Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-03-05
A NIGHT ON THE ATLANTIC
COASF.

a NIGHT ON THE ATLANTIC
, COAsT.
i The following essay was beauti-
fully read at the February meeting
of the ClarksviIle Reading Club, by
its author, Miss Eva Williams, an
accomplished young lady of our
city, and published by request of its
members:
We stepped on board one of those
beautiful steamers which ply be-
tween New York and the Beach, a
few hours before sunset. The decks
were thrOnged with pleasure-seek-
ers from all nations under heaven,
it seemed, for oriental faces and
foreign tongues fell upon our sight
and hearing. Passing rapidly thro'
this motley asSemblage, we caught
fup couple of camp chairs and went
aft. A salty breeze blew strongly
into our faces and dashed fine
spray over us, but there was such a
rollicking freedom in its boIdest
touch, we liked it. On the lower
deck were some Italian musicians
playing soft national airs. and the
rise and fall of the water kept time
to their notes.
The sail down the bay was de-
lightful, its surface unbroken save
by the sudden rise of a porpoise or
the CLINT of birds white wing
over its shining waters. Then our
vessel would break through its
smoothness and leave an army of
white-capped waves behind it.
Suddenly the steamer begins to
heave and pant like living thing,
and we are caught up and whirled
from side to side by resistleSs
power in the form of great chop
ping waves. There is no land in
sight any more-nOthing to be seen
save a vast expanse Of greenish
water.
Our travelling companions, save a
few CT the case-hardened ones, are
whitish about the lips, and are crea-
lures of the most miserable circum-
stances. The cabin, once so gay |
and animated, is turned into pri-
vate hospital, and the "Oh my'sv'
prove to be a very contagious dis
ease. We too feel little tremulous,
but this soon passes off, and we be-
gin to enjoy things. Nothing within
the range of our experience ever
brought us so near to divine state /
as this. To be by some happy chance I
free from sea-sickness, while Chris
tian Yankee and unehristian Jew
were in mortal agonies around us.
1t went far towards healing the
breach and paying off old scores.
Fortunately for all parties, the
steamer soon rounded to the iron
pier which forms a landing to the
Beach. This structure is really
wonderful, for it is jim reality long
pavilion, stretching out three hum
dred feet into the sea, and built
upon iron spiles driven into the
water. 1t is very broad, and smooth
ly fioored with polished strips, brill
lisntly lighted by electric lights;
has refreshment tables from end to
end, and, between these, stands of
vines and flowers, in which are cum
ningly hidden crystal globes of fish
and ferns. Passing rapidly down its
length, we stand at last upon the
white-washed sands, with the
mighty Atlantic roaring at our feet.
Behind us lie the magnificent hotels
and music-stands, the French cafes
and restaurants, bathing pavilions,
and museums before US, nothing
save sea and sky-that wonderful,
mystical sea, which to a dreaming
mind bears so many possibilities.
We stand with every sense strained
to its utmost tension before this
restless power, created by an invisi-
be hand. We drink in greedily its
marvellous beauty, but we do not
tarry long on this surf-beaten shore,
for we have come down tonight to
view from the tower near the iron
pier this great sea, and catch its
splendor in the setting sun. So we
climb up the stairs until we reach
the elevator, which we enter, and
are then borne swiftly up, and still
upward, until the breath comes fast,
the heart beats quick and the soul
expands in this rarified atmosphere.
The frame work of the tower is
broken at intervals by little bal
comics, which form resting-places.
At these we pause and study the
strange, beautiful life below, but we
do not pause long at these lower
landings; there is too much above.
So we rise nearer and nearer the
summit; faster and faster comes the
breath, quicker and quicker beats
the heart, hrger and larger grows
the soul, until a swaying motion
tells us the goal is reached. All, /
now we are on the heights which
reach beyond the grandest heights,
while below lie deeps below the
lowest deeps. Yes, we are hundreds
of feet above that blue sea, which
stretches far to the east, its waters
flashing in the sunset glory and