The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-11-16
N The MARSHES
OF Old ENGLAND
Part of the Little Island Is
Still Wild.
EVER CHANGING COLOR
Of the LowIandS by the Side
of the Sea.

long, beside the eVer-changing pageant Of
the waters, that IL is hard TO beliVe next
spring may be the last 10 break across
it's undivided silences. True, Meresa is
no Undiscovered land. 1t has been known
since remote days of which the British
barrows bear witness, since the Roman
flung his causeway across the waters.
and came hither to seek oysters for the
epicures of the empire But Briton and
Roman and the Count of Saxon Shore
have passed away like the sea mists from
the marshes, and today one is more
aware of the flush of the sea lavender
across the gray-green stretches than Of
all their warlike array.
Mersea. Marsh Island; the name is not
alluring; yet l came to it in spring and
have fingered till I can watch the white
swirl of sea gulls following the autumn
plough and still its desclate charm is I'M
broken. This is not the England of ones
fancies and memories. with rolling green
sward, great serene trees, and the dis
Jance dimming from green to gray, from
gray to blue. There are many Englands.
and this bit of the east coast. despite
its harvest. has the trick of enacing all
the centuries Of culture and recalling
wilder and more primitive world. 1
shall be glad TO remember it as l have
seen it under the shifting sun and cloud
of a stormy summer and as not many
viii see 1t henceforth, for the specula-
tive builder is lowering on our borders,
prepared to ruin what the long genera
tons have spared. Remember it, / say
hut the strangeness and the spell of the
place center in the fact that Mersea
itself offers little TO the memory. even
from one day TO another When twilight
falls, or the gray blur of the rain. the
level island shores, the levels OF sea and
skyline merge, and all is lost, unshaped
IT. the common dimness with never a
Hill crest or cliff to stamp itself on eye
or mind And then-if the next day bring
unlight, Mersea is new-created; a space
OF golden harvest field, perhaps scarlet
barred with peoples, and then, beyond the
infinite gradations Of color in the salt
marshes, a sea of Italys own blue. heck-
ed with white pleasure yachts and slant
sails. red and tawny.
1t is strange that the Iow-lying land,
with its austerities Of barren marsh and
flooded coast should riot at times in a
frank carnival of color, which bids de
hance TO all ones thoughts OF England
sober tints and changeless verdure. Ger
tain days, spent in wandering along the
ca wall or drifting from the Colne
mouth out to sea, stin burn iewel-like
in retrospect One. 1 recall. which began
in soft falling rain. till suddenly the
world flashed blue as a FURNISHED sword
blade--sea and sky bright as the heart
of fire. blue shadows in the great clouds,
cleaning blue in every pool. which the
high tide had scattered over the marshes
amid green OF marsh growth and purple
of the sea lavender. Just the tints that
blend in a peacock's plume.
However, the island is rot built entirely
of sunsets and blue distances. IT is a
quite natural bit of ground off the east
coast of England. girt about by the rivers
colne and Blackwater and the open sea.
II is possessed of highroad and two
churches: one OF them located if tradi-
ton speak truly, on the site Of 4 temple
of Veta. and both lifting stanch. weather
tuffeted towers against the easterly winds
There are houses. too. on the island. as
might be surmised: old red-brick farm
steads. with fruit trees trained along the
funniest wall: steep-pitched matched cot
tages. stin lingering. but few and fewer
every year Do not II who write-en-
JOY the honor of living in the haunted
tage? Such smiling little place it is for
so eerie q rept,ation. powered all sum
ner through IN seven sisters white
roses up to the caves. afame in autumn
with the Virginia creeper. And next TO
The Myth lift quaint old world house
eablod. matched. with an oaken dooE
which might resist seige. The ship,
or The Old Thatch for II has born
both names. has sheltered for The summer
our good neighbors. the Mother Of the
Island " and her gayly gypsy husehold-
Two Of the merry party. 'Nankie and
Bay" by name or nickname. have on
occasion served Us as the most pictar-
esoue Of crewes And the lass and Lao.
SO effective in their bravery Of white jer-
sew and scarlet cap. are water-bablcs,
Indeed: champion rowers and swimmers,
and altogether triumphant Merseans-
The old Thatch" has known very differ
ent inmates. for Il was iu earlier times
an inn. which must have sheltered many
a riotous gathering Of smugglers. Snug
glers the name is pregnant with romance
ard Aiercea was famous for It's smuggling
trade. not 50 long ago. Dweliers tn the
place. il friendly. may show you some
Yellow. Grabbed diary. kept hy a grand
father perhaps. which hides whole epics
az adventure under the innocent formula
.vent-a-fshIng Wild DAYS enough lhas
nor Barring Could caueht their -um,llt-
nous heartbeat in his Essex romance 4
Nehaieh,el but they are very much in the
uast a spirit unclined 70 chartered eains
coi.ld In thess tamer tiues undertake
nothing more stirring than q iittie Llicit
oyster dredging-
For all along the river in ths priceless
oyster beds. Colchester oysters are the
fnest IN The world. and Esse~ man Viil
tell vou. but these waters give hospital
itv n Soanish. American and others u =
q protect this submerged wealth that ths
little police boat skins ricelessiy u ard
fro. such a boat. - swift, - beautiful
thst one might desire - - a lew pro-
tect5r or law breaker Tor sake ~ small
sail in he vibrant vinee5 crac- have
never gone dredging ~, -but have rried
winkling." hunting Cor very Gnst1rsctive
Fttle shellash At low water % The mud
eats: those rats where flock the black
headed SEA cobs and saddle-bsck''
xuIis- and WHARF IhA znAzt hezons-