pretty　pavilion　at　the　edge　of　the　sands。　　This　is　always　full　of
gossiping　spectators　of　the　hardy　adventurers　who　brave　tides　too　remote
from　the　Gulf　Stream　to　be　ever　much　warmer　than　sixty　or　sixty…five
degrees。　　The　bathers　are　mostly　young　people；　who　have　the　courage　of
their　pretty　bathing…costumes　or　the　inextinguishable　ardor　of　their
years。　　If　it　is　not　rather　serious　business　with　them　all；　still　I
admire　the　fortitude　with　which　some　of　them　remain　in　fifteen　minutes。
Beyond　our　colony；　which　calls　itself　the　Port；　there　is　a　far　more
populous　watering…place；　east　of　the　Point；　known　as　the　Beach；　which　is
the　resort　of　people　several　grades　of　gentility　lower　than　ours：　so
many；　in　fact；　that　we　never　can　speak　of　the　Beach　without　averting　our
faces；　or；　at　the　best；　with　a　tolerant　smile。　　It　is　really　a　succession
of　beaches；　all　much　longer　and；　I　am　bound　to　say；　more　beautiful　than
ours；　lined　with　rows　of　the　humbler　sort　of　summer　cottages　known　as
shells；　and　with　many　hotels　of　corresponding　degree。　　The　cottages　may
be　hired　by　the　week　or　month　at　about　two　dollars　a　day；　and　they　are
supposed　to　be　taken　by　inland　people　of　little　social　importance。　　Very
likely　this　is　true；　but　they　seemed　to　be　very　nice；　quiet　people；　and　I
commonly　saw　the　ladies　reading；　on　their　verandas；　books　and　magazines；
while　the　gentlemen　sprayed　the　dusty　road　before　them　with　the　garden
hose。　　The　place　had　also　for　me　an　agreeable　alien　suggestion；　and　in
passing　the　long　row　of　cottages　I　was　slightly　reminded　of　Scheveningen。
Beyond　the　cottage　settlements　is　a　struggling　little　park；　dedicated　to
the　only　Indian　saint　I　ever　heard　of；　though　there　may　be　others。　　His
statue；　colossal　in　sheet…lead；　and　painted　the　copper　color　of　his　race；
offers　any　heathen　comer　the　choice　between　a　Bible　in　one　of　his　hands
and　a　tomahawk　in　the　other；　at　the　entrance　of　the　park；　and　there　are
other　sheet…lead　groups　and　figures　in　the　white　of　allegory　at　different
points。　　It　promises　to　be　a　pretty　enough　little　place　in　future　years；
but　as　yet　it　is　not　much　resorted　to　by　the　excursions　which　largely
form　the　prosperity　of　the　Beach。　　The　concerts　and　the　〃high…class
vaudeville〃　promised　have　not　flourished　in　the　pavilion　provided　for
them；　and　one　of　two　monkeys　in　the　zoological　department　has　perished　of
the　public　inattention。　　This　has　not　fatally　affected　the　captive　bear；
who　rises　to　his　hind　legs；　and　eats　peanuts　and　doughnuts　in　that
position　like　a　fellow…citizen。　　With　the　cockatoos　and　parrots；　and　the
dozen　deer　in　an　inclosure　of　wire　netting；　he　is　no　mean　attraction；　but
he　does　not　charm　the　excursionists　away　from　the　summer　village　at　the
shore；　where　they　spend　long　afternoons　splashing　among　the　waves；　or　in
lolling　groups　of　men；　women；　and　children　on　the　sand。　　In　the　more
active　gayeties；　I　have　seen　nothing　so　decided　during　the　whole　season
as　the　behavior　of　three　young　girls　who　once　came　up　out　of　the　sea；　and
obliged　me　by　dancing　a　measure　on　the　smooth；　hard　beach　in　their
bathing…dresses。

I　thought　it　very　pretty；　but　I　do　not　believe　such　a　thing　could　have
been　seen　on　OUR　beach；　which　is　safe　from　all　excursionists；　and　sacred
to　the　cottage　and　hotel　life　of　the　Port。

Besides　our　beach　and　its　bathing；　we　have　a　reading…club　for　the　men；
evolved　from　one　of　the　old　native　houses；　and　verandaed　round　for　summer
use；　and　we　have　golf…links　and　a　golf　club…house　within　easy　trolley
reach。　　The　links　are　as　energetically；　if　not　as　generally；　frequented
as　the　sands；　and　the　sport　finds　the　favor　which　attends　it　everywhere
in　the　decay　of　tennis。　　The　tennis…courts　which　I　saw　thronged　about　by
eager　girl…crowds；　here；　seven　years　ago；　are　now　almost　wholly　abandoned
to　the　lovers　of　the　game；　who　are　nearly　always　men。

Perhaps　the　only　thing　（besides；　of　course；　our　common　mortality）　which
we　have　in　common　with　the　excursionists　is　our　love　of　the　trolley…line。
This；　by　its　admirable　equipment；　and　by　the　terror　it　inspires　in
horses；　has　well…nigh　abolished　driving；　and　following　the　old　country
roads；　as　it　does；　with　an　occasional　short…cut　though　the　deep；　green…
lighted　woods　or　across　the　prismatic　salt　meadows；　it　is　of　a
picturesque　variety　entirely　satisfying。　　After　a　year　of　fervent
opposition　and　protest；　the　whole　communitywhether　of　summer　or　of
winter　folksnow　gladly　accepts　the　trolley；　and　the　grandest　cottager
and　the　lowliest　hotel　dweller　meet　in　a　grateful　appreciation　of　its
beauty　and　comfort。

