Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-07-25
letter from Boston.

letter from Boston.
BosroN, June 10, 1879.
THE HUB AS A SUMMER CITY-wALTER EMER-
SON, THE WONDERFUL YOUNG CoRNET1sT-
"a DAYS PLEASURE" AT LAsELLE-sENsI-
BILE IDEAS IN THE EDUCATION OF GIRLS
SOME BOOKS FOR SUMMER READING.
think, without exception, that Boston is
the pleasantest summer city in the country.
The heat is tempered by east winds, blowing
straight from the sea, to which we are treated
every few days, and which help to make life
endurable through the summer months. Then
it is the easiest place to get away from, and
back into, when one has n day to dispose of.
You can take the boat to Nantasket or Down
er's Landing have dinner off clans and
blue fish, and a stroll on the shore watching
the surf as it comes tumbling up on the smooth
beach; you can take ride over the narrow
gauge road to Lynn, following the shore all
the way; you can extend your trip to Man
chester-by. .the-sea, and sit on the singing
beach you can take the boat to the quaint
old fishing town of Gloucester, or make a run
to Marblehead where the people still talk in
ulhctl, hh lDty Nlu Nilcl lut NOultu VI hhE-
behead tarrod and feathered Skipper "Oir-
son, and gave him that famous ride at the
tail of the cart. Or, if you have only few
will, l think, appreciate the comfort | took
in my pleasure. l was at Aub urndae at the
graduation exercises of Laselle. ! laid the
spell of forgetfulness for few hours on the
woman's life and was again girl, happy in
being Mr.. Bragdon's pupil. 1t was lovely
day, and passed in lovely place ! wished
you had all been with me, to have shared the
pleasure The situation of the school is so
beautiful on high hill overlooking Auburn
dale and all the Newtons. The house is large
and roomy, and from every window is the
most delightful view. Then it is so homelke
and comfortable, and the girls are happy
and healthy The doctor who drives over
every day from Waltham, told me that she
hours for pleasure seeking, instead of the
whole day, you may take the boat at City
Point, and make a tour Of the islands in the
harbor, returning in time for tea. All these
things you may do in q day, and come back in
season to go to Oakland Garden in the even
ing and hear Walter Emerson play. This
young cornctist is all the fashion now. Wher-
ever he is advertised to play, the people fol-
low him, and he is the great attraction for
managers at present. And just to think of
it Five years ago he had never had a cornet
in his hand, while to-day he is known not
only in his own country, but in the old world.
Europe went wild over him last summer and
this year he has had most hattering offers to
90 to Moscow, whore they wanted him for
four MONTHS and to Berlin and Leipsic
When he was playing in Berlin last summer
he was visited by Franz Abt who asked, as a
great favor, that he would play one of his
compositions at the concert that evening; he
selected Embarrassment, one of Abts most
beautiful songs, and the people fairly went
wild over his rendering of it, Abt himself
came to the platform, and, taking the boy in
his arms, cried like a child.
have had one day of perfect and unalloy
ed pleasure since wrote you last-a day ut
terly free from headache, and during which I
was entirely unconscious of nerves. And
when tell you that for two months NERVES"
and headaches have had the best of me, you
came merely for the drive, for she had not
had patient there during the year. Do you
remember that wrote you last winter about
going out there to hear Jennie June lecture
on dress, and what a sensible lecture it was
Well, this summer l saw the result of it,
The girls gave an exhibition of dress fitting,
and they showed great proficiency, working
with all the method and care of experienced
dressmakers. 1t is pet theory of Mr.. Brag-
don's that girls should learn practical things,
l.. TO- 1 -
of their education. In addition TO the teach
er of dressmaking, lie has had Miss Parloa to
give lessons in cookery once a week all
through the winter Another of Mr.. Brag-
don's theories is, that it is nonsense for any
one to give time to an accomplishment for
which the person has no taste, and he does
not encourage pupils to become Indifferent
musicians or to paint ugly pictures but en-
deavors to influence them to give their atten-
tion to those things in which they can excel.
liked very much the freedom from display
which characterized the school, the general
appearance of soldity and thoroughness, and
above all the friendly, confidential relations
between teachers and pupils, that seemed to
me the most beautiful of all, and gave me the
key note of the school. How many memo
ries that day brought up, and how wished
could have it all over agun. Well, when the
two small women who tie ON my aprons for
trains, and beg for my wells and parasols,
come to the time, will live it over with them
| for is not their pleasure my best happiness?
How many of you have read ''lhe Colonel's
| Open Cloak" just the most charming book
of the season? 1t is the last published in the
second mo Name" series, and is quite up to
the standard of that popular series. II is just
the book for summer reading-brght, fresh
and breezy and, while it hasn't much plot,
the manner of telling the story is simply de-
licious. The characters are well drawn, stand
ing out clear cut like cameo. OF course
there's the usual conjecture regarding author
ship, and the latest venture at guessing lays
! the book at Sherwood liOnnET's' Mrs. Kate
| McDowelrs) door. This seems the best guess
that has yet been given, for it has all of that
authors piquant brightness, and no one is
more conversant with southern people and
their ways than she, who is one of them.
Whoever wrote ii, the book is Jolly and nice,
and know one set of people ut least who
have had many hearty laugh over it,
BY the way, speaking of books, Anna Dick
inson will have a new book issued shortly
from Harper Bros, called The Ragged Reg,
ster," containing "reminiscences of her visits
to the various watering places. 1t will be ex-
tremely entertaining. 1t will be given to the
public in a very few weeks.
SALLIE JOY WHITE.