Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-05


Of red or yellow or pure white
sail. The cottages and villas are gaycr,
and groups Of oarsmen and ladies are
sitting on benches or lettering about the
gardens. Boats are tugged by friendly
pairs Of young men and girls at even
brisker pace than in the morning. The
young men do the work Of pulling,'th
assistance Of the young ladies being
merely ornamental, and strictly con-
fined to holding in sympathetic fashion
one end Of the pole TO which the haul
ing-rope is attached. Sometimes boat
is pulled up under the shadow OF the
trees, and couple Of friends are
resting, or pic-nicking, or busy with
tho prosaic occupation Of clearing up
the remains Of the feast. No servants
are TO be seen except helpers on the
launches or households. People have
come out for fresh air and freedom from
everyday trammels and wait on each
other. Now and then we come on scenes
that remind us that this or that painter
has faithfully reproduced similar ones.
The overshadowing banks of trees,
the ashy green willows, the cattle
cooling themselves in the water,
or the villages with their mar
yellous air Of quiet contentment, aud
the far-reaching meadows stretching to
the horizon and dying away into gray
ness. II was, on the whole, an assem-
blage Of the better class of LOndoaers,
in the midst Of which we found our
selves. and the rush and tussle to get
into the locks was an orderly and fair
one. Every one was merry and gay in
the temperate English fashion, and one
boat helped another if occasion re-
quired. The eagerness shown in this
respect in the earlier part of the day
eliminated almost in excitement on the
return, and especially just before we
reached Maidenhead.
A HOUsE-B0AT.
As we came up the crush was greater
than ever. and it was evidently usual
occurrence. as a crowd had collected on
the bridge and banks, some of them
standing perilously near the water.
The boats had pushed up on both sides
of the river close to the gate, and had
left only narrow passage for those
who were in the lock to pass out
by. when the keeper called out,
Z" The first is house-boat." In spite
Of their yexation, those foremost could
not refrain from joining in the laughter
this announcement caused. There was
as eager a movement backwards as
there had been forwards few minutes
before. for house, boat is drawn by
horse and rope from the bank, and is
not easily or quickly stopped when
once it is under way, and, moreover,
is huge in size when compared with the
row-boatS. The smaller craft had no
sooner retreated to a safe distance than
the gates opened and the house-bOat |
slowly and ponderously came on
wards. 1t was in full fefe dress, and |
round the top were cases filled with
flowers, which gave the appearance Of
travelling garden. Two young ladies,
dressed in cream color, sat Immediately
in front and shaded themselves from
the declining rays Of the sun with their
Japanese-shaped paraSolS, and seemed |
like wOod-nymphS who had dropped |
down from the oyer-branching trees on
to the cumbrouS boat. Though there
had been regular scamper to get out !
Of the way. there was barely room
enough, and several of the little boats
had to put forth considerable cxcrtions
to avoid being unceremoniously |
crunched. As soon as this excitement |
bad ceased there was another race for !
the first place in the lock. The keeper
issued all sorts Of orders as to this
boat and that, and prophesed that this
one or that one would come TO grief,
but no one needed, or rather
the threatened ones. managed to
pass in safety out Of that DIFF
fculiy, and not infrequently fell into
another. After the lucky ones had !
squeezed in and had taken up their po-
sitions, and the unfortunate ones, with
their stern projecting too near the
gates, had beaten their retreat, every |
one settled down to wait the few min
utes till the water was lowered, with
comparative patience. There was
little Of the usual wrisgling and twist
ing, but not much, as we were so tight
ly packed that we were obliged to keep
pretty still.
A WEDGE.
The gates were opened, and at first
those behind could not make out why
those in front did not move. 1t turned
out that four boats had each deter
mined to get out first, and the rivalry
ended in their all getting wedged
so fast together that stirring was
impossible. They were in that posi-
ton and struggling to free themselves
long enough for the others to enjoy
succession Of peals Of laughter at their
discontinue. At last one leaped for
ward with bound, the others followed,
and soon the mass of boats disinte-
grated. Then some one called out, "A
boat.hook in the water, !" and the
young man to whom it belonged sud
denly found out it was his, and in try
ing TO take hold Of it lost another he
held in his hand and frightened every
one into believing he was going to fall
into the water. Then he recovered the
two hooks in an instant by catching his
feet on the boat-seat and throwing him
self forward so cleverly and nimbly as
town round Ofapplause for his agility.
After passing under Maidenhead bridge
we went two miles further. to the vii
lage Of Bray, where We dincd. We were
sitting out Of doors, drinking our coffee
and going through the triflng events of
our pleasant day, when some one re-
marked it was 9 o'clock and still day
light. In another half-hour we had to
leave, and just as we started the moon
rosa AVID At ,,- lac - &c fho