Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-06-26

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the people. was directed to it. waited
long lime for seat. and was about to appro
pirate vacant chair away back Of the audi
.ence--for had come to Newport to see Mrs.
and Mr.. Showgay, and had no idea of retiring
from the church without looking at them and
their dresses there, after the manner Of ex-
cellent ladies everywhere, and if all good
ladies gaze at each Others dresses at church,
why shouldn't we horrid men do so just once
when the heart of the usher relented. and
he placed me in one Of the square, yes, actual
y boxes of ye ancient style, containing
cushioned bench, two chairs ard two boys.
When seated | could just see the heads, hats
and bonnets Of the female individuals appear
ing above the backs and partitions of the pew
enclosures, the rest of them being invisible
never saw so high walled pe~s before.
They are preserved SO on account of their
quaint antiquity. | presume this was just
right, to pay me for having such an improper
desire to see this particular audience, that
they should hide their apparel from my il
quisitive eyes. Therefore, after observing
that but one lady in the whole audience had
the s'idiot fringe" upon her forehead, but that
some had substituted sort of matching, mys
terious to eyes masculine, but still somewhat
pretty, turned my attention to the services.
The rector had his hair parted in the middle,
and read sermon filled with easy platitudes,
and from his manner of delivery and the little
force with which the sentences seemed to be
understood or felt by him as he read them in
howery, fluent, rapid, but not eloquent man
ner, l rather inferred that, like the smooth,
glistening light silks in his audience, it might
have been an imported article. 1t did not
have the ring Of vigorous ideas that are SO
frequent a Characteristic of American SER
mons. But as the audience went out saw
them well. Cost and not elegance, expense
and not beauty were the appearance OF some
of the ladies' dresses; others Of light colors
looked tasty. ! know but very little Of the
mysteries of those things wherein womenkipd
are wont to array themselves. But you and
l and all of us can tell whether woman
looks tastefully dressed or not, and if il is
not wicked to make such comparisons, | will
say that very many villages in New England
will show almost any Sunday, as pleasan. to-
look at congregation rs this aris.ocratic col
lection from distant cities. 1t does not favor
ably compare with the congregation that |
saw last Sabbath at Henry Ward Beecher's
church in Brooklyn. That congregation was
drawn together BY high attractions Of intellect,
mental culture, moral power, ideas, music,
i. Oul; this by mere fashion, case, luxury aud
5 idle or frivolous display. Men and women
were there, whose cultured souls could al
. most grasp the high, pure delights of angels,
whose minds were stores of mental wealth,
0 and mental luxury; but here fashion, the style
Of a fringe. the fashion Of everything, show by
idle hands Of rich things that those same
! white hands never assisted to produce. 1t is
surprising that men can be SO easily found
who are 50 wanting in selt-respcct as to be
willing to be decked in gew-gaw livery and
be mere ornament 90 some useless old
lady's establishment, like these lliculon.
! | footmen.s $685. 4@
; But Newport, dusty though it be- j. still
lghtful, and aside from the fashionable no.
bodies, many very respectable people cont
here because Of its cool, delightful retire
t ment. The buildings are really elegant, O
various models in style of architecture aut
are, 50 far as have seen, Yearly all of high
e bright ooIors. No imitation Of street mut
/ color, and no dark or gloomy lines, The va
rious shades approaching straw and new voc,
= colors are common here. This light airines
of color has most charming ard lowell
effect
{ The people who tome earliest and sta,
longest, appear TO be the wealthy ones wli'
own cottages" Mess You have YOU
trousers pockets completely filled V ith scrip
and your wife is quite plain and homelY, a
it is the fashion here to have homely wife
| would not advise you to purchase q cottage
or buy land at $50. 900 an acre to build one
apOn, as hear some land is held at that
price. Now look at that very plain oil Mary
land lady " it'll tine immense white lace cap of
costly material, piled like great white cloud
all over and above her head, with the big
white bow and dashy white ribbons on it, and
with the stunning lavender neck scarf and the
black lace shawl and the profusion of brown
young false hair with curls dangling about
her pale, aged face. That old girl has doubt
less got pile Of funds. Wouldn't she give
largely Of her possible millions to be as young
and handsome IS you are? See that New
York lady, with those sparkling diamonds,
wouldn't she give them all to possess as fair a
face as can be seen in every school district Of
Maine: Look st that stout young lady in
that dashing carriage, hugeing that nasty lit
tie shaggy dog, if you owned that female you
would give her away the first chance you got
BY the tenth or middle Of July there viii
probably be many persons at the hotels her.
who do not belong to select shoddy OF ilasl
society, but who are highly respectable, val
liable people--thcn Newport can be seen tc
better advantage than nov. New Eugand
people will then be her, In considerable nua-
bers. Now ii is n few DAVIS early for any thi,
side of New York.
The old Stone Tower, dist myg.criou,
structure supposed to have been erected b.
an unknown people, ages ago, or, as some be
lieve, b. those bold Northernmen Of the days
of Eric, who formed and afterwards lost sight
of settlement somewhere long way south
westerly from Greenland. several centuries
before Signor Colon changed bis real name to
its manufactured latin, Columbus, still stands
as firmly now as it did generations ago. 1t is
generally called the cid mill here. But can
hardly understand why q stone tower should