Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-07-24

tage. These boats are used by their owners
llf their owners have the money left to en-
! JOY them; if not, they're let to someone
who has) for weeks at time idling about
| the rivers. But during "Henley week"
they're moored along the two-mile stretch,
and are kept well filled each day with
| guests to see the boat races-that is,
| they come ostensibly to see the races
There's a velvety meadow on the house.
boat side, where one can walk with as
little danger of soiling ones skirts as
on an Administer; great shady trees
| grow along the waters edge, and under
these there were lunches spread and parties
gathered round, while by way of entertain
ment the wandering ''nigger minstrels,"
with suspicious cockney accent, twanged
their light guitars and sang-sang chiefly,
''Ta-ra-ra boom-de-aye;" at any rate 1 heard
''Ta-ra-ra" seven times in a mile walk.
As l turned into the lane leading to the
| houseboat 1 was bound for, saw group
OF whispering, awe-stricken gypsy girls,
one of whom had Just told my fortune, and
l met sad, little cortege, something with
| its face covered. very silent and motionless,
| lying on truck, a policeman on either
side, one trundling it along No crowd of
| followers pressing close with ghoulish curl
osity. ''Poor fellow, he tipped overheard,
the gypsies whispered, as it passed. Just
Henley incident The jollity went on just
ard rippled and dimpled as Innocently as
though it hadn't stolen human life.
Comic Opera on a Large Scale.
The gypsies wandered through the
meadows, the beggars put out their hands
| nice, picturesque beggars that didn't jar on
the scene-lunching and drinking went on
oil, 10
under the trees, and in the small boats; the
bands played (some of them really played
'Annie Laurie }, the miustrels sang (and
passed the hat), merry parties went up and
down the river. reclining on cushions or
perspiring over the oars. On the lawn, the
two-mile bank opposite the houseboats,
there were hundreds walking about or sit
ting about, some with their feet hanging
over almost reaching the water The boat
men stood bare-legged, knee-deep or ankle
deep in the water. The toilets were daz-
zling enough to have been the result of a
stage costumer's dream-girls- in light,
shirts and Henley coats, sunshades like
gigantic blossoms; the men in striped fam
nels and the most wonderful flannel coats,
blue and green and red and brown and yel-
low 1t reminded me of comic opera on a
large scale Even the boatmen contributed
their mite to the stage setting with scarlet
coats, white woolen shirts. and the like.
Flags hundreds of flags, futtered in the
breeze, and among them all the Stars and
Stripes waved over only one boat. 1t was
the Queen Of the Thames, and was chartered
for the occasion by an American from the
Presidents State, Mr.. Louis q. Schonfeld,
who is here buying thoroughbreds, and will
take back with him in August between Is
nd for
yearlings He had party of about 80 on
his boat, and entertained them handsomely
or, as they say here, sin genuine Amer
lcan style"
What the Boat Races Amount To.
About the races? Oh, yes, to be sure
there were races Every now and then
they'd clear the course, a couple of shells
would flash out under q manly bending to
around with the result chalked up on a |
blackboard. They were very exciting races
1 suppose-but chiefly to the contestants,or |
the contestants champions
As for the rest of the pleasure-seekers, |
they were quite satisfied with the delicious |
languor of floating along in the sunshine and |
flirting mildly. Given up to this enjoy
ment of the dolce far niente, ] saw in
boat party General George B. Williams, of
w ashlngton, and our Own Colonel Tom
Ochiltree. Whether Colonel Tom was firt-
ing or not wouldn't venture to say
A Henley day may last till twilight
comes or till twilight goes, but whether it
is long or short it is one of the most de-
ightful outings imaginable.
Bits of Some Personal Goesip.
Apropos of the Stanley electioneering, or
'ather of Mrs. Stanley's electioneering for
Ter husband: She made a speech at one of
he meetings, telling the crowd they'd ever
astingiy cover themselves with shame and
notification if they didn't vote for the
greatest man in England, and she wa1ed so
enthusiastic and SO pretty that she won one
7ote at least. An admiring fellow took his
pipe out of his mouth and exclaimed:
"Well, don't care continental about
Stanley, but I'll vote for Stanley's missus!"
Mrs. Ada Crisp Marsh, a cousin of
Speaker Crisp, who o travelled for several
7ears with Clara Morris company and has
low turned her clever head to writing, is
pending the summer in London, and here's
. letter from Stuart Robson, which will ex-
plain itself:
And, 10, a child was born whose name was
David, and from the East came wise men
10 marvel-and its shapely limb bs and comely |
Ways gave token of great deeds, and were
Nightly in the Lord of Hosts. Il
DAVID THORNTON ROBSON,
on of Stuart and of Mary Robson, who will
,e delighted TO receive Mrs. Marsh any day |
lext week. By order of
STUART ROBSON, part owner