The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-16
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN

Aunt Alice 19 an OLD maid, over eighty
years of age. There was no need of her
being one-in fact, think l never saw
an old maid who was one from neces-
sity. They have all refused good offers.
Aunt Alice might have married one OF
the richest men in this part OF the world
but that is getting before my story.
Aunt Alice lives in a pretty house UP
town, where she has her pretty little
parlor, and works at her old-fashioned
knitting-work, feeds her birds and gold
fishes, plays old tunes N an old piano,
WI ch, however, is always kept in tune,
and harmOnlzes with her thin little
voice, when she sings the dear, old
songs, which were all the rage when
ladies wore the shortest Of possible
shoulders
Now and then spend quiet evening
with good Aunt Alice. SIe gives me
cake and wine-both Of her own making;
and il there is no other company we
play game of whist with two dummies.
IL is not very exciting game played IN
that way; but we talk, or she talks, and
l listen--WAich answers the same pur-
pose.
Some times we talk of the old times.
"W Where did you live, Aunt AlIceW
/ asked, the other night, "When you
were girl"
think there was faint little flush on
| her smooth cheek, and faint little sigh
came from her gentle bosom before she
answered. But her words " ere cheer
lul, as they always are.
ave lived pretty well up town." said
she, "and in very pleasant part OF 1t.
| 1t was too far out to be fashionable, but
| we had the pleasant air OF The country,
and The green fields aud romantic banks
| OF the river were close at hand"
"Yes, Aunt Alice, but that is not tell
ing Wnere."
"No. We lived In Barclay street,
about half way between Broadway and
| the river. The fashionable people lived
\ around the Battery ald Bowling Green,
and in Greenwich street. 1t was de-
| lighLiul, tneu, to walk on the Battery.
| Every pleasant day 1t was full OF
| ladies and gentlemen, and nice child
rem"
"But the green. fields, Aunt Alice"
"lhey were all about. You could
scarcely 60 amiss OF them above the
! CIJy Hall. That was quite out i'll the
country. Some thought 1t ought to have
| been built i'll Wall street, but more
saugulne people were of the opinion that
in a few generations tw0uld come 10 be
quite central. However, as the rear
looked out on the country, they thought
brown stone would do we'll enough lor
| thai while the front toward the city was
| VI white marble"
! "But Ihose romantic river banks j,
where were they y
! cine ones l spoke Of were those OF the
North River from Barclay street, all the
! way TO where Canal street is now, and
SO up mile or two. 1t WAS very pretty.
There were rocks, and little coves,
| groves OF trees, and grape vines; one OF
the prettiest shores TO ramble on, or sail
along IN q boat, you ever saw. This was
our taVOrlte stroll in summer"
"But there was Broadway, auntT
IAN! yes, OF course there was Broad
way, and very fine we thought il, from
the Park to the Battery. There was ST.
Paul's, and the old Trinity, and Grace
| Cnurcn on the next corner. Tnen came
the City Hotel, where we had all our
great balls, and all the noble, great
houses round the Bowling Green"
.But up BrOadway-noW was that?'
"Pleasnnt enough. There were not a
great many houses, but the road was
planted with shade-trees, and rs fer as
the opening of Pearl street was quite a
thurouLltare. L remember we used To
20 UP TO the hospital to buy cakes and
oanules OF all OLD woman who waited
there tor custom. But il was quite i'll
the country. Once we went away up.
town TO a circus. 1t was u good way
out of the CITY, or course, and long
walk to get TO il. 1t was close by Broad.
way, ABOUT as high as Canal street."
tNew York was high old place in
those days, Aunt Alice; but was thai
all there was OF i.?'
SO, no. You forget the east side
There was Franklin square, W hich was
also an arlst0craLic center. Beekmau
street was full OF nice residences, and
was tueu aUouG what TWenty-tniru
street is now: but the lower parts o.
| Broadway and Greenwich street were
our FIItn avenue in those days. A tour
OF the Guy was TO 60 down TO the Bat
terry, round through Pearl street, and
doWA to Greenwich, anu 50 down to the
BaLtery again. That was New York
Iuere was better society then than
there nas ever been since, and a great
dead more enjoyment. Now there is no
sOc4uty at al, only great mob Of people
that nobody knows Or wants to know
iOr that matter"
"And now were the suburbs? What
of Brooklyn, Jersey CITY, Staten Island
and Hoboken? Did you go over there tc
eat lce-creams ~
There Was very little Brooklyn then
a few nice country houses along TIT
heights. Jersey City was not thought
OF. Staten Island, before we had steam,
was long voyage, and HOboken a pretty
island with a lew cottages. We lived
Juere once"
thought I detected the little 1usI
again ON Aunt Aice's cheek. l am sure
there was sign, but 1t was so genLle al
scarcely to be n0ted. Aud hereby, salu
| TO myself, hangs a tale. So pusneC
my inquiries about Hoboken.
Captain Stevens was the pr1ncipa
proprietor over there" said she, "bu
the Jersey people used TO laugh at hit
Trough island iarm. They said lie neve
would make anything of 1t, and tue rivel
would wash 1t away some day. AT higl
tlue it was an island, and small vessel
could sail through over the fats. Eithe
the sea has SUNK, or the country hal
risen; don't know which,
"Wny, aunt Alice, the land must hav,
sunk. DON'T they say that the cows uset
TO 20 across ButtermIk Channel at low
tue to iced on Governors Island"
81 know they used to say 80, but
never believed that; but any one can Sc,
that the water has flowed over the fats
back of HOboken, as have seen it WIUl
my own eyes many time.
"Ihere were no ferries then. I be