Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-05

plural and nasturtums, and TO wonder why
other stations were not ornamented in the same
wya; at CohaSset NarrOws there was cool
breeze, and life was no longer burden; and by
the time the train reached HyanniS we were
comfortable, cheerful and hungry. heavy
rain in the morning had made the little town
even fresher and cleaner than usual;
the one hotel was almost overcrowded with
guests; and if the table had been poorer than it
was the service of the dignifed, lady-like wait
ing maid would have made the meals attractive.
We went shopping there for few small things;
and on the whole found it more interesting than
in the great model establishments of a city.
There to be sure, work is ngeniously sub-divided,
and to obtain the simplest of garments, the Gus
toner is escorted up stairs and down; is carried
in an elevator; is passed from one fashionably
dressed lady to another; from one elegant young
gentlemen 10 another; is provided for the few
moments of necessary waiting with a luxurious
sofa placed before an immense mirror, mot al
ways an agreeable seat to a lover of beauty;
and is measured with dainty fingers by lady,
while a gentleman holding blank form fasten-
ed by elastic bands to an exactly fitting tablet,
sets down the mysterious figures. The place is
ton, courtesy and prosperity. You feel as if a
special training were required to shop at such
place. the buying of clothes becomes at once
dignifed; you are led from step 10 step as in
some scientific investigation or some wonderful
train of reasoning; you have become part of an
immense and pitiess machine; you no longer
have any personality; you go on without haste
and without rest till the business is accom-
plished; and having had one glimpse into the
beautiful and harmonious intricacies of the pro.
fession of shopping, you no longer wonder that
many women make it the most serious employ
ment of their lives.
At Hyannis, shopping is full of surprises; you
cannot guess from the outside what is for sal,
within Asking at an oyster room where w
should find watch keys, we were aStonished tt
see the small girl in attendance take a box o.
them from behind the counter and still more
astonished on asking the price, to hear her say
ooh, you're welcome; watch keys amt worth
nothing" There was more than the usual stil
in the streets of the little town, for camp meet
campers were going home with their small cart
loads of furniture and empty boxes. One turn.
out was very drOll two steers were yoked to a
small, overloaded cart, the driver stood on the
pole, and chung to the load with one hand, while
with the other he held as a substitute for reins
a piece of strong rope tied to the head of the
nigh steer. He was ieercd good naturally as he
bo sba s.;k
In the sunny graveyard of the pleasant town
we found great many flower beds, some fresh
bouquets upon the raves, some peculiar names
as Loyica, Almoran, Azubah, and one inscrp.
ton so thrilling in its simple statement of an
awful tragedy that copied it, Samuel Bearse
aged twenN-eight years. Supposed lost at sea
while on his passage from Glasgow for Balt
more, in bark Gov Briggs; was spoken April
10, 1854, and has not since been reported"
Early in the afternoon the boat for Nantucket
leaves Hyannis Port, small settlement a mile
or more from the town of Hyannis, and during
camp meeting at the Vineyard, touches at Oak
Bluffs on each trip, which makes the sail fouI
hours; the direct passage across taking but two
hours and a half. The view of Nantucket from
the sea is very pretty; the northern shore of the
island forms almost semi-circle, in the centre
of which the town stands, compactly built Oh
rising ground, and crowned with the lofty tower
of the old church. A small crowd is always
collected on the wharf when the boat arrives
aud this gives a stranger false impression o
the liveliness of the town. Never was there
more quiet place. In the morning it seemed en-
chanted; light fog wrapped it in a mysterious
| light; the air was delicious, soft, sea.scented
and refreshing; the streets were deserted: nc
one locked out of the windows; there
was no sound Of business; the town clock
struck the hours in leisurely, rich, cultivated
tone; hurry was impossible; one wanted only
to breathe the delightful air, and to yield to the
| spirit Of repose; when suddenly the calm was
broken by the clear, sharp sound of large bel
rung in the street. We ran to the piazza and there
was the town crier swinging his bell and shouting
Take notice. Six per cent will be added TO all
taxes not paid before Saturday the second
day of September" The town crier is one O
the peculiar institutions of Nantucket; h
makes all sorts of announcements; he erie
public entertainments, auctions, the arrival 0
any important news in the papers, anything, il
fact, that is of interest 10 the inhabitants; an,
this primitive way of adyertis ing is found to b
very efficient
Its almost impossible to give any adequate de
scription of the place; it is wholly unlike an,
other in its looks, and in the character of its in
habitants; and it is siugularly interesting. On
of the first things that strikes a stranger is tb
apparent equality of condition among the in
habitants; there is no poor quarter in the town
and not single show place. A few of the hes
houses are together on Main street; but almos
everybody has square, comfortable looking
plain wooden house, with abundance of room
inside. A great many Of these houses, thougi
kept in repair, have no blinds to the window
and have never been painted; Imprinted house
seem to have been a fashion there, and d
not imply either poverty OIL carelessness in tn
owners. There are no handsome carriages o
the island, but large number of horses are KEEP
and people drive in carryalls, or in the sprin
wagons which are peculiar to Nantucket. The
are simple boxes, nearly square, with high side
on which the seats rest. The board at tb
PACK taxes out, as in common dump cart, an
at the PACK you climb in, by the help of an iro
STEP These wagons have four wheels, and ar
easy aud pleasant to tide in; they are provide,
with top, which can be fastened on in rain,
weather. Occasionally you see one of the al,
'cdteches," which were formerly used crea
deal, and which are merely two-wheeled dum,
carts, without seats. The occupants stand
holding on to each other, or to a rope fastena
to the side of the cart, and some practice
necessary to enable one to stay in the cart
have, however, seen in one Of them fyC ladis