Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-19
GATH IN NEWPORT.


Ccrrsspon dence Of Cincinnati Enquirer
The Newport high toned people seem to spend
their days driving wagons which no respectable
man brought up to the light American wagon
would be seen conducting. You will observe
someyoung fellow with high cart :,
which seems to be lifting the horse off his front
legs most Of the time, desperately endeavoring
to drive his lady up Bellevue avenue. and little
flunky, overdressed In buckskins and yellow
cloths, viii be soemnly sticking on behind, all of
them locking as if there were invisible nooses
around their necks and they were presently go
ing TO be swung up Ike Major Andre when the
cart ispulled away from under them. Those who
do not have high carts ride in what appear to be
vanished dry goods boxes, suspended low to
the ground and likewise two wheeled. These
things they call cottage carts, and you can see
two women trying to LOndOnZe il with all their
might, timorously going behind some little
mare or pony and aping the motions of buying
carrot or half q cabbage at some Of the small
stores In the town. Now and then YOU see a
woman ehdeavOring to drive pair of horses
ana tue agony on her countenance is wonderful
10 oehold. She has been told that all hjghbrad
women graduate by driving pair and YOU can
see the grOoms and Others come out to near the
edge OF the little lanes as madam turns into the
great avenue, to watch her Off and she. with
that corpselike cOuntenance have mentioned
made somewhat more paliid by human fear. pro-
ceeds scrt of zig gag down the avenue the
horses themselves somewhat awed by wondering
what they have got behind them and why 1t la
so. Undoubtedly the air at Newport Is as fine
as one can get it at the seaside in this country
but even lambert and genial air, with no social
bility in it. soon becomes foreign air, and
everybody that breathes it seems to be In exile
In his own country. That the vices do not de-
part from Newport because of the extent of the
style there is evidenced in the evenings, when,
by pairs, you will find what look to be the nurse
maids OF these exclusive families stealing
through the town On a sly street walk resolved
even at the expense of virtue to break through
the yoke of affectation which weighs on them
all day. | went to see the game of polo played
at the Newport grounds and with o friend
leaped into an omnibus and rode to within a
quarter of mile or 80 OF the place. and seeing
most of the people turning into piece of woods,
we followed them, imagining that it was the
way to the gate where we should pay our
entrance Zee. But we suddenly found our
selves emerging upon high platform
OF rocks quite outside OF the polo
plain, and yet affording much better view Of
the game than anybody could possibly have In
the burning sun around the track, roasting
there under parasols and watching what is
| nothing more than the old game of shiuny or
Dandy, played from the back of a horse Where
the pubicans stood to look on there was some
shade and green grass. and perhaps four hum
dred persons were there assembled mainly of a
very respectable character. and the majority
ladies and little girls. Ii is SO rocky around
Newport that to get fiat plain fit for a game
OF TINS KIND one must submit to be overlooked
ana hence the fee OF 81 at the gate Is seldom
paid. and Newport which has any further inter-
est in polo walks UP on the rocks and looks
quietly like little boys who crawl under the cir
Gus tent or see the horse race from the top of a
tree. Some of your readers have never seen
polo played. 1t is tame affair, though no doubt
| it requires both Craftsmanship and horses The
game had hardly begun when one young fellow
| went off his horse like shot, and the first
human sound that seemed to have heard i'm
Newport was that of pity from constrained
spectators. He had attempted to ride up
sldewise on the ball and his saddle turned
with him. The horses must it seems to me, be-
come sprung and worthless after they are used a
while for this game. There are six or eight
players, One-half on each SIDE wearing tight
lifting suits Of different colored stripes They
ride out to the middle of the field which is
perhaps an eighth of mile long. and then a boy
who keeps the count at guillotine on one side
throws the ball. and the red striped fellows try
to drive it up one way and the blue striped fell
lows the other way, and to make run the ball
must pass between wickets not very far apart
Hence the horses, after good shot has been
given, are put to the gallop to catch the ball
ana then are stopped short. and they are con-
stantly going up with speed. to be arrested in
mid-course. and a large proportion of the blows
Intended for the ball fall on the Door animals
legs. The horses are therefore tied about the
legs with flannels. and now and then, when the
long-armed rake misses the ball. it gives the
horse tremendous whack, which can be heard
TO the outermOst bounds. In this sort Of eXer-
else it is almost impossible to show any pictu-
rescue riding. The players at times are all to-
gether. and as they must look out not to break
each other heads, there are pauses in the game
while they are trying to rake the ball out so as
to give it the proper shot. After seeing the
movement made few times the performance
grows very mOnOtOnOus.