Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-09-12
MODERN NANTUCKET.
An Viz whaling Port Now Turned Into
summer Resort

corrAeEs AND HOTELS TAKING THE PLACE OF
rIsHERs' HUrs-THE ANCIENT MILL AND TIKI
GRIsr 1T OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES WHO
Z MAKE THEIR SUMNER HOMES THERE-rHI
CAPITAL BIcYcLIsTs, ETC.
Correspondence Of THE EvEsrxe stan:
NANTUCKET, MASS, Sept 4.
from Marthas Vineyard Ii is thirty-thret
miles across bit of genuine Atlantic to the
ioveiy Island Of Nantucket When Ii is still
water the trip 10 enjoyable. When the wind
ians 1t many sensitive nerves are touched and
much sacrifice Is made. Long before the town
u reached 1t is in sight. Something OF a crescent
shape, II Is in the center of the coneave side
First of all homes to become visible is the spa
cfous one of the late Chas. O'Conor, now occupied
by his niece and her artist husband, who came
In and hung up his hat at the death Of the great
lawyer. Other homes stand upon the cliff over
looking the ocean. little way back, part
obscured. is "The Washington Cottage" built
oy MI. Henry A; Willard, and occupied this
with their guests. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph Kauff
mann, and the Misses Granger, of Passaic, NJ .
all OF whom are delighted with it and regret to
those little islands, surrounded by a pretty
lake In New Hampshire SO retired that 1t Is al
most 1n undiscovered The Windmill and the
LOOKOUT spire and the many cupoia buildings
show themselves as the winding channel is fol-
lowed, and st the point of the Nantucket hotel
II seems as If every moment the boat must run
upon the land, so near is it. At the wharf each
boat is greeted by the privileged character,
,is Clark. the town crier' relic OF print,
the mainland and all local occurrences, besides
announcing the opening OF box Of attractive
goods at any OF the merchants.
WHALES AND SUMMER VISITORS.
The time was when, in point Of wealth, Nam
tucket stood third in the state of Massachu-
sets. In those days many whaler LETT that
port, and its wharves were burdened with hum
dreds and thousands of barrels of sperm oil, the
since opened It's secrets in oil. The whaling
business became a thing Of the past. Nam
tuekefs wealth failed. Her glory departed:
affiuence was left to cheer the faithful who re-
manned, from which could come only consola-
the old shippers lived out their remaining
years respondent over the prospect, happy only
Some the o
children are taught to sing Of them. They keep
IN good temper now, and the future looks
The place becomes . summer resort Hotels
are being built, old homes painted, lots ad-
vance In price, building going on; Cheerful
brings to 1t not hundreds. but thousands of Wis
itors, to enjoy the benefits of pure ocean air
the popularity of the island grows with each
year. It Is now called
wOMAN'S PARADISE,
there being four hundred per cent more there
than men. Can il be paradise to those Ewes
they seem to enjoy IL, and delight in boasting of
place where If the ballot were permitted they
could say: "Ah, we've got em at last" At the
is a woman, the Rev. Mrs. Baker, an annual
appointment not a summer charge. And un-
less guilty of some offensive partisanship" in
the church she is likely to remain. Some of the
venerable sisters OF abolition still live. Twas
here under their influence that our Frederick
Douglass made his first speech forty years ago,
and under their patronage was given recep-
ton two weeks ago, q company in which his
color was conspicuous by its absence. He de-
The Methodist church, with large seat
Ing capacity, was refused the committee,
not on the color line. but on account Of a
division of profits, so 1t Is said. Mr. Douglass
stopped at the Sherburne house. made notable
by being the place in which the Hon. s. q
letter on the District Commissionership so
lately given to the world. Two gentlemen in
formed the proprietor that they could not be
: seated at the same table with the representa-
tive colored man. The proprietor asked them
To settle their bills for which act several of the
prominent sisters called to thank and con-
graduate him on his "magnanimous indie
pendence."
THE PRIMIrIvENEss OF scoNsEr
Is broken. The ocean cliffs that have known
naught of habitations for nearly two hundred
years but tiny fishers huts is now spreading out
with hotels and modern cottages and summer
homes. Here in an antique little box, named
"Bonnie Castle" has the family of Mr.. VIM.
Ballantyne spent the last four summers. And
In dear little home called Hearts Ease
over the door of which on an oar is bunch of
that flower painted a coat of arms-for a
number Of seasons has resided Mr.. j. Ormond
Wilson and family. He can here forget his
cares and recuperate from the years of toll de-
voted to the school Interests of Washington.
He has recovered from his illness, yet the
wound from ingratitude still remains deep set.
He, like the rest of humanity here, is as tree as
the air that blows, and in flannel shirt, canvas
shoes, pants and great straw hat, enjoys every
moment of the spot without any conventional
ity. So devoted to 1t is Mr.. Ballantyne that far
up on the cliff, looking direct across
the water to the town of Orporto Portugal, is
he erecting a spacious cottage, where next sum
mer his family may not enjoy any more COM
fort than they do now, but they surely will
have more room in which to breathe and have
their being. A narrow gauge railroad skirts
the shore from Nantucket To Sconset The run
made in better time but for stops, the engineer
often having TO go back To see If the seepers or
the track are disturbed by the passage of the
train over IT. They make it a point 10 examine
the track behind the train and not in front.
The old mill built in 1886 still stands and
aho owns it, as is days i t Rss S@ig
knows, of course. A nickel is the "open
sesame" and one L. allowed TO see works
twenty-five hundred visitors this season shows
the delight of the old foreigner at his bonanza
H; e Somg 1s IL i1s a song some years ago. when
grinding was low"
WHAT THE BICYCLIsr MISSED
All these things the Capital Bicycle club have
seen. They made the trip from the Bluffs, and
like all distinguished Washingtonians stopped
at the Sherburne, near to which is the wesco
cottage, the elegant old summer home of our
esteemed citizen, Mr. II. A. w lizard, where he and
his good wife so handsomely entertained them.
A reception was arranged for Wednesday even
Ing to the boys. The music was engaged, From
every point of the island the lOveliest girls were
invited. The larder was well stocked The
lanterns adorned the grounds. The flags were
raised upon the pagoda, and everything in
readiness But 10! the guests from across the
water came not. The storm had raised the
waves and not knowing of such an ovation, the
arrival was postponed until the following day.
SO "Hamlet was played without Hamlet and
almost broken-hearted were the boys when
they were met at the boat next morning with
Alas. too late. Especially when they learned
that every young girl present to greet them
was eligible and marrageable. DR.. w. w.
Sprigg, of the Garfield hospital, Washington
being the only gentlemen present, vas put up
at auction and sold at o fabulous figure. How
ever, everything was done for their pleasure
and they left for their highland home, on Oak
Bluffs feeling grateful TO their kindest of hosts
and hostesses. Mr.. and Mrs. f. b. Hay have
been the guests of Mr.. and Mrs. Willard. Sum-
uaer birds now ft homeward. FLORA.
Sketch Of Hettie Green.
"HER BOY SHALL BE THE RICHEST YOUNG NAN
IN AMERICA"
From Washington Letter 70 Cleveland Leader.
Hettie Green is the sharpest woman on Wall
IT,