Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-07-13
Ill9 Sire Rress.
MATTHIAS VINEYARD.
Something About the Resort and IT.
Suorta.

from the n. Y. Evening Teiesram.l
This place is called Cottage City. Though
why it should be so named rather than Blue
Fish Beach it would be useless TO speculate
An individual here, who lost his feet and the
first joints of his fingers on both hands, In n
gale of wind twenty miles from the "Bluffs"
and is therefore, considered an oracle, told
me that the place was known as Cottage City
because the Baptsts aud Methodists live in
tents here all Summer. This would not
strike the reader as being good solid rea-
son if he we're not told that these tents arc
built of wood, carefully rooted and nicely
painted, porticocd, furnished and fenced
around. There are about five hundred OF
them altogether in the groves, and on the
beach nice concrete roads, broad streets and
avenues run between, and little lawns and
beds of hardy flowers front them. There Is
fine main street in the place, thanked by
stores and yankee notion" shops, and man,
woman or child can buy anything in these
emporiums from a kedge anchor to Il cam
brio needle, from an oilskin suit to silk
stocking, and from bull beef to tincturc OF
lobeia. Cottage City is something OF town
even though it be only Summer resort, and
n comparatively new one at that. Above all
things, it is II healthy aud cheap place Tor
Summer boarders to live in. There are sew
cra small and three large hotels, near the
shore, and forty or fifty boarding houses, in
which accommodations at reasonable rates
can be obtained for people of moderate
means. In the cottages one can get board
for So II week. Rooms can be rented in 9TH
ers and table board be had at the pretty, airy
and well attended restaurants on the main
street or Ocean avenue, and those who pre-
fer fashion and the hustle of society can find
and enjoy both for "a or IS day at the Sea
View house. The true way to live al Mar
tha's Vineyard Cottage City-is to rent a
furnished cottage for $3.50 for the scason and
to keep house.
1t may be asked how this can be done.
We'll it does seem astonishing to New
Yorker. Still it Is true that very nice cot
tages not 400 fee, from the sea shore can be
rented for sums varying from 500 to $3.50
a season. They are comfortably furnished,
have five sleeping chambers, sitting room,
dining room and Kitchen oulhouses and
woodhouses. verandas and unrestricted
views and ventilation. They are marvel
lousy pretty and heat tastefully trimmed
inside and out painted. decorated and apart
from each other and inviting to the weary
and overworked city man. Butcher shops
and grocery stores abound. They get their
goods from New Bedford to and from which
four boats ply daily, aud vegetables, milk
and garden stuff is brought in by husband
men from their farms, which, well cultivated
and fruitful, lie between the Bluffs or Cot
tage City and the other shore twenty or
twenty-five miles away. A family OF i've
can live down here in this way most happily
aud luxuriously for $500 or $3.50 during the
season, beginning June 18th and extending
to September 18th or goth. HUI dreds do 50
this year aud have done 80 IN the last five or
six years. The season began here last night
that is to say, the great hotels opened
Ex-Governor Cary, of Massachusetts,, put in
an appearance and the roller skating rink,
which is an institution worthy OF no
tce, flung wide its doors aui was pat
ronized by the ladies' and children sojourn-
ing near by. Cottage City is perfect par
adse for chill .ryn They are allowed 10 do
just MS they please. No one inierferes with
them They cannot get into trouble; for
broad level tables of grass spread back from
the bluffs for miles. intersected here and
there with geometrcal accuracy by roads
and walks OF concrete bottom, and on the
Highlands the dcclivty is so gentle and
gradual, swept continually by the invigorat-
ing brcczcs that come in from the great
ocean, which seems to form with the sky
complete north. east and south, that tue little
ones rcvel ard roll upon it from morning
till nijht without let or hindrance. There Is
a fresh water lake behinl the third street
from the sea view avenue, margined by
sloping grades aud cncircled by footpaths
and drives. Neat white cottages, trellls
covered and arborcd, nestle in the foliage OF
green trees Il stones throw from the pebbly
shore, and on the ever ripping surface of
the lake itself boats pass to and tro or lie at
their mornings quietly to afford the occu-
pants a chance TO fish. The waters are full
Of perch, numerous enough to be game and
greedy enough to be caught easily.
Two OF the most popular occupations at
this spot are "buillug" aud bathing. The
former is an old sport with a now name. 1t
consists of innocent ilirtations 'twixt young
couples on oak Bluff, from which it derives
the name of 'bluiiing," People in the vicln-
age are very guilcless, or pretend to be.
Those who are full of city wiles aud trickcry
have to avail themselves OF the Sc pent 5
wisdom they possess, and have to assume
the virtues not their own. In Other words
they may ''spark" and daily with coy maid
ems as much as they please; but they must
never 60 so far as TO make love either with "A
sinister or a too too sincere purpose. Mar
riages have grown out of ntimacics begun at
the "Vineyard;" but calumny and her still
more danger JUS twin sister, scandal, are no,
allowed to take their quarters in Cottage
CITY at least SO with tho oldest inhabitant
Good names must not be furnished by the
prurient heat of passion. A man may talk
poetry, mildly tnctured, or Whisper com
plimenls stepped in weak solution of fiat
terry; but he must avoid those little persona
attentions while "blutfing" SO much in vogue
at Long Branch, Cape May, Coney lsanc
and Newport, and which consist OF walls
girIlinp, cheek pressing, insidious Emporium
iags lar fraternai privileges aud sIances toe
burningy eloquent. No; "bluifers' must b
careful, ciIcumspect, respectful, not too ten
der, seemingly distant to the object OF thei
immediate miristrations; hut not so. Il
short, who would succeed us u buffer mus
study the art of love us laid down by Lon.
fellow in these lines;
Love il master OF all arts,
Aud puts INTO human hears
The slrangest things to say and do.
What stranger or more ariful thing coul