National Republican., 1881-08-12
AT HEARTS EASE,
NEAR OLD NANTUCKET rEAoH.
How tho Temporary DwellOrs by the Sea Live at
Sconset-From Whaling TO Gardening
aye Ancient Mariner" Cruis-
Ing In . Schooner.
pecIai Correspondence ofTnr RrrupLrcAw.

hbARTS EASE, Aug. tU-SCOnSeJ CunnOJ
be described 1t must be tasted. NJ. f." has given
you on Introduction to this quaint little place. In
this letter will endeavor to show you how we
live here. We are o village Of about two hundred
cottages, one boarding-housc, and two hotels,
perched on n cliff thirty feet above the sea-
Situated on an elbow ofthe island the surf is here
the highest and the tide is the strongest. Our
streets, known as Pennsylvania ayenue, Shells
avenue, Finh avenue, and Broadway, ore grass.
grown, three ruts serving to show that they are
thoroughfares. There Is path around every
house, so there can be great variety in the route
taken to reach any point. The real living is found
In these little low roofed shlngled .all-over
F1sHERMEN's COTTAGES
They range In price from $50 TO 500 for the sea-
son. and are oil furnished There is but one floor
for living" with sometimes an attic, and often
"whale walk" on the roof one can stand in the
best room and easily reach the ceiling and some
times the walls on each side. The furniture is
simple; but with japanese fans, parosols pictures,
sketches, cat o. mine tails, marine ouriosties, and
liberal supply OF the beautiful flowers that
abound here one soon has cosy, home-like sur
roundings. The cottages arc in "ship- shape"
order. Everything has flavor Of -faring life.
The bedrooms suggest stntc-Tooms. bed and
one other article of furniture and room TO
TURN AROUND;
50 we find bedstead and bureau in one room, bed
stead and washstand in another, and bedstead
and chair In another. In the course OF toilet II
may sometimes be necessary to make q "tour !"
but that only adds variety to life. The house.
keepers needs are amply provided for. some-
times one flndsa real treasure In old china. Chow
der is considered the article of diet, and the china
tureens are many and beautiful The summer
guests utilize them to hold fOwors-great punches
ofrcd lilies, water.illcs, swamp azaea, Rudbeclla
('Black Eyed SusausO, golden rod, and purple
asters. The moors offer us rare variety. To the
botanist the island Is full ofintcrest. Different
specimens have been gathered here.
THERE Is NO DANGER OF STARVATION.
The butcher and the grocer make almost daily
visits from Nantucket The ancient mariners
(native) have settled down from whaling to the
raising of garden vegetables. They make morn
ing calls. with the query, "What vegetation can |
supply you with to-dayY Blue fish are caught
almost at oN doors by the "hcave and haul "
method, and are broiling in few minutes
after they have LEFT the water. The days never
grow monotonous. An awning Is put up Just
out Of reach of the breakers edge, and ham
mock is swung, and there, rocked by every breeze
that blows" the weary pilgrim from the mainland
can find pleasure that makes life worth living.
As write the booming Of the surf all along the
beach fills my ears. Around me is the purest, most
invigoratng air in the world In front is crescent
of sea; far Off on the horizon are dashed I'D the
foam wreaths.
ONE NEVER wEAR1Es OF THE SEA,
changing every moment-.sometimes- gray and
threatening, again blue and dancing in the sun
shine, " the multitudlnous laughter of the sea-
still again, the kolp making maroon band near
the shore, which gradually changes into a clear
green, and still farther on melts into the blue OF
the horizon. The sand ofthe beach Is coarse, so
the walking is not firm; but we do walk. There
are wrecks just at a convenient distance. over
which the surf dashes In the most yindictive
manner, making ono realize the strength and
cruelty of the mighty ocean. Along the edge OF
the cliff is another favorite walk to Sankoty Light
| If we wish days "outing'
WE HIRE A SCHOONER"
| ION four wheels) and start of on cruise" Such
party Is called "squantum." Away we &c
across the moors, crushing sweet. fern and bay
| berry under our wagon wheels, the air around
filled with the perfume of the eglantne. We stop
when hungry-one's appetite Is the biggest
thing on the island-spread out our good things
then pick wild flowers, eat huckleberries from the
bush, and, best OF all, have day of genuine hap
| piness Social life is not neglected here. The
latch string always hanging out Is the reales
of realities and needs only to be pulled to insure
| cordial welcome. After n walk amid the sun
set glores still there are pleasures in store Thes,
moonlight nights find little groups silhouetted oil
the beach-some engaged in rcvery, some in talk
ing, and some singing to the fair moon But Oh
other nights, when each cottage has hung out
| ITS LITTLE TwISKLIHG LANTERN,
| then the SconsetecR" gather for "taffy" (mo.
lasses and pcanut@ and games. Occasionally q
"hop" at the hotel or a minstrel troupe gives us
taste of the usual seaside diversions. Among the
Wasbingtonians that have filled their shoes with
sconset sand are Mr.. william Balantyne and fam.
lily, Mr. Tom Francis Mr., ]. ormond Wilson and
family, Miss Daisy owen, Miss NJ +. Hungerford
Lieutenant and Mrs, Hoxie, Professor Huntington
of Columbian University, Mr. Lambert, the fami-
lies of General Ruggles and Colonel Farquhar
Miss Coolidge, Mr. H. X. Johnson, and Mr.. A. G.
Wilkinson and family. We think we have found
the very best place in the world for resting and
cultivating happy contented spirit. This is moi
said to bring "all the world" to sconset for then
| II would lose some of
IT'S CHIEF CHARMS.
We call Nantucket our suburb, and one who has
fully entered into the life here finds the town life