Evening star., 1934-08-29

An observing feminine reader who
spends her Summers at a nearby
beach has sent her observations as to
the naming of cottages there.
Maybe it is the influence of the
new deal" writes she. Its adherents
declare the critics of the present ad-
ministration have no right to criticize
any of its policies unless said critics
have a substitute plan to offer for the
projects under fire. Maybe it's my
conscience, because was SO rude as
to suggest that tropical fishes were
losing their place in the SWIM as
subject for your column. At any rate.
1 have another subject as an alter
native to the poor fish.
"Since you lead the contemplative
life-remember The Fountain by
Morgan-why not think about why
people name their Summer cottages
as they do?
There is a subject that calls for
real cogitation. 1t has puzzled and
interested me ever since I came here
some five or six years past to wait for
Autumn and cooler days.
Il have made casual name census
of the cottages here. They are, /
presume, like those of other beach re-
sorts and perhaps they are not. I do
not know, as 1 have never lived and
walked around any other. I did not
take the whole place, but only those
squares easily accessible on my way
to and from market.
"I had thought the place would be
teeming with Neptunes, Mermaids,
Sea Views and Harbour Nooks. Evil
IDENTIFY people are not nautically mind
ed when they acquire a cottage near
the sea. The minority of them name
their houses with simple board bear
ing their own family surnames. The
next minority go in for a feminine
name, a tribute, no doubt, to the
favored member of the family or
prospective family member. These
range from Marietta. to Evelyn, Flor
ence, Helen, Rose Mary, Lucille, Cora
Lee and Lola Bell.
THE great majority of them are
named in terms describing the owners
emotions, such as Blue Heaven, upon
moving into the homestead, or their
senses of humor when asked to give
the place name of descriptive words
or phrases picturing the environs of
the houses. Yet in one block a cot
tage will be called the Sugar Bowl, in
the next block the same sort of house
surrounded by the same conditions
will be labeled Apache. There are
repetitions of the romantic selections,
such as Dreamland, Glen Haven and
Bide-A-Wee, but highly individual are
those named Ponjola, Arcajians and
Danehurst.
X X X X
zone little house down a tiny valley
by itself says Just Me, while on a
crowded street two squares away an
other one announces I'm Alone. The
inscription Threein-One might seem
at first to be an advertisement for a
well-known lubricant or shoe polish.
but it tells that three families owned
the house.
Sometimes successive ownership is
shown by the two names left on the
face of the house, as with Oh, Say,
which has had Little Tinnie added.
Three Pines, Tall Cedars and Wild
wood are favorite names, as the woods
grow right down to the edge of the
water and many of the houses have
clearingS with such trees left in the
yards.
THE folks who go in for humor let
themselves find it mainly in the SPELL
ing. E-z-Going tells its own tale,
We-UnS is not so clear as Do-Drop- In
and Suits Us expresses complete salts.
faction. Cuddles is very evident.
Eureka has a Summer house in the
yard with a signboard saying Eureka,
Jr. There is U-Neak and Oh, Meet,