Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1878-05-31
Letter from BostOn.
ONE or cmLDHooDs uLUs1oNs-A TWILIGHT
nAMnIE ABOUT THE c1rY-THE SIXTEENTH
CENTURY REpRoDUcED-A FLYING VISIT TO
PARADISE

CENTURY REPRoDUCED-A FLYING VISIT TO
PARADISE.
BosToN, May II, 1873.
| wonder why it is that n circus tent does
not look more than half as large to my grown.
up eyes as it did to my childish vision I can
remember when it was as wonderful MS Alad-
ms palace and the happy men and women,
and, above ALL the fortunate children who be-
longed to it, were more to be envied than real
princes and princesses think at that pc
riod of my existence, my highest ambition
was to wear spangled skirts and ride around a
tan and sawdust-covered ring to the music of
very brassy band, and be introduced to an
admiring public as the Empress of the Ar
ena" by a ring-master gorgeous in gold lace,
while the clown should remove his hat and
gaze at me in an ecstacy of wonder and ador-
alton.
The smell of tan has an indescribable fasci-
nation for me still. | can't resist the flaming
handbills l sneak down town with half
shamed feeling, so AS to see the street parade:
laugh as heartily as ever Mt the costumes
worn by the riders in the grand entry; and
though no longer regard them rs veritabe
more heroism in their lives than that with
which I formerly invested them. When
you've seen the clown digging in his garden
with face ms solemn as though he carried the
weight of nations on his shoulders, and have
caught glimpses through back window of
Columbine in calico frying ham and eggs, the
romance has departed from tights. carleton
and muslin.
All this is from looking down on the top of
stones circus tent one night last week from
the Dartmouth street bridge. Fate in the
form of newspaper editor had taken me
over to West Cedar street II was one of
those poem-like nights, the like of which we
haven't seen for week or more, and n very
spirit OF vagrancy possessed me- | went
wandering about the city seeing it in about
half twilight, which made it seem like some
place unknown or seen only in Dreams I
went down Mt. Vernon street and looked at
Frank Hill Smiths house, which, built in the
sixteenth century fashion, is considered the
highest type of modern art. 1t is something
to wonder at if not to admire. l don't be-
lieve anybody ever dreamed before what Gu
pabilities for high art two-story frame house
contained. That's what it was a year ago and
now-well, the transformation scene in spec
tacle is nothing to it, l saw the rampant
dragon which is over the front door, and the
sunhower which shaded the dragon, and
was impressed with profuson of tiles and
confusion of stained glass. It was for q
long time a mystery what this wonderful
building was. Most people inclined to the
hali. l,,.,,. q. IL. Al
idea of its being dwelling house never en-
tered the widest brain. However, it is
| dwelling, and I've no doubt the occupants are
comfortable and satisfied
From Mt. Vernon street l crossed to the
Public Garden to see the tulips which were
| just in their glory. 1 never saw so beautiful
a sight in my life The walks were bordered
with these flowers in every color, in full
bloom. When tell you that $40, 600 was ex-
pended for these flowers alone, you will have
some idea of what the display was. As soon
as their beauty is gone, they will be removed
and something else put in their place. Mr..
Doogue, our new city gardener is taking
beautiful care of the city grounds. The Com
mon, Public Garden, and all the uptown
parks and squares show the labor that is be-
slowed upon them. There is "A spick and span
look about them that they have sadly lacked
of late years 1t was like bit of foreign life,
that scene on the Public Garden boats were
out on the pond, people were strolling about
in all directions, band was playing, there
was such nm easy pleasure seeking air; none
of the usual confusion and npidity of life on
the Western shore of the Atlantic. My wan
behring's led me down across the Back Bay,
| past our beautiful Trinity church, and all the
palatal hotels which have sprung up as if by
magic in that section of the city, and finally
out over the Dartmouth street bridge over
looking the circus tents. That ended my pill
grimage, for having got back to that point |
realized that it was Boston, as | saw the Col
umbus avenue horse cars depositng pleasure
seekers at the foot of the street. Perhaps you
don't believe there's any pleasure to be got
out of an expedition like this. Try it and see.
That's not the extent of my wanderngs.
however. City limits couldn't hold me- so |
started one day for the farthest corner of the
Maine coast, and found myself after several
hours riding, in Eastport quaint old town.
smelling of salt, which barely escapes being
in Victoria's dominion. 1t is the last bit OF
| ground over which Columbia holds sway, and
looking across the water You see the British
flag flying From my room in the Passama.
quoddy House, could look out upon Campo
bello, the loveliest island on the whole Maine
coast. 1t looked SO tempting, lying upon the
bosom of the blue water in the clear May air
which, in spite of the northwest wind was al
most as balmy as June, that longed to gel
to it and see if it proved as attractive on clos,
acquaintance. l knew that it would its low
wooded shores looked so cool and peaceful
Yet not long ago it threatened to be anything
but that. The Fenans undertook to capture
it, knowing if they had it in safe possession
they should hold the key of the Bay of Fun
dy, and could prevent aid from reaching til,
Lower Provinces while the main body OF
their forces came down through Canada on
the other side. The island is about ten mile,
long and two miles wide, and has lovely
road extending its entire length, making on,
of the favorite drives, for you can reach it by
boat
There is one popularity that the Main,
coast possesses which you don't find at an!
other place ON the shore; that is the pin
woods, which grow almost down to the beach
you get a mingled odor of pine and salt water
that is like no other fragrance in the world
1t is as healthful ms it is pleasant. AIalari
does not Turk about here Selling its luckles
prey with relentless clutches. Hay fever
utterly unknown, and every year hundreds o
its victims flee thither for sure refuge
believe the physicians say that it is the onl
place where the escape from it is sure. Tn
town itself is worth the visit 1t is just lik
an old picture a relic of a time which is past
the like of which is not seen anywhere out o
the coast of Maine-narrow streets, old fash