New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1901-06-30
VIEWPOINTS PERSONALITY
IT HAS THE MOST AMUSING INDIyIDr.
ALITY OF ALL AMERICAN
TOWNS
Eliot Gregory in Harper's Magazine.

Eliot Gregory. in Harper's Magazine
Cities, like human beings, have distinct person
much after the fashion of the people about US, and
produce as vivid impressions the mind II is
highways and byWays of Europe to confuse Client
ara fioIence, or 81 petersburg with Aries, than
e P 6adR friends face or characters in favor
This power to charm or repel is not confined to
lightly oraped as yet in the scarfs OF legend and
romance, cities have atmospheric Of their own
OF all our towns. however that which has Of late
oeEeloped the most amusing Individuality is New
port SO much wealth has poured in upon the
p-Sce that II reminds one to-day Of the hero Of
IeA Ihousand Year, who, after a boyhood Of
eo 9 qnq pFlVaton awoke one morning to and him
a,5loae ls.aL9 city IS eApeTlenclng Gifhculty IN
acaptlng Itself 70 new conditions, and has more
sions
Each year when I set foot anew In the rneagre
hLed that does duty for railway station. or note
the crowd Of faultless city carriages huddled TO-
10 land-waiting Of Saturday afternoon the ar
through lanelike Streets leading incongruoQsiv to
marble villa and Tudor manor house; when / find
shingle cottages decorated with Versailles fur
Beauvais tapestries: when 1 see the toilets and
jewels that women assume to dine informally with
IIl+fds-l feel the same sort OF amused astonish-
Inent as the loungers in Hyde Park must have ex,
einons them. his clumsy hands gltte-ing with
rings and splendid chain strung across waist
coat honesicll for the washtub. The strongest i'm
Preston receives on visiting Newport to-day is
e confused sense OF spendor and slouch that would
place Mr Page tells rs he country is inrIined te
take il seriously. which is a pity, for it is above
an place % faGs and caprlceS, Of changing moods
and Inconsistent standards oddly enough. many
Of its manias have conceded with the discarding Of
lhose particular fads abroad. The rush build
srs Of such useless piles OF bricks and mortar in
Europe are doing their best 10 get rid of their
p9Icens IS an illustration OF this
Isl ne f 1glldng craze must be PLACED frst on the
- 3I nor on the Continent have people been
thoUsbtless enough 10 construct costly residences
weeks-to remain here longer is TO walk alone a
banquet han deserted Palaces as inappropri-
TIe don't want 70 have pI,ests stonjns. Uitb ,teyD
House parties were voted announcement long ago.
outs OF their own sfcjenfl In he swim 10 be
asked out continually, and not interfere with the
liberty OF their hostess make claim upon her
STABLE. one gay natron, with Continental repu-
lauon Tor hospitality openly tells the people who
happen TO be under her roof that they must shift
IoI themselves the nights she dimes out As she
remains at home on an average one evening a
$780,, e1; ne ktessnre OF visiting her may easily be
nntl she had nagged her husband into building a
ets ie excrescenee on the cliffs roomy enough TO
Hardy property owner in the place can give a
wRiIhout furnishing spectacle TO the kodak en-
WISE ds ana the barge fun Of dollar trippers
" other ways the naive Inconsistency of our
smart" people in resenting notoriety IS amusing
tranquility in the list Of Newport's shortcomings
doctor recommended change and rest. The invalid
vs. snaDie 10 mo either during his travels the
waters ne explained, got his Change, and the
Motel bills took the rest. Among fits many claims
70 distinction Newport might be mentioned as a
place where people dixie that suffering financier1
na neither variety nor repose. the only difference
those blessings. while the patrons OF this Shore
would in all probability refuse them were they
II is hardly fair however, TO dwell on the short
cosnings OF a place which after all has nucn TO
offer those who know what 10 take and what TO
1leaNe; Despite The snowy ways OF the Mighty
feW'-ocrhaps account of thena-Modern New
Lori OFFERS the visitor a brlhancy OF summer
hageantry unseen in other parts of this country.
Inc air Is fun OF that bpoyant OF living the
saDte 1oie de vivre, that one feels in Paris OF a
May morning when the tide OF sparkling traps and
laughing children flows through sunny avenues 10
the Bois- Here Of an August afternoon one has the
etihaton that all poverty and have been
washed on the face OF the world by the morning
shower that cooled the air and sprinkled The trim
lawns with crystal. Wherever one turns the same
atlinalon and eagety prevails: for a moment the
Asslon as produced that prosperity and health are