Some　pass　a　great　part　of　every　afternoon　on　the　trolley；　and　one　lady
has　achieved　celebrity　by　spending　four　dollars　a　week　in　trolley…rides。
The　exhilaration　of　these　is　varied　with　an　occasional　apprehension　when
the　car　pitches　down　a　sharp　incline；　and　twists　almost　at　right　angles
on　a　sudden　curve　at　the　bottom　without　slacking　its　speed。　　A　lady　who
ventured　an　appeal　to　the　conductor　at　one　such　crisis　was　reassured；　and
at　the　same　time　taught　her　place；　by　his　reply：　〃That　motorman's　life；
ma'am；　is　just　as　precious　to　him　as　what　yours　is　to　you。〃

She　had；　perhaps；　really　ventured　too　far；　for　ordinarily　the　employees
of　the　trolley　do　not　find　occasion　to　use　so　much　severity　with　their
passengers。　　They　look　after　their　comfort　as　far　as　possible；　and　seek
even　to　anticipate　their　wants　in　unexpected　cases；　if　I　may　believe　a
story　which　was　told　by　a　witness。　　She　had　long　expected　to　see　some　one
thrown　out　of　the　open　car　at　one　of　the　sharp　curves；　and　one　day　she
actually　saw　a　woman　hurled　from　the　seat　into　the　road。　　Luckily　the
woman　slighted　on　her　feet；　and　stood　looking　round　in　a　daze。

〃Oh！　oh！〃　exclaimed　another　woman　in　the　seat　behind；　〃she's　left　her
umbrella！〃

The　conductor　promptly　threw　it　out　to　her。

〃Why；〃　demanded　the　witness；　〃did　that　lady　wish　to　get　out　here？〃

The　conductor　hesitated　before　he　jerked　the　bellpull　to　go　on：　Then　he
said；　〃Well；　she'll　want　her　umbrella；　anyway。〃

The　conductors　are；　in　fact；　very　civil　as　well　as　kind。　　If　they　see　a
horse　in　anxiety　at　the　approach　of　the　car；　they　considerately　stop；　and
let　him　get　by　with　his　driver　in　safety。　　By　such　means；　with　their
frequent　trips　and　low　fares；　and　with　the　ease　and　comfort　of　their
cars；　they　have　conciliated　public　favor；　and　the　trolley　has　drawn
travel　away　from　the　steam　railroad　in　such　measure　that　it　ran　no　trains
last　winter。

The　trolley；　in　fact；　is　a　fad　of　the　summer　folks　this　year；　but　what　it
will　be　another　no　one　knows；　it　may　be　their　hissing　and　by…word。　　In
the　mean　time；　as　I　have　already　suggested；　they　have　other　amusements。
These　are　not　always　of　a　nature　so　general　as　the　trolley；　or　so
particular　as　the　tea。　　But　each　of　the　larger　hotels　has　been　fully
supplied　with　entertainments　for　the　benefit　of　their　projectors；　though
nearly　everything　of　the　sort　had　some　sort　of　charitable　slant。　　I
assisted　at　a　stereopticon　lecture　on　Alaska　for　the　aid　of　some　youthful
Alaskans　of　both　sexes；　who　were　shown　first　in　their　savage　state；　and
then　as　they　appeared　after　a　merely　rudimental　education；　in　the
costumes　and　profiles　of　our　own　civilization。　　I　never　would　have
supposed　that　education　could　do　so　much　in　so　short　a　time；　and　I　gladly
gave　my　mite　for　their　further　development　in　classic　beauty　and　a　final
elegance。　　My　mite　was　taken　up　in　a　hat；　which；　passed　round　among　the
audience；　is　a　common　means　of　collecting　the　spectators'　expressions　of
appreciation。　　Other　entertainments；　of　a　prouder　frame；　exact　an
admission　fee；　but　I　am　not　sure　that　these　are　better　than　some　of　the
hat…shows；　as　they　are　called。

The　tale　of　our　summer　amusements　would　be　sadly　incomplete　without　some
record　of　the　bull…fights　given　by　the　Spanish　prisoners　of　war　on　the
neighboring　island；　where　they　were　confined　the　year　of　the　war。
Admission　to　these　could　be　had　only　by　favor　of　the　officers　in　charge；
and　even　among　the　Elite　of　the　colony　those　who　went　were　a　more　elect
few。　　Still；　the　day　I　went；　there　were　some　fifty　or　seventy…five
spectators；　who　arrived　by　trolley　near　the　island；　and　walked　to　the
stockade　which　confined　the　captives。　　A　real　bull…fight；　I　believe；　is
always　given　on　Sunday；　and　Puritan　prejudice　yielded　to　usage　even　in
the　case　of　a　burlesque　bull…fight；　at　any　rate；　it　was　on　a　Sunday　that
we　crouched　in　an　irregular　semicircle　on　a　rising　ground　within　the
prison　pale；　and　faced　the　captive　audience　in　another　semicircle；　across
a　little　alley　for　the　entrances　and　exits　of　the　performers。　　The
president　of　the　bull…fight　was　first　brought　to　the　place　of　honor　in　a
hand…cart；　and　then　came　the　banderilleros；　the　picadores；　and　the
espada；　wonderfully　effective　and　correct　in　white　muslin　and　colored
tissue…paper。　　Much　may　be　done　in　personal　decoration　with　advertising
placards；　and　the　lof