Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-01
CORRESFONDENCE.

1
in Chicago.
CORREsFONDENCE.
| wianno, Formerly OysterviIle-O-
How to Get to Wfanno-Defective
Guide Books-Railroads, etc., etc.
WIANNo, June 30.
To the Editor Of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
| It's dollars to doughnuts that not one
| New Havener in ten has ever heard Of
| Wianro, and even the better informed and
wider travelled Litohfielder may elevate a
| questioning eyebrow at the heading of this
letter. There are reasons for this dense
and dismal ignorance. Wianno has not
always been Wianno. When modern his
tory first perceives it it is Oysterville, be-
cause its original inhabitants were engaged
in gathering and dispensing the famous
oysters known to commerce as Cotuits, and
were proud of the business. AS years
went by Boston epicures began coming so
as to have their oysters fresh out of the
water. Once down, some stayed and built
cottages wherein they might repose during
the "r"-less months and regain keen
|
roaming amid groves of stunted
pines. Then others came who
cared more for the sea and the groves than
for the oysters. The number of these in
creased till the oyster eaters were in a mi
nority. Then the new comers started the
idAa that nystaruillA not -;-- -~---
| for a summer resort; certainly not one to
| oh
growth was problematical. The oyster
crowd at frat stoutly resisted any change
in the name of their retreat. Finally, how
ever, they were cajoled, petted and chin
chuckled into consenting to Osterville; be-
yond that they would not bulge. With
| this, the innovators were hardly
content. They tried to imagine
outsiders would accept the appela-
ton :'oster" as the Cape Cod, or some
other lingo for eastern, or easter, or any
thing but oyster. But outsiders were too
we'll posted and knew that oster was only
dodge squirm, miserable yelling of
the truth. Knowing this, the outsiders
staid away and the battle waxed warmer.
Finally the original oyster gatherers and
their Boston followers, having imbibed
the peaceful disposition of their pet, and
tiring of fighting, packed up their duds
and moved to Cotuit itself, where they
continue to live in bivallar bliss. Now
the others had it all their own way and
committee was appointed to search
out name of alluring sound,
or of interesting lineage. The committee
soon discovered or invented tradition
which met the requirements. 1t seems
that years and years and years ago there
was chief who endeared himself to his
fellow-men and women by discovering cats
and thus freeing the cape from rats, the
pest of the community. His pet cat had
the onomatopoetic name "Wia," pro-
j. only a cat can pronounce it, and
an interrupted amatory cat at that.
The chief came to be known as the
Chief Wianno or the possessor of the cat
VIA. ''No'' being Capic for owner and
the extra "n" being added for euphony.
Thus the staid, unpretending and re-
, spectacle Oysterville has by the require
ments of fashion been transmogrified into
, the uncomfortable and pretentious Wian-
no. And still there is no peace.
1t is linguistic fact that words termi-
mating in 80" are not attractive. Names
| of places should terminate in consonants
If you will have a vowel, the vowel must
8 be "a." If Saratoga terminated in so
j., nobody would visit it. Think OF
| Newpo, for Newport; Bar Harbo, for Bal
Harbor, or Litchfelo, for Litchfieldl The
/
terminal Co." This is the reason, and the
only reason why Ohio, with its many
: "os'' is politically such pestiferous state
One would think that any state would b,
: satisfied with producing Tafts and Sher
z mans without setting to work again, like
an angry hen, and Matching Mckinley
T and Forakers. Let Colorado and Idaho
( beware, and let men and women TAX
@ warning if the ominous so" be their ter
4 minal.
Wianno has one signal attraction. 1t i
IS most soothing place to hear of such
disaster, for instance, as occurred at New
London the other day. News that has t.
u travel by stage over miles of sand ant
n through miles of woods has its asperitie
N softened. 1t does not reach you all a
d once, but in pieces. First there is dis
tant rumor, then hearsay; so that tn
news is impaired in sections, giving tim
d to prepare for the final shock. The effec
v is like that of a far away conhagration
! You know that folks and things are burn
= ing up, but you have time to say that the
are the folks and things of some other fel
b low, not yours. You thus get yourself int
Ie philosophical state of don't care. Woul
% it not be a good idea to retain quarter
for Yale men for the last week of June
1922
In order to reach Wianno the travele
- will first 90 to Boston. 1t is not absolutel
lt necessary to go to Boston. He may 60 b.
y Providence, or by Fall River Or he ma
q stop over in Newport and see the palace
. being erected by members of the Goele
70 and Vanderbilt families. To call sue
:. edifces cottages will not blind the eyes o
% the American public to their character no
r. to the object for which they are put up. MI
and Mrs. Goelet and Mr.. and Mrs. Wander
% bilt would be more comfortable in house
ls of less vastness. But comfortable house
If keeping is not the object. The object is b
n impress and overawe by display of tire
, mendous wealth, 80 that both beholder an,
guest will bow down and socially wor
d ship. The trouble is that the owners ar
not satisfied with. social worship, the
demand economic and political sovereign
y ty. Such ediices can only be conducts
% in the way, by the method and with tn
"a ceremony of royalty. Messrs. Goelet an
Vanderbilt propose that their hundred
20 of guests shall approach them as Quee
If Victoria's guests approach her. Sue
N houses cannot be regulate
Ne simply except as hotels, o
~ hospital. These millionaires, howeve,
J. do not propose keeping hotels, or supper,
OF ing charitable institutions. Their house
I'd will, therefore, require vast elaboration 9
T. Goelets and the Vanderbilts openl
ns propose making themselves centers c
an regal pewer and sovereign display abou
es whom inferior creatures must revolve
graded circles and with well ordere
81 obeisance. How long will republican il
'ts stitutions survive the presence and Il
he sway of such establishments!
But this is not a political paper, b,
only stray letter to assist the traveller
of Wianno and to help him appreciate an
,ss ENJOY Nv wnsn e., ne .s ge.s .aeIe. Ooula =
~ attempt TO locate on the cape deposits Of