Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-07-05
of THE EVENING STAR

NANTUCKET, MASS. June -
The tropical heat had been gradually moving
towards Washington, and now had apparently
come to stay. That decided the family to delay
no longer their flight to the sea breeZes
of Nantucket that are only tempered by
the heat of the mainland. And after
hastily packing. the eventful morning
came when armed and equipped with shawl
straps. umbrellas, satchels, books, papers,
lunches, banjo tennis rackets, and a palm
leaf fan, the train from Washington to New
York was laden with the precious freight.
The passengers gaZed at each other in agony
as the heat OF the way stations was waited in,
and there was scarcely smile when. on ap-
preaching tunnel, small child remarked we
had better put down the windows as we were
going through q sewer" Making connection
with the Fall River boat by the Brooklyn annex
then securing the much-coyeted stateroOms that
had been telegraphed for, and watching the
passengers that arrived after the starting of the
boat take flying leap through the air and land
safely in the arms Of the crew and Others of the
sterner and stronger sex who kindly assisted,
was the occupation of the hour. After supper
there was concert. and the sweet strains OF
Bohemian Girl" Some Day." waltzes and
recollections OF mnstrelsy were waited through
the saloons. Home Sweet Home" did not
seem to touch the chord that it should have
Tired natures sweet restOrer" was rudey
banished by the sounding of gOngs and pound
Ing ON stateroOm doors, when Fall River was
sighted in the morning. Then the train to New
Bedford. and the disappointing announcement.
mo early boat to Nantucket" Breakfast at
the Parker house sOlaced in some measure and
1t was decided to take the ten o'clock boat for
Marthas Vineyard, that part of the waiting
hours might be spent in exploring Cottage City.
While In the rarlor waiting for the time OF the
boats leaving we were entertained by the appa-
rition, seemingly from the dim past, of
MISS SEARCHING. A BOOK AGENT.
Her costume was antique, but not more an
tique than uniGue-the bonnet. oh, that bonnet!
black straw. that had bravely, with the rest OF
her costume, withstoOd the summer suns and
wintry winds of ages The feathers had lost
their original vivacity but still chung to exist
ence. The tG,cers, as many hued as the rainbow,
had consented to drOOp. The strings were the
pride of age. On the right side, under the ear
there were loops, and under the chin was bow
from whence tapped streamers The whole cos
tune had the effect OF battered umbrella. or
succession of umbrella covers-the skirt with
several rufeS, then the OyerdreSs which was
apoiogized for not matching the rest OF the suit.
1t was adorned with fringe and folds. The black
silk sacque tit quick at the neck and proceeded
forth as the upper and lower skirts. The sleeves
were not in the latest agony of tightness, and
the ruiiieS and frills about the hands added to
the artistic effect The gloves of worsted had
black SILK folds. On her arm was q black bag
and II we wished to buy any she was willing to
sell them. Her face was ornamented with
splOtches, and was dried and pipkin-lke but
her eyes they were keen and sharp as buttons
The beard Struggling from her chin was hoary
Her umbrella she said she must not lose, as she
had had 1t for thirty years, but Immediately
afterwards she told how she was always getting
some ones else and they were getting hers
Alas, for the latter!
EVERYTHING BOSTONESE.
Her good clothes she LETT in Boston with her
iandlady, who was 4 very good. clever woman
as she had been brought up in Boston. but not
the hrst people Thea she told of her visits to
Newport, where she mad been invited to tea
ami had ner dollar books bought from her But
once the humor on her face was so bad they
dill not want her to come to the table and she
had her meals UPSTAIRS but no wonder for they
was Gentee Boston folks" She came into the
hotel rarlor to inquire for a physician from Bos-
ton who used electricity. and she had heard
would be there two days, when lie would re-
ceive visits without pay to examine cases Such
character Had Dickens only been there dur
ing the conversation all had been complete
she was from Boston, and had the right bring
ing up; didn't we know it?
As the doctor had not arrived and would not
be there for day or so, she would talk with us
and tell how the rich Mrs. Tudor got husband
She said the people at her clearinghouse had
not been brought up in Boston, and did not
KNOW about things. That was the way thew had
made the mistake that morning at breakfast of
telling her the doctor would be there that day
Where had we come from? Where were we go
ing? What we paid at the hotel was demanded
lnstantaneoGsly, because she had travelled in
four states and been brought up right i'm BoS-
ton and she was used to aristocratic people
When she learned that Nantucket was our des-
t1nation, she told how she had been there thirty
years before. She came on an excursion for one
dollar or one dollar and ten cents she did not
exactly remember, and such place the sand
foot deep every where, and she was most
starved on the way.
THE SHARP BOY OF NANTUCKET
When she reached the island, small boy
asked if she would not ride up to his aunt's with
him. as the said aunt had promised him ten
cents for every passenger he brought to her
house. She was ready to do so. and was greeted
at the door by the aunt, who gave her the
largest spare room in the house, and only made
her pay one dollar day, because she had on
her nice travelling suit then; hut that boy kept
bringing up loads and eight girls had to sleep
in row on the parlor floor. Then q bride and
groom came. There was tap at her door,
which she did not notice then another and she
demanded to know what was wanted The
aunt merely desired to know if she would not
vacate her room for the bride and groom, be-
L,
she; possession is nine pnts Of the law" and
sat like queen" The next day she returned
to the mainland. Boarding house keepers had
been very kind to her. and she boarded for two
dollars a week. where others paid nine But
they must not know it. She was from Boston.
and had been brought up right Where the re-
duced rates were given. she supplied the chill
dren with reading. Poor children! The last
physician she had tried had saved her life She
said he supplied her with medicines free: for,
said he Miss Searching. your name and testi-
'nonial are worth five hundred dollars a wear to
Inc, being from Boston" Well, said she, with
her Boston wit, iii that be So YOU can nav nv
room rent'-ten dollars month: but he said
they never gave money. but medicines. Her dis
ease was humOr, which she said had come from
sleeping in SO many strange beds, as she had
been in four states (the listeners gently edged
away at this disclOsure.) She had been in so
many ministers families. was the next remark.
and | asked if that was where she had taken it.
She nodded assent. What church did we at
tend:" Presbyterian. That was the right church.
She was an Orthodox, but had been in all
churches. The greatest disgust was for the
Methodist church. mo one but low kind of
folks went to that" she thought. At least they
didn't in Boston. There were six other board
ers where she boarded. counting the wOman's
husband, and she called him a bOarder because
his wife was the older, and he had what the
others had not--'dainty bits of cheese and
strawberries" Now in Boston they had straw
berries for tea every evening. but not here.
Oh. if she only had the February number of
some magazine. She might send it to Wash
ingtOn, If we would let her. next fall but any,
how she would tell