The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-08-31
BY Julia Ward Ho<we
(Copyright, by Joseph B. BoMles.D

l -lN6IIc dtlO1l w. AlAAuSClA4CifI. /
copyright. by Joseph B. Bowles9
:(Julia Ward Howe, with her husband,
philanthropist who died in 1876, worked
earnestly against slavery, becoming a
leader in the agitation carried on through
question was settled by the civil war
Mrs: Howe took a prominent part in the
work TO tor woman suffrage, prison reform
Hymn of the Republic'' is known every every
where and will always live Among her
many aiaa works ?, IS may be mentioned Passion
G: Howe Life of Margaret Fuller and
rs Polite Society Polite?'' Her children
are also famous, the best known of them
richards; The intimacy of her associa-
tions with the great writer's and thinkers
OF the last half century is shown by the
I am in Newport in the month of
October. The gay season has come
and gone. The gay world has driven
and dined and danced, seeking and
finding it's accustomed plethora Of friv-
+ olous amusement. 1t has possibly
paid it's bills and has certainly gone
it's way. 1t has troubled itself little
with regard to the amusement of
those outside of it's limits. Yet has
some diversion been furnished to man.
kind at large by the report of it's do
lngs. It's taste has been more accord
ant with Roman luxury than with
CGreek simplicity. Dinners in private
houses of from: so to 100 plates are
far removed fHHQm>> the classic rule
which enjoined that guests at ban
quet should not be less than three or
more than nine.
The faces of the gay people when
they departed were anything but gay
They looked tagged and fatigued be-
yond measure, and their banality of
facial expression was such as to strike
"a chill to the heart of the beholder.
The writer, having haunted the pres
ent field of observation for some seven
decades, will here hazard some retro
spective notes on things that have
BEEN"
i might first speak of a Newport
season of SIS years ago, in which
George William Curtis and Thomas
Appleton, with the families of Poet
Longfellow and DR.. Howe, sojourned
together at the old Cliff house, now
replaced by the new Cliff hotel. Studi-
GUS inmates passed mornings in their
rooms. Sea bathing for those who en-
joyed it also occupied much of the
forenoon. The afternoons were de-
voted to rambles, out-of-door sketch
ing and driving, mostly along the
beautiful beaches. Now and then our
drive brought us to teahouse, ia
nous for it's inexhaustible supply of
hot griddle cakes. An occasional hop
at the ocean" called away our young
people, but the browning gayety of the
week was found in the Saturday even
ing gathering at this same Ocean
house, where. elders sat or prone
naded while young couples danced to
their hearts content, the ladies hold
traditional mermaid is supposed to
hold her caudal appendage.
In those days one of the few resi-
dents of bellevue avenue issued invi-
tations for a dance at his house. When
the music and the figures began the
Yankee serving man, recently hired,
exclaimed, II won't stay to see those
people dance themselves to hell!''
and rushed wildly from the house,
leaving the refreshments to take care
of themselves.
Years passed in which the butter
fly hunt of fashion began to invade
our quiet, but not yet in aggressive
numbers. A summer came which
brought Bret Harte, DR.. Holland,
James Parton and Fanny Fern, Col
T.. W. Higginson aud Helen Hunt to
the lovely seaside resort. Those con.
genial spirits soon formed a habit OF
coming together We enjoyed many
sails across the bay and chowder
cooked on the, sands of Jamestown
which then boosted few houses and
only one small tavern. Our evenings
were enlivened by readings, parlo1
I dramas, charades and delightful con
II versation. The i enchanting season
n came to an end all too quickly, never
i to repeat itself, but never wholly to
Iperish p from the memories Of those
4 whom it had united in: friendly IN:
tercourse. H}# ~ ~ .t Y ~ :. !
i. 4 4S5Ht .5, s5 -. =. if*s \:
Il The watering place PRESENT. came
Into absolute favor with the jdevoteea
SaIof Afashipna ble q life. treat attention
sSl$Kas given tto.s. display and entertain