Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-08-13
NEW ENGLAND LETTER.
Life on the Sea-shOre-The Delights
of q Clam Bake.
Incident to a Young Lady I'm
Blue Flannel.

COTTAGE CRY, MASS, Aug.9, 1881.
"A real New England clam bake"
is one ofthe things without which an
experience hereabouts is not complete,
so when trip to Katams was pro-
posed two days ago, aye was the
unanimous response. We went first
to South Beach, the point on the
island which commands a magnificent
outlook seward. Saturday was a
favorable day for such visit High
winds, a gray sky, a wide waste OF
waters daShing against long line Of
white beach, and no sounds but the
magnificent symphonies Of old ocean;
no sights, looking outward, but those
ofsea and sky. Looking inward, small
clusters Of people seated here and
there upon the sand, in quiet, loving
wonder, Only one hour here, when
the summons came, "Katama," and
We were soon seated in the little train
whose sole business was to convey
people to South Beach, stopping on
the return at Katama for clam bake.
Arrived there we wandered in an aim
less sort Of fashion into the hotel,
which has the characteristic wide
open look of such seaside places. Be-
yOnd, and apparently one Of its be-
longings, is the clam bake pavilion. a
long, low, irregular sort of structure,
rambling first one way then another
and none in particular. Outside the
kitchen door were the stones getting
red no" for the baking of the clans.
When the stones are hot enough the
wood used for the purpose is removed,
and the clans are laid on the hot
stones. Upon these are placed two
long baskets, one containing Irish po-
tatoes and onions, the other blue fish.
Over all is stretched a large canvas
cloth, and over this a great pile Of sea
weed. The bake is ready for opening
in about thirty-fve minutes. when the
hungry crowd assemble to feed upon
such mess as this: Course No. /,
clam chowder; No. 2, baked clans;
No. 3, 'blue fish with potatoes and
onions; No. 4, boiled Holsters;
No. 5, clam fritters; No. 6, watermelon.
One may fill up the interstices any
where here with lager beer for an adj
ditional twenty cents. The rest may
be had for the small sum of fifty cents;
no extra charge for the side smells
appended, and nothing is said of doc
tors and drugs, except in a remotely
suggestive way by poor, long suffer
ing stomach in the effort to disclaim
cast iron" qualities. Poor stomach
This interesting process gone through
With, the cars are next in order, filed
with we'll cIam-fed mortals on their
way to the land of Nightmares, The
CLAIMS have become such stuff as
dreams are made of and their little
lives are rounded with a sleep" AL.
most every one wore an air of self
satisfied "pufiness" on that trip home
ward, but remarkable silence Rryad,
ed, broken only by lively the chatter d
a girl, who, to use her own wordsE had
tried to distinguish herself by Sitting
down on the Atlantic ocean" That
happened in the morning, at South
Beach, when the young lady men.
toned, in one OF her spats with old
ocean, said: THUS far shalt thou
come and no further" In reply
great white surge rolled up males
tically, swept the young lady off hei
feet, and deposited her upon the sand
great mass of helpless, wet, blue
flannel. What was the general result
Of this clam bake experience. | dc
not know, but this do know, wher
ahothor party goes TO Katama, in
Guiding me, l shall see them to the
door, leave them to the dinner and thu
smells, bow myself out hastily, anC
say to them, as | do now to the LEDGE
and its readers, "good-by friends.
G. G.