按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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