New-York tribune., 1875-08-20

asked him IL tho spirit Of Leo ever rode the
waters below us. He smiled, and answered,
"Twenty years ago, or more, the body Of . horss
was washed ashore here and it happened to be =
mhis horse" Here Is tho beginniDgof aloca legend.
A hundred years hence. possibly. the scene OF the
"Buccsneer" will be transferred to the Manchester
coast and the phantom steed and rider will reappea
TO the excited vision of our future poets. II was
pleasant TO note Mr. Danas interest in his old friend
Bryant, whose "Thanatopss" was first sent to him
for publication, sixty years ago. An amusing Incl.
dent connected with this literary event has already
been published but il will bear repeating Danas
admiration of the poem great that he ses
about discovering its author Somebody informed
him that Bryant was a member Of the Massachusetts,
Legislature then in session. and he fastened to the
State House. But the member with the poetic name
was hard matterOf-fact old farmer. glance as
whose face was sufficient for Dana: that man, hs
knew could never have written "Thanatopsis" His
acquaintance with the true Bryant followed soon
afterwards and may possibly have led to the atters
readingo of his poem of The Ages" at harvard-I
think in 1920.
AN INTERESTING COAST
This part of the Massachusetts, coast is already bo
coming storied. Across tho peninsula, only few
miles distant Is the reef of NOrmans Woe. where
the schooner Hesperus was wrecked the faint blue
spires of Marbehead in the southern horizon, recall
TO our memory Skipper IresOn's Ride and Han.
nah Binding Shoes Stedmans Lords Day
Gale" recalls to Gloucester, near at hand, and
many gcnter ballad or lyric, whose habitatlon has
been detected by the friends Of its author. gives
brighter coors to farmhouse, DELL or stormy head
land. On the point to the eastward Of the inlet
where the roseate tints of the gray granite cliffs
show how high they have been secured by the east
ern gales there stands ancient cedar. the age OF
.xDI.t oh,,< hA
trunk, two feet in diameter. is twisted like the
strands of a rope and the fat umbrellato present
ing only its sharp edge to the seawind is as rigid az
if cast in green bronze. This tree may have seen the
dragons of Left Ericsson ThOrfinn Karlsefne veer-
ing along the unknown shores but it tells no secrets
Its only voice is howl cannot imagine 1t sigh
ing for fair palm of the Azores across the sepa-
rating blue. 1t stands, like Ruskin's pine, " be-
tween the two eternities of the Vacancy aud the
Rock"
To me this coast suggests Whittier, the Scottish
highlands suggest Sir Walter. And two days ago
the poet from his cottage in Amesbury to mako
part of our friendly circle by the sea. dare not
lift the vail of privacy which covers much delight
full intercourse, but the many unknown friends OK
Whittier will be glad hear that there is no abae-
ment in the freshness of feeling and Of faith which
have endeared him to them. Although about 67
years of age he is still 1.-THE and erect as an Arab
chieftain am sure that root of his ancestral
tree, stretching back through centuries, under seas
and mountains, reaches the Orient, and that there
are more splendors in his imagination than he las
vet expressed in his song. Antar would have recog-
nized him, and laid down his spear; Hatem-Ia
would have gone days journey in the desert TO
welcome him.
Lucy Larcom is spending the Summer at Beverly
Farms three miles west of this and DR.. Chaplin and
(slarl Twin hpr
Cape beyond Gloucester. All the line of coast
nearly worthless real estate thirty years ago. has
risen enormously in value there are few good points
TO be had for less than 81 900 The scenery
grows wilder and ruder as you 90 eastward but new
settlement has already covered up the signs Of old
abandonment, and given totally different aspecs
to the whole region made Summer trip as far a.
Gloucester some years ago, intending to spends
week or two there; but we were driven away at the
end of "a honrs by the absolute mpossibity OF nd'
ing tolerable food. What the ordinary American
stomach will endure without complaint 'yet surely
with later revenges), is to me marvel. There were
80 persons living on damp, soggy biscuit lnde-,
scribabe coffee, cold fish, greasy and leathery tod
steaks, and horror-inspiring pes-and not whisper
of protest When begged for at least glass OF
lemonade and cracker to refresh some friends who
had come several miles to visit u.s. was informed
tha. nothing could be furnished. The establishment
was called hotel!
THE AMERICAN HOTEL.
There has been some slight improvement in this
respect during the past few years But the idea OF
what a hotel is meant to be-that is temporary
home for the traveller, where, within reasonable
bounds he may retain his own individual habits and
tastes-has not yet entered the brains of many
American landlords. According to their view,
hotel is house where the traveller is received on
Of wit
consider best for themselves. once stopped igno-
rantly at so-called hotel in city within hundred
miles of New-YOrk. The house was spacious and
snowy, the furniture and shiny, and there was
a general promise of ordinary comfort. But upon
the wall Of my room found printed list OF regua-
tons, which was ordered to observe on pain OF ex-
pulsion l was not to swear was not to dance; l
was not TO smoke; was not to carry whisky, wine
or ale in my trunk / was not to play any game OF
cards T; l was to appear punctually at meals, etc.
Presently the dnner-bell rang and made myself
punctual. Thirty forty guests seated themselves
at table, which was already covered with smoking
dishes, but all remained motioness and silent
asked waiter to serve me he shook his head, and
stepped back. Then determined to wait patiently.
and see what would follow. At the end of ten or
fifteen minutes the landlord entered and took MS
seat at the head of the table. Still the walters did
not move. The landlord (or rather, keeper bowed
his head and prayed for quarter OF an hour In
painfully rambling, ncoherent manner, and then lit
was in Winter the cold dishes were passed around
Meeting that evening, the gentleman who had di-
rected mo to the house, said to him: " 1t was .
hotel | wanted you have sent me to Moral PEN
tentaryw
am not exactIng, however, and would chcerfully
submit to much interference with my personal
habits, provided the same pains were bestowed IN
caring for the bodies Of travellers, in this instance
for their souls. b. E