The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-07-09
NOW
PhyUisDis
Divine Potomac
RISKY DANCING
Rx HELEN ESSARY

time on the Potomac last nlgnC.
I had no idea, my dear. that
the river could be so beautiful
and so much fun.
George Tyler and Philip
Julian took us out on their
45.foot cruiser, the Chaparrita.
From the time I stepped over
the crates of heets and melons
on the Water Street wharf and
climbed across two or three
boats to our own, until we
locked at midnight, felt like
Sinbad the notwithstanding
on the Potomac.
Just as we were pushing off,
the harbor police came chug.
ging up to see if we had the
proper number of life preServers
one for each passenger.
George and Phil had borrowed
some extra ones from other
boats so that we had enough
for our crowd. This was lucky
because you are fined 500 if
you haven't.
There are almost as many
traffic rules on the river as
there are on Pennsylvania Ave-
nue.. The Chaparrita was
stopped for exceeding the speed
limit of eight knots an hour
the other day. The boys were
charmed. They hadn't dreamed
they could go fast enough to
break any speed limit.
We had a nice crowd-the
owners, who looked proper
sailors in white ducks and
shirts; PhirS brother. Mack
Julian; Tom Mccormick, Mary
Lou Stafford, Mary Sleman,
Austin Sullivan, George Powell
and his wife, from Hartford,
Conn, and Duncan Clark.
We cruiSed a little way down
the river, and watched the sun
setting in a red ball over the
Arlington towers, and the search"
light on the Washington Monu-
ment. The water was perfectly
beautiful. We sailed along in
q sort of a glow of mist and
color, green and lavender.
When we anchored off Hams
Point, q few business-like char
acters went down into the SOUL
lery to get dinner.
Phil and George have all
the comforts of home on their
boat. They live there most OF
the summer. They say it is
the easiest sort of existence.
The ice man and the milkman
come every day. Besides" said
Phil, "look at the swell food
we have!"
In came the cooks with big
dishes of fat sandwiches and
platters of leans and peas.
Someone remarked:
'Imagine beans and peas in
the moonlight"
Mary Sleman said:
Don't be snOOty. Think how
hungry we are.
Besides, here's the ketchup."
We spread the food out on
a table covered with a sheet.
Phil says sheets are the best
kind of tablecloths for men on
Q boat. And we ate like mad.
After dinner George produced
an old victrola. We went up
on top of the cabin and danced.
This was lots of fun, but un'
certain. The boat rocked every
time a ship went by. The Nor
folk steamer almost tipped us
over.
George said please not to do
any clogging, not even to Tiger
Rag" The cabin roof might
suddenly give way and we'd
find ourselves sitting on top
Of the engine.
We didn't dance long. But
we kept the music going.
George by this time had gone
swimming. He couldn't find
his bathing suit. So he wore
his trousers, with the victrola
needles in a pocket. Every so
often he swan up to the side
of the boat and handed us a
fresh but wet needle, and we
turned on "Dardanella," Weary
River" and "Alexander's Rag
time Band" When the last
needle wore out, Phil Julian
played turkey in the Straw"
on a harmonica.
It was so beautiful and peace
ful-and cool-watching the
energetic airplanes go up and
down, the twinkling lights Of
cars around Hams Point and
Mt. Vernon Boulevard, the
gaily lighted excursion boats
with people dancing on board.
The stars came out. The
breeze was strong. Not a mos.
quito appeared. 1t was like
heaven.
We did have one moment Of
panic when Tom Mccormick
thought funnel-shaped cloud
was a tornado headed our way.
Duncan Clark, whose father
helps run the Weather Bureau,
said it wasn't a tornado. It
was the smoke OF a train on
the bridge.
We hated to come home. But
naturally we had to. It's more
trouble parking a boat than it
IS an. automobile. We kept
running around in circles be-
tween other boats.
haven't enjoyed an evening