Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-03
An Idyl from Nantucket.


Mercury Weekly Supplement this
charming letter | found this summer
in the collections of my friend, Fred
erick Sanford, native of Nantucket,
a lonely island away out in the ocean,
off the coast of Massachusetts,, and
haunted by the ghosts of ancient
whalers who made the place famous
in their time, and wealthy by scour-
ing the seas in search of this most
noble game. They lost their grip on
it good many years ago, when the
game was getting scarce; set their
sails for San Francisco in 40, when
the news came to the island that gold
had turned up there and fortunes
were to be made in a year; and since
then Nantucket has chad to take a
back seat" with about one-third of
the population which swarmed on
her in the earlier years of the centu-
ry. But the place has been ''discov-
cred" again, and is coming to the
front as a refuge from the fervid
fires that smite the mainland in July
and August; in all ways is pleas
ant place, with wild fresh downs run
ming the whole length of the island,
bit of white heather here and there
and sweet fern, briar roses and black
berries, little lakes of sweet water
fed by springs; and then all about
the zone of the sea, where you catch
blue fish, sculp, plaice, and sharks,
good for tilth to the land. The letter
| send tells what little maid of ours
always demanded-s'a truly story" =
when 1 set her on my knee in the fal
away times Cher little maid will be
demanding one presently; y and then,
beside this, it holds picture of 6
rare and sweet grace of the life Oh
this little island-seventee miles by
five on the average-in the year wher
Prince Charlie made his famous rai(
on England, and came leaping south
ward as far as Derby in quest of th'
crown he must never clutch, "GoC
having reserved some better thin:
for u.s. than the rule of his forlorl
and forsworn race.
"STARBUCK PLANTATION, NANTUCKET
September 20th, 1745.
Me- OaUn Dear Mother:
1t seems long time since you an
my honored father and my ever dea
brothers and sisters started for you
new home; put l suppose you hav
not yet reached your destination, an
think of you every day and all da
long as marching, and marching fo
lowing the lonely trail through th
forests, and sometimes l am temp
i ed to repine in that my father though
it best to remove to that far-awa
If settlement. But my grandfath,
4 tells me that the entertaining of tn
sentiment would be unworthy IL
r daughter Of pioneer, and since
> was thought best for me to rema
~ on the island for season, / mu
lie improve my time to the best adva
ly tage; and this l try to do with chez
fulness, and Aunt Content is so XIII
W ~ as to say that 1 am of service to h
N in our household duties and in spi
ming and weaving.
rp Peradventure, my letter shall be
ty puzzle to you, so | hasten to say th
nd | indite paragraph or two upon Il
sure, and whenever anything com
.,S into my mind l desire you to know
b. straightway go to my uncle's de
and set it down. l do this, de
ar- mother, that you may share in l
TO pleasant thoughts, and may knt
''' of my life; also that my broth,
and sisters may in a measure p;
ot take of my enjoyment.
an The principal news 1 have to t
is that my cousin, Nathaniel st
res buck, Jr., has returned to Bost
ow from his late long voyage to Chi
nd and is now hourly looked for he
'he where there are divers preparatie
being made for his welcoming. ]
,od grandfather walks restlessly up a
wv down with his stout stick, peer
ing anxlonsly up and down the roadv
hat by which the traveller must cor
Uucle Nathaniel says. with prl
M .at 'The boy will have many stories
,ns tell Aunt Content fits about W
the a smile on her face, and anon W
tears in her eyes, concoctlng
are dishes of which her son seemed to
hat so fond; while dear old grandmot
" knits and knits, because she sa
=, sThapiel never yet wore any sto
ings but of my make, and l m
the have a supply for him to take on
18th next voyage; while l am to have
'ith new blue gown made from my aur
an last web, which is the finest and 81
est piece of flannel ever made on
,., island.
f My cousin has come. He is
la and 1.-THE, with handsome hair
an eyes, and his complexion is bron
ked by the open winds and eastern su
He says it seems to him like f;
tale that / am the same little dul
: = ling Of cousin he used to toss
son the air when he was last home.
go, is much grieved to find you are
lied gone, and is planning hunting
pedition, whose objective point 81
eht be your far away settlement.
i've The neighbors all congrega
? r around our kitchen fire to hear