The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-12
Correspondence of The Tribune.

Correspondence of The Tribune.
Isle of Wight, Aug. 17.-Having been
engaged, some weeks ago, for series
of concerts on the Isle of Wight.
have become, this summer. more thor
oughly acquainted with this cute lit
tie island than 1 ever fancied 1 should
be, for I had never expected to see this
pretty and exclusive little piece of the
world; and. until some time ago,
never would have thought that
should have such abundant opportun-
ity for studying this charming little
spot off the south coast of England
1t certainly is an interesting little bit
of geography, beloved alike by the
antiquarian and the modern enthusiast
There are several old castles in ruins.
and some occupied even now-on the
island, which charm the heart of those
tourists who delight in the mouldy
smell of damp old stones, matted over
with cehtury-old ivy and haunted still
by the shades of the brave knights
and faire ladeys OF old, while Cowes,
with its different royalties, mobiles and
aristocrats of all countries, with the
smart yachts which they bring here
for the regatta week races, is certainly
up to date and swagger enough to suit
the very bellest of American bellies be
she ever so gay. Surely the English
people We're kind indeed to their repro
bate King Charles I, when they shut
him up in old Causbrook castle here,
surrounded as it is by the loveliest lit
tie bits of woodland / ever saw-(we
are shown to this day the little Win
dow out of which he wriggled his
royal body when he escaped and fed
to Scotland)-and surely Her Majesty.
the astute little old Mrs. Great Britain
and Ireland, knew what she was doing
when she invested in Osborne castle
and grounds, and made it a summer
home for herself and her children,
some fifty years ago. Situated as the
isle Is, just south OF England, and so
near that the shores of the mainland
can be seen across the Solent. the little
bit of Atlantic ocean which divides It..
1t is most easy of access from there
and enjoys also a most lovely summer
climate, balmy and warm, but with
just enough tang of Atlantic fresh
ness and vigor to brace one up beau
tifully.
WHERE THE QUEEN LIVES.
There are, I think, but four or five
towns Of any Importance here, all, of
course. being seaside resorts. There
are Ryde. Sandown, Ventnor and
Cowes-the last spelt in capitals. if you
please, for is not the great regatta held
here every August, and does not her
gracious majesty live just outside here
in Osborne castle, in great state and
magnlficence? There are numbers of
villages. of course. as cute and Eng
lish and sea-faring as ever an English
village was, even in the most romantic
and descriptive of seaside novels,
abounding in regular orthodox "old
salts" who spin yarns and weave
nets pretty sailor lassies and uncouth
bare-footed fishwives; but these do
not come in here; there isn't time. The
principal cities" call for our consider
alton.
We now proceed with our geography
lesson. Ryde. where we are at pres
ent. Is the largest town on the island,
and extremely pretty. AS every half
mile Of this blessed little place is q
miniature little mountain in height and
steepness, of course the impertinent lit
tie town of Ryde must needs run all
over itself in provoking little hills-one
after another like ripples on the wat
er, each one bigger than the last. And
these hills must be journeyed over, too,
up one street and down another, until
people make up their minds to grin
and bear, and go home knee-sprung for
life, since fate really seems to have
persisted in decreeing it so. The only
other thing about Ryde that Is very no.
ticeable to my mind, Is the sea-wall,
miles long,and part Of the coast pro-
tections. 1t Is about four or five feet
thick, and it is great fun, at high tide,
to go and walk on this wall and let the
great waves come booming up against
it and break in spray right over us.
OF course it is necessary to put on our
oldest clothes for this feat, and even
then the coast guard will not let us out
there in rough weather, for fear we
should be washed away. But we man.
age to get out pretty often and we walk
for miles and miles, screeching and
laughing and shouting out our CONVEX
sation at the top of our voices, in order
to hear ourselves above the noise the
angry old ocean makes, and l assure
you 1t is far greater fun and much
more exciting than mere sea bathing,
by good deal-and we get just as
wet-oh! quite, I assure you.
Then, too. there are such occupations
as going shrimping and crab-hunting,
in which we indulge at low tide, also
in our oldest garments. These pas
times necessitate the wearing of bare
feet and like sensible folks out for our
holidays, we never sickle at that, but
paddle boldly in. fourishing our nets,
and make for the hapless shrimps with
warlike intent worthy of true British
fishwives.
A THESPIAN RESORT.
This, by the way. seems to be fav-
Orite resort for the theatrical profess
sion, as Forbes Robertson, the actor
manager of the Lyceum theatre. is
spending his summer here, as Is also
Sydney Brough. Isabel Bateman and
several more, while royalty Is repre-
sented- by rhe' Archduchess Stephanie.
Of Austria, who is here at the Esplan-
ade. hotel, besides. the smaller fry of
nobility and gentry always swarming
about the larger fry. Their yachts and
launches off the pier are really too nu-
merous to mention,but never to be for
gotten, for the way they beautify the
little Solent is simply enhancing, to
say the least. 1'
But we must tear ourselves from
Ryde and take us on to Sandown. an
other very swell summer resort. which
~ to Ryde what Newport is to Saratoga
--"smaller and selecter." The only
thing that apepals to me in Sandown
Is the great long beach of sand they
are blessed with there. which makes
It such a fine place for taking children,
and 1t does, indeed. swarm with the
happy little youngsters all summer.
L.. L. e.. III Il