The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-02
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Sc 4NES NOHNWALLt SuhS 10 AZ 'AAS
tender realm OF nursery-rhyme lore
there is no pleasanter mysticism than
that which clings to the pretty riddle:
"As was going TO 81. Ives
met man with seven wives.
EHch vito had seven sncks;
Each ShCk had seven cats;
Zach cat had seven kitS
Kit. cats, SnckS, aud wives
How mauy were there going 10 st. lveS2
So deep and lasting are the impress
sions Of childhood, that US tramped
around the southern reach of st. Ives
bay from the pretty hamlet OF St.
Earth, found myself uuconsciously
scanning the highway far ahead for
this same wicked old fellow who has
puzzled the heads OF millions of little
iolk. But he was not to DO seen any
more than the Exits, cats, sacks and
wives" arc to be taken in to account in
the olden riddle.
In truth, no man, woman or child was
visible upon the white and circling
highway. St. Earth nestled there silent
and apparently deserted against the
copse and the hillside. Tho tide was
out in the bay. A few iishermen's
boats rocked idly beside messy old
piers. Long reaches OF sand showed
here and there shining and brown, like
the backs OF huge marine monsters.
Gulls wheeled lazily above. Land and
sea fowl chartered in the circling marsh
edges, or dug in the sand and ooze.
Only to the north, through the rift be-
tween the headlands, was there single
sign OF life. On the sapphire blue OF
tho Irish sea there were two far, white
sails.
But knew the ancient citylay behind
the huge headland, and quickenihR my
pace soon stood OF its sea-face and Its
highest ACTIVITY. Here the highway
tumblesinto one OF the oldest old towns
in all Europe. No wonder that London
ers are coming this, to them, tremend.
Gus Journey OF $50 miles for summer
lettering, and the grand pronontories
behind the town are filling up with
brilliant terraces; or that artists swarm
to the remote place for its bits OF an-
tiuue in architecture, its quaint group
ings OF fisher folk. and lite outreachings
of wild and glorious Cornish coast.
There are pictures and pictures OF
the Bay OF Naples. But were an ar
fist, would stake my hope OF renown
on the picture l saw as l stood above
the bay and ancient town OF ST. Ives
The bay itself faces the north. At your
feet are purple heather and wavering
ferns parted from the crystalline water
by glistening sands. To the right and
east the green hillocks OF the Eastern
Shore. Then the broad yellow beach OF
FORTHCOMING, or the Foresand. Doml-
mating this is the great headland OF Ped:
nolva. Beyond, cleaning like q field OF
gold, ale ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS OF PortE-
minister; and further still, the headland
and rocky islet OF Godrevy, with the
latter's white lighthouse setting cameo
like between the purple of tho sea-walls
and the tremulous blue Of the ocean.
THE QUAINT TOWN.
Before you, the silent shimmering
bay, with few white-winged craft
scarcely moving, it seems, the distance
is so great from the height where you
stand; the ocean boyend, shining and
blue and still; rythmic reaches OF In
coming tide-waves, miles in length, adj
vancing and retreating and breaking
softly upon the shelving sands in tiny
ridges OF sparkling spume; and here, to
the west, q great mass OF iumbled gray
old st. Ives crouching in little
pocket OF the rocks, like mass OF
messy stons in some shadowy glen,
sleeping away the centuries, unCon-
scious OF the thunderous SEQ.
Up hero among the terraced villas
YOU can form little idea OF tho quaint
old town. The great road jumps into it
at lean, and is broken by the fall into
the oldest closes and wynds OF any
coastwise nook in England. One could
almost hurl stone across its crowded
tiled roofs; and yet it houses FULLY 5000
people. The streets arc so narrow, the
pnycmcnts so neasre, such queer turns
are made, such shGdowy arcadcs arc
penetrated, that the surost-footed stran-
ger pedestrian will meet many bump
and bang in most careful descent
Then when you have reached some
thing like level, you have simply in
creased your difficulties. All tho lower
thoroughfarcs are scarcely more than
shadowy foot-paths, leading bowildcr-
inCly from somewhere to nowhere. This
one, opening promisingly, brings you
suuarely against solid wall OF rock.
That one in hslf dozen PAGES lands
YOU upon Tat roof, from which you
may easily step into the harbor IN hun
bred feet beneath. Another winds
about a single structure windowless rs
n tenth century fortress. Descending
another, you find a nest of homes
whose roofs are the passageway OF
street above. Dozens lead squNrely in
TO open doors Of flshermens' homes.
Many are like galleries before others.
Some wind through houses where ltv-
ing rooms Of tho same house will be
found at either side OF public pas
cage. ,,
And then in what odd hooks tho littlo
shops will be found. There is not, u
single street ono hundred yards in
length whore n half dozen shops are con-
tlnuously located. Ever, in these you
must needs often ascend or descend
story or more. Tho most are literally
hidden or perched in outlandish and
out-of.the.way spots, where, II not
Etumbled upon, one must repeatedly
come with guide or find rediscovery
homeless. Hore will DO one porched in
hnlf.timbcred Elizabethan projection,
away up therethree or four stories from
the street, and you cannot find an en-
trance. And there one will DO seen as
many stories beneath tiny esplanaded
way, but apparently you cannot reach
Il without rope and tackle. Others are
where kitchens should be. And still
others unexpectedly confront you from
dormcr windows; Everything Of this