New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-27
SUMNER LEISURE.
THE OPENING SEASON AT NEWPORT.

vnurS MORRIS CoTTAGF-poRTsMoUTH GROVE.
tFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUSEl
NEWPORT X. l., Juno 24.-It is season OF
welcoming and of saying farewell The winter
people are melting away rapidly, leaving their
bouses TO the summer folk who pay heavy
enough rent for the three months use
Of the cottages to pay their running ex-
nenses for the whole year. Newport loses
monv of her pleasant residents but gains the rent,
and fair exchange is pleasant thing. Most OF the
great houses are NOW open. Mr.. and Mrs.
! ]. Astor are on Bellevue-ave.; MIR. Will
lam r. Travers has moved to his house on
Narragansett-ave.; Mr. Henry g. Marquand is at
his pretty villa on Rhode Island-ave.; MI. w. H.
Vanderbilt is at the Train Cottage, and Mrs. Paran
Stevens is soon expected at her pleasant house.
Some we'll known visitors in town, but there Is
moth ing "doing in society. People are waiting
taking their houses grounds and selves out OF curl
papers as it were. With the first note OF the Dahd
in the Casino will como tho opening of the gayety
An i'm portant addition to the driving resources Oh
the island has been made this season IN tho opening
of a new road which crosses the marsh land behind
the third beach, stoops reverently below the mighty
rock where Berkeley loved to Sit and leads through
new and beautiful bit of country, quite inaccessi-
bic until now. 1t is less grand than the ocean
Drive, but it is far prettler, and In thls sou
June weather more i'll harmony with the key-note
of peace and beauty which sounds in the songs OF
the birds and the humming of the bees oh
one side of the winding road spreads
rough rocky country, sometimes frowning In over
hanging rocks and sometimes rolling back to dim
groves and valleys. To the right the land is
smoother and the grass is of more vivid yellow
green The ocean is not seen, but Is felt IN the
strong salt smell and imagined in the PUSHES and
marsh-mallows the royal flags, and the young cats
tails which fringe the roadway like rococo setting
It is over this pleasant road that Mr.. Edwin Booth
must pass when he is inclined 10
visit the town of Newport. His house. Just COM
pleted is OH IDdian-ave., distant from Newport
about four miles. 1t is q pretty place, Win
charming view of the water, and the pleasant
shore of the mainland of Rhode Island IN the dis
tanco The house stands back little from the sea,
we'll placed and sheltered from the wluds-a pic
turesuue cottage with wide-roofed piazza running
about it. A half door. with the upper paneis
in stained glass stands Hospitality open. Inc
interior is well arranged. On the right OF inc en-
trance room paneled and ceiled with pretty
hight wood is reserved for smokers On the other
side of the hall is a well-proportoned drawing
room. from which leads cheerful dinlng-room
with wide COSBY windOw-seats Leading to the
second story is a wide staircase of dark wood. and
|
picturesoue of balconies From such an one Juliet
must have looked upon the dark garden OF the Cap
ulets The grounds are prettily laid out and half
dozen large beeches which have lately been trans
planted. were pointed out as remarkably fine trees
In little bay close at hand rocked graceful little
| yacht.
On Thursday last, the longest day in the year
| party Of friends made expedition to Portsmouth
| Grove where the afternoon was spent. At 3ococf
| the company assembled at the foot of Long Wharf,
| and were thence transported TO the yacht, which
quickly bore them and their baskets and packages
| toward the spot chosen for the picnic. Portsmouth
Grove IS a melancholy spot in these days, with us
| tangle of sweetbriar and honeysuckle' us 10"
hanging trees and Sagrant, timid cattle. twenty.
five wears agoit was a famous picnic ground, will
fine hotel aud flying horses. swings and merry 60
| rounds. The steamers used TO bring boat-loads
of people here and it was thriving, busy spot
| Then came the war; and the pleasure-grouud wa
| taken nv the Government for hospital The grea
hotel was turned into offices, and long low DarTack
! stood under the heavy trees. Sentnels guarded tn
| entrances TO the grove which had been raised u
| nls asure and the genius of the place turned IRON
| CAV TO grave. There was busy, earnest ne her
| then and the only quiet spot IN Ports mouth GIOy
Was The little graveyard with its row OF soldiers
graves not far distant. Then came peace. and sool
| the hospital was abandoned. The buildings Ter
sold aid moved away or gTIa d GIopOod die
| here now sleep with the army a
Arlington, and there is nothing but IRA
| di.ion to tell the story OF what has Deen doh'
| and felt at Portsmouth Grove.
Our party established themselves on the slde o
. pretty knoll near the water, and those among u
| who remembered the old time spoke about IT WIN
| we discussed the merits OF the luncheon baskets
The stories Of the past were interesting, Dutt Is 10
in the American nature to look long into the pas
| and we asked one another: Why Is there n
future for this perfect spot SO beautifully sltu
ated. SO amirably calculated for summe
resort Why, indeed has 1t not been before I'M
bought and drained, clipped and smoothed INTO
conventional enough aspect to suit those who oOJec
to nature unadornedf Situated only seven nie
from the centre of Newport, on the waters OF To
bav on the route of all the steamers which ply he
tween Newport and Bristol and Providence, II ~ ID
mace of all Others TO be exploited. good turnplk
skirtirg the shore, "a hotel, or even tavern wheI
| orc might lunch or dine, would make Portsm0ut
| Grove one of the most delightful ana SUCCESSFUL q
| places on the Bay of NarTagansett,
That is what We said TO each other over our Gro
oueftes and sandwiches, and 1t was to the health q
| the coming man, who should carry out the plan W
had sketched for him, that We drank Mr. Fearing
| r l. linz