The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1879-09-17
LOVE IN THE SURF.

Quite like Newport or Nahant,
nuntie, isn't itp" says my pretty niece
Kate, rs we step out on the veranda OF
one of the Alameda bathing establish
mcnts, and note the elegant dresses and
handsome carriages thrOnging the ave
nue. and grounds, and the bathers dottlng
the waters beyond. The June sun beams
brightly over the blue waters, and sets
each tiny wave sparkling and dancing,
till what with laughter and chatter all
around, ana the distant music of rival
establishment, q very tair semblance OF
watering place gayety is produced.
Our party is us gay rs any; but my
pleasure changes to inward wrath when,
looming over the heaG of other loung-
ers, | see that odious Royal Allen press
ing this way, and lifting his hat to one
after another of the girls with courtly
grace. "Quite like Newport" | think
savagely, where just such worthless for
tune hunters followed Kate during our
whole stay, rs 1 see my niece give Mon
sieur Royal her sweetest smile and her
dainty little hand, which he seems in no
hurry to relinquish. He is handsome, of
course, as such creatures always are but
poor, and with debts innumerable, which
he means to pay with Hates money, if
possible. But not with my consent, /
am resolved, and determine to keep her
away from him as much as possible.
In vain ! look and call frantically for
my missing parasol--safe in the carriage.
| cough in vain-the deep, husky cough
that never fails to bring Kate to my side
with anxious inquiries and extra wraps;
that handsome scamp, rs / mentally call
him, strolls on and on, keeping Kate's
blue eyes lifted to his continually, and
laughing in his sleeve, no doubt, at me
and my helplessness.
And as l live, there is Mrs. Ellis, with
her eyeglasses and her sneer, glancing
significantly at the two and at me. Only
the other day she asked me when the en-
gagement was to be out, and advised me
to have Katie's fortune tied up so that
Royal couldn't touch it, for he owed
every one in town and was as dissipated
as Turk. Her three girls are sitting
there in aristocratic solitude, like three
stiff white camelias, and she grudges
Kate even the attention of Mr.. Allen. /
have half mind to let it go on, for she
told me everything have heard Of him,
after all.
Yet debts and dissipation-no, no
impossiblsl l rush after my pretty
heiress and sweep her away from her
companion, who politely hopes he sees
me quite well. He would be astonished
II ut Knew now Wtll L StG Illl1 auOl Ills
motives, l think, as / grimly respond
and draw Kate over to a seat in the
shade, placing myself between them.
Kate looks surprised at my sudden APP
pearance, but she has heard my opinion
of the gentleman before, during the
weeks he has been dangling after her
and she yields so meekly and smiles at
me so sweetly that l hope all will yet
be well. =.
says Royal; /" the water is quite warm,
Miss Mary; won't you trust her with
mep" l can scarcely believe my eyes.
Such An audacious request completely
overpowered me, while Kate is look
ing as wistful, her eyes like vio-
lets dipped in dew, and the other girls
crowding round and coaxing. "Oh,
please Miss Mary, let her go. 1t is as
safe as your bath-tub, and SO warm she
couldn't take cold if she wanted to-"
gazed with utter amazement at the
circle of pleading faces, rejecting with
disapproval on the behavior of the
modern young gentlemen before me.
foresee that shall have to yield, or be
thought cruel old ogress; but a bril-
liant thought strikes me, and act on
the impulse of the moment. Yes, you
may go, Kate, and / will go in, too" /
say, heroically, yet with sudden sink
ing of the heart as feel, in anticipation,
the icy water closing over my devoted
head.
Hates eyes opened wider and wider,
while that handsome scamp turns his
head away-to laueh, lam sure. What,
you go in, auntie, with your neuralgia
and rheumatismp Oh, no." signs she,
and her voice actually trembles little
:" / will look on with you, and the girls
hath NJ
shan't consent to let you catch your
death of cold, auntie, for my pleasure"
But l knew well enough that as soon
as we should be comfortably seated
Kate would be enticed of, and / reflect
that / can feign to be SO helpless in the
water that she will certainly not leave
my side. Sol stubbornly insisted, only
refusing to go into the "bath-tub,n as
the girls have christened the square in
closure of muddy water before us, not
over clean. they say, and filed with
heads and bodies in every stage of dress
or rather undress, L think, with a
shudder.
So we drive further down the avenue,
and really if the wind wasn't so cold
and the water colder / shouldn't wonder
at the hundreds who fill the wide, dusty
drive and flock round the piazzas and
down the beach, for the beautiful blue
bay is sparkling under a blue sky and
tempting white waves are rolling their
foamy lace upon the sand. The bathers
laugh and talk as they frolic in the
waters or scream us they venture one
foot timidly after the other.
But my spirits sank to the lowest ebb,
and l wished i hadn't been so foolish,
when they handed out bundle of dingy
garments, a sticky, yellow cap and a
very suspicious looking towel to each of
us. Strong misgivings as to tile pro
priety Of this indiscriminate bathing