Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1882-05-06
Newport Amusements.

in Scrjbner's Magazine, some OF the
amusements of Newport
"The amusements of Newport, in the
season, are many and various. First
and foremost should be named the
Casino, O new feature, but already
most important one. This charming
place, which is both like and unlike the
conversation halls which, in Europe,
bear the same name, is built on the ave.
nue. not far from the Ocean House. Its
aspect from the street Is that of low,
picturesque facade, two stories III height,
in the old English style, of brick and
olive-painted wood, quantity shingled
and oddly carved, with wide easement
windows, and here and there touch of
gliding. A single year has toned its
color down to delightful oldness, which
would do no discredit to street in
Chester or Coventry. A broad entrance
hall in the middle of the building leads to
an inner quadrangle, turfed and set with
flower beds, in the midst of which rises
splashing fountain. Above and below,
on the street side of this quadrangle,
are club-rooms and offices, broken by
picturesque clock-tower. To right and
left are more club-rooms, restaurant,
reading, dining and smoking rooms
dressing rooms for ladies and gentlemen;
smaller saloons, where entertainments
may be given and kitchens, wisely Or
dered on the second floors, where their
The fourth side of the quadrangle is
filled with double curve Of rooted gal
leries, two stories in height, where
ladies sit the morning long, work in
hand, chatting with their friends, en-
joying the smell of the spray -freshened
flowers and listening to the music of the
band. Beyond this first quadrangle lies
another and wider one, edged with trees
and strawberries, past which winds the
carriage-drive from an entrance at the
back. The lawn is devoted to open-air
tennis. At its far end is another long
building, in which are racket-courts,
bowling g-alleys and beautiful ball
room, fitted up with a stage and all ap-
purtenances for private theatricals. It
will be seen how many and how various
tastes may be served by building OF
this sort.
"Polo play, and sitting by to see polo
played, are among the other favorite
Newport amusements. Still another is
to ride or drive to the meets of the
Queens county hunt, which, in the
latter part of the season, has a run about
twice week. Foxes are not too plenti-
full in the island, and there are days
when the hounds are forced-.fdute de
mieur-to follow train of anise-seed,
instead Of their legitimate scent. But
the pace, the jumping, and the chance of
broken bones are equally good; and as
Reynard does not complain, and no
baby, in act of being soothed of its in
FAINT ailment by the mild infusion which
does duty as scent, has as yet fallen
prey to the mistaken ferocity of thepack,
there seems no reason to cayil. Ladies
often join in the sport.
"The Fort music is another weekly
pleasure, involving as it does the pretty
drive round the southernmost curve of
the bay, with the villa-crowned slopes Of
HalidOn hill on one hand, and on the
other the wide outlook of blue water,
broken by many islands. Close by is
the tiny rock with its time washed light
house, where dwells the brave Ida
Lewis, heroine of so much daring ad-
venture, and beyond stretches the long
point of Brenton's reef, surmounted by
the casemates and smooth glacis of Fort
Adams. In the deep point of the inner
cove lie the wrecks OF two ships, one Of
them an abandoned SLAYER, drifted many
years since into this quiet harbor, and
gradually breaking to pieces under the
slow, untiring touches Of wind and tide.
Only the ribs now remain /; they lie,
black, skeleton-ike shapes, reflected in
the tranquil waters of the cove-a per-
petual pleasure to such artist eyes as
take pleasure in contrast and happy 40.
cidents.
"Beside tho fashionable Bellevue
avenue, and the celebrated ocean drive,
which for nine miles follows the sinuos-
tiles of the shore from Bailey's beach to
Brenton's cove, there are others less
famous, but no less enjoyable !; the drive
over the two beaches, for example, and
out to the long end Of Sachuest point,
through gaps in stone-walls and across
fields of grain, by overgrown tracks,
where wild flowers and tall, nodding
grass half bury the wheels or the drives
to Coddington cove, to the Glen, to
Lawton's valley, or along the shore of
the eastern passage. The inland drives
afford constant characteristic glimpses.
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