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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 lofty mural crown of the president urged the public on
both sides to Use Plug Cut。 The picador's pasteboard horse was attached
to his middle； fore and aft； and looked quite the sort of hapless jade
which is ordinarily sacrificed to the bulls。 The toro himself was
composed of two prisoners； whose horizontal backs were covered with a
brown blanket； and his feet； sometimes bare and sometimes shod with
india…rubber boots； were of the human pattern。 Practicable horns； of a
somewhat too yielding substance； branched from a front of pasteboard； and
a cloth tail； apt to come off in the charge； swung from his rear。 I have
never seen a genuine corrida； but a lady present； who had； told me that
this was conducted with all the right circumstance； and it is certain
that the performers entered into their parts with the artistic gust of
their race。 The picador sustained some terrific falls； and in his
quality of horse had to be taken out repeatedly and sewed up； the
banderilleros tormented and eluded the toro with table…covers； one red
and two drab； till the espada took him from them； and with due ceremony；
after a speech to the president； drove his blade home to the bull's
heart。 I stayed to see three bulls killed； the last was uncommonly
fierce； and when his hindquarters came off or out； his forequarters
charged joyously among the aficionados on the prisoners' side； and made
havoc in their thickly packed ranks。 The espada who killed this bull was
showered with cigars and cigarettes from our side。
I do not know what the Sabbath…keeping shades of the old Puritans made of
our presence at such a fete on Sunday； but possibly they had got on so
far in a better life as to be less shocked at the decay of piety among us
than pleased at the rise of such Christianity as had brought us； like
friends and comrades； together with our public enemies in this harmless
fun。 I wish to say that the tobacco lavished upon the espada was
collected for the behoof of all the prisoners。
Our fiction has made so much of our summer places as the mise en scene of
its love stories that I suppose I ought to say something of this side of
our colonial life。 But after sixty I suspect that one's eyes are poor
for that sort of thing； and I can only say that in its earliest and
simplest epoch the Port was particularly famous for the good times that
the young people had。 They still have good times； though whether on just
the old terms I do not know。 I know that the river is still here with
its canoes and rowboats； its meadowy reaches apt for dual solitude； and
its groves for picnics。 There is not much bicyclingthe roads are rough
and hillybut there is something of it； and it is mighty pretty to see
the youth of both sexes bicycling with their heads bare。 They go about
bareheaded on foot and in buggies； too； and the young girls seek the tan
which their mothers used so anxiously to shun。
The sail…boats； manned by weather…worn and weatherwise skippers； are
rather for the pleasure of such older summer folks as have a taste for
cod…fishing； which is here very good。 But at every age； and in whatever
sort our colonists amuse themselves； it is with the least possible
ceremony。 It is as if； Nature having taken them so hospitably to her
heart； they felt convention an affront to her。 Around their cottages； as
I have said； they prefer to leave her primitive beauty untouched； and she
rewards their forbearance with such a profusion of wild flowers as I have
seen nowhere else。 The low； pink laurel flushed all the stony fields to
the edges of their verandas when we first came； the meadows were milk…
white with daisies； in the swampy places delicate orchids grew； in the
pools the flags and flowering rushes； all the paths and way…sides were
set with dog…roses； the hollows and stony tops were broadly matted with
ground juniper。 Since then the goldenrod has passed from glory to glory；
first mixing its yellow…powdered plumes with the red…purple tufts of the
iron…weed； and then with the wild asters everywhere。 There has come
later a dwarf sort； six or ten inches high； wonderfully rich and fine；
which； with a low； white aster； seems to hold the field against
everything else； though the taller golden…rod and the masses of the high；
blue asters nod less thickly above it。 But these smaller blooms deck the
ground in incredible profusion； and have an innocent air of being stuck
in； as if they had been fancifully used for ornament by children or
Indians。
In a little while now； as it is almost the end of September； all the
feathery gold will have faded to the soft； pale ghosts of that
loveliness。 The summer birds have long been silent； the crows； as if
they were so many exultant natives； are shouting in the blue sky above
the windrows of the rowan； in jubilant prescience of the depopulation of
our colony； which fled the hotels a fortnight ago。 The days are growing
shorter； and the red evenings falling earlier； so that the cottagers'
husbands who come up every Saturday from town might well be impatient for
a Monday of final return。 Those who came from remoter distances have
gone back already； and the lady cottagers； lingering hardily on till
October； must find the sight of the empty hotels and the windows of the
neighboring houses； which no longer brighten after the chilly nightfall；
rather depressing。 Every one says that this is the loveliest time of
year； and that it will be divine here all through October。 But there are
sudden and unexpected defections； there is a steady pull of the heart
cityward； which it is hard to resist。 The first great exodus was on the
first of the month； when the hotels were deserted by four…fifths of their
guests。 The rest followed； half of them within the week； and within a
fortnight none but an all but inaudible and invisible remnant were left；
who made no impression of summer sojourn in the deserted trolleys。
The days now go by in moods of rapid succession。 There have been days
when the sea has lain smiling in placid derision of the recreants who
have fled the lingering summer； there have bee