River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-08-15

cepIlOns 10 Inc prOpef sea side cdper
Accordingly each dayht midday find
me appareled in the lmOst approved
Undine style, struggling with Tn,
waves. plunge andisplash and duel
and sputter and do lhy best to be /;
mermaid. in everything but combing
my locks, which seemf not TO be tn,
fashion, as nearly klll the ladie
complete the hldeoTsncss of theil
appearance by wearing an atrociouslJ
ugly rubber cap. SoIhetines a banc
comes down to the lAthlng beach K
add music to the spof and you should
see the antics OF th4 mermaids and
the mermen and tief merbabies. an6
the merdogs, for feI maids stout
and mermaids leani and mermaidS
young and tender, aItl mermen bald
and mermen gray ahd mermen tai
and slender, dive and swim and play
as merfolk shluld 4 together. Its
nothing after you get used TO it, and
there is no denylhg the beneficial
effect of the baths. They have given
me a good brown celor, a rayenouS
appetite and consequent gain in
weight, in the light Sf which results
all mere prudish objections were folly
About two hours iS1e seward from
Martha's Vineyard Ii Is Nantucket, an
island rich in histo tical aSsociations
The sea was rough he day | journey
ed thither and | ha ga narrow escape
from sea sickness. ut one point we
were out of sight Of Hand and in the
full swell of the Dcedn. 1t is glorious
to bound along before the breeze il
only ones stomach will behave itself
The heavirg of theI pillows far out
from land is so 4ysterlous. The
ceaseless rise and fhll of the water
suggests the angry writings of some
huge sea monster bkneath
The town is quaint old place
bearing many relics of its maritime
activities. Itresems piles st. Augustine
in its narrow streets and houses OF
ancient architecturt, constructed for
the uses of fisher folk. The roofs OF
the old houses stilt retain the plat
forms from which THE ship owners
used to watch for the return of theiI
whaling vessels. rhe two Special
points of antiquityIare an old house
build in 1856 and IN old wind mill
built in l7I6, and still in use for the
grinding of corn. The same old stairs
and the wooden wlGels and revolving
top, and the same tong cumbersome
arms do duty nows for the gratifica.
ton of curious vssitors, that once
played an important part in the
serious business III life. 1t is an
attractive old pace for summer
visitors and the oil thouses and streets
and spreading elrnk support life OF
gaiety and fashion.
At the southwestern extremity OF
Martha's Vinyard is picturesque
though dangerous headland called
Gay Head which Ishave also visited
The trip thitler il made by boat and
/ found il, a most delightful trip
The spot takes its name from the
gorgeous col0rinG of the cliffs in
shades of red, " low, gray, green
black and white.S They are about
$50 feet high and fsr course of about
n o,,artar of n mia the boldly iuttinn
irregular face of tie cliff presents the
appearance of a gorgeous sunset or
a hillside dressed a brilliant autumn
foliage. Itisone e the most remark
able points on the!l Atlantic coast, and
a menace to boatsItrying to pass it in
storm. That portion Of the island
is inhabited by Indians and the novel
feature of my trip was ride up the
steep Hill from the wharf to the
light house in a two wheeled OK cart
driven by an Indian adonis in ear
rings who walkedtand 'gee" "hawed''
his team n regulsr old time fashion.
The cart had se;ts along the sides
cushioned and ySlanced with calico
The difficulties u mounting and dis.
mounting weres overcome by the
provision Of an I'D chair without a
back which was a part of the regular
furniture of the sehicle. A regular
line of these carts run from the
wharf to the sight house when
excursion boats arrive. The way was
steep and the sbad rough and the
jolting all thata could be expected
under the circ{s Instances. AS my
chariot pitched ftOm side to side ano
end to end and lsclung to the back OF
nv seat to save I<yself from tum bling
out | could compare my experience
to nothing so appropriate as the
gentle undulatisns of a camel ride
All along the Wa were rude restaur
ants and bazats of fancy articles
kent by Indiansslnd the usual display
of edibles and souvenirs the most
interesting of the latter being the
Gay Head pottery made by the
Indians of the Slriegated clay of tn,
cliffs and giving+a very good idea Of
their striated appearance.
The view seaVard from the top o
the cliffs was enchanting, a sym
phony in the lsue and white. TIL,
sky and sea so Perfectly mirrored Thu
intense blue of Sne another that thei
place of hg could scarcely b.
defined. Thei white sails of tn,
nearer ships shsne in the bright mid
dav sunlight lise flakes of BURNSIDE,
silver while thf distant ones yelled il
a delicate haze! were 50 softly whit
and delicatelyr outlined that the.
seemed like phantom ships, or ghost
or mayhap angels wings. 1t mus
have been the lemory of some sucl
scene as this q think that inspire,
the ecstacy of Che poet when he sang
aMy soul tosiay is far away,
Sailing the lsuvian bay;
| Like bird aflbat my winged boat
sails round Ne purple remote"
form spite of be matter of fact peopl
| and things around me, sat Their
spell bound blythe poetry of the scene
About six miles distant toward tn
S. E. of Cottage City is Edgartown
the oldest tosyn on the island, tn
county seat AID a former center o
whale fishing Interests. 1t is chief
interesting row, however, for it
| .:...:4- - tho dun draa,,v Iif