adventures and letters-第2章
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big farms which stretched from the Manasquan River to the ocean half a mile distant。 Nothing could have been more primitive or as I remember it in its pastoral loveliness much more beautiful。 Just beyond our cottage the river ran its silent； lazy course to the sea。 With the exception of several farmhouses； its banks were then unsullied by human habitation of any sort； and on either side beyond the low green banks lay fields of wheat and corn； and dense groves of pine and oak and chestnut trees。 Between us and the ocean were more waving fields of corn； broken by little clumps of trees； and beyond these damp Nile…green pasture meadows； and then salty marshes that led to the glistening； white sand…dunes； and the great silver semi… circle of foaming breakers； and the broad； blue sea。 On all the land that lay between us and the ocean； where the town of Point Pleasant now stands； I think there were but four farmhouses； and these in no way interfered with the landscape or the life of the primitive world in which we played。
Whatever the mental stimulus my brother derived from his home in Philadelphia； the foundation of the physical strength that stood him in such good stead in the campaigns of his later years he derived from those early days at Point Pleasant。 The cottage we lived in was an old two…story frame building； to which my father had added two small sleeping…rooms。 Outside there was a vine…covered porch and within a great stone fireplace flanked by cupboards； from which during those happy days I know Richard and I； openly and covertly； must have extracted tons of hardtack and cake。 The little house was called 〃Vagabond's Rest；〃 and a haven of rest and peace and content it certainly proved for many years to the Davis family。 From here it was that my father started forth in the early mornings on his all…day fishing excursions； while my mother sat on the sunlit porch and wrote novels and mended the badly rent garments of her very active sons。 After a seven…o'clock breakfast at the Curtis House our energies never ceased until night closed in on us and from sheer exhaustion we dropped unconscious into our patch…quilted cots。 All day long we swam or rowed； or sailed； or played ball； or camped out； or ate enormous mealsanything so long as our activities were ceaseless and our breathing apparatus given no rest。 About a mile up the river there was an islandit's a very small； prettily wooded； sandy…beached little place； but it seemed big enough in those days。 Robert Louis Stevenson made it famous by rechristening it Treasure Island； and writing the new name and his own on a bulkhead that had been built to shore up one of its fast disappearing sandy banks。 But that is very modern history and to us it has always been 〃The Island。〃 In our day； long before Stevenson had ever heard of the Manasquan； Richard and I had discovered this tight little piece of land； found great treasures there； and； hand in hand； had slept in a six…by…six tent while the lions and tigers growled at us from the surrounding forests。
As I recall these days of my boyhood I find the recollections of our life at Point Pleasant much more distinct than those we spent in Philadelphia。 For Richard these days were especially welcome。 They meant a respite from the studies which were a constant menace to himself and his parents； and the freedom of the open country； the ocean； the many sports on land and on the river gave his body the constant exercise his constitution seemed to demand； and a broad field for an imagination which was even then very keen； certainly keen enough to make the rest of us his followers。
In an extremely sympathetic appreciation which Irvin S。 Cobb wrote about my brother at the time of his death； he says that he doubts if there is such a thing as a born author。 Personally it so happened that I never grew up with any one； except my brother； who ever became an author； certainly an author of fiction； and so I cannot speak on the subject with authority。 But in the case of Richard； if he was not born an author； certainly no other career was ever considered。 So far as I know he never even wanted to go to sea or to be a bareback rider in a circus。 A boy； if he loves his father； usually wants to follow in his professional footsteps； and in the case of Richard； he had the double inspiration of following both in the footsteps of his father and in those of his mother。 For years before Richard's birth his father had been a newspaper editor and a well…known writer of stories and his mother a novelist and short…story writer of great distinction。 Of those times at Point Pleasant I fear I can remember but a few of our elders。 There were George Lambdin； Margaret Ruff； and Milne Ramsay； all painters of some note； a strange couple； Colonel Olcott and the afterward famous Madam Blavatsky； trying to start a Buddhist cult in this country； Mrs。 Frances Hodgson Burnett； with her foot on the first rung of the ladder of fame； who at the time loved much millinery finery。 One day my father took her out sailing and； much to the lady's discomfiture and greatly to Richard's and my delight； upset the famous authoress。 At a later period the Joseph Jeffersons used to visit us； Horace Howard Furness； one of my father's oldest friends； built a summer home very near us on the river； and Mrs。 John Drew and her daughter Georgie Barrymore spent their summers in a near…by hostelry。 I can remember Mrs。 Barrymore at that time very well…wonderfully handsome and a marvellously cheery manner。 Richard and I both loved her greatly； even though it were in secret。 Her daughter Ethel I remember best as she appeared on the beach； a sweet； long…legged child in a scarlet bathing…suit running toward the breakers and then dashing madly back to her mother's open arms。 A pretty figure of a child； but much too young for Richard to notice at that time。 In after…years the child in the scarlet bathing…suit and he became great pals。 Indeed； during the latter half of his life； through the good days and the bad； there were very few friends who held so close a place in his sympathy and his affections as Ethel Barrymore。
Until the summer of 1880 my brother continued on at the Episcopal Academy。 For some reason I was sent to a different school； but outside of our supposed hours of learning we were never apart。 With less than two years' difference in our ages our interests were much the same； and I fear our interests of those days were largely limited to out…of…door sports and the theatre。 We must have been very young indeed when my father first led us by the hand to see our first play。 On Saturday afternoons Richard and I； unattended but not wholly unalarmed； would set forth from our home on this thrilling weekly adventure。 Having joined our father at his office； he would invariably take us to a chop…house situated at the end of a blind alley which lay concealed somewhere in the neighborhood of Walnut and Third Streets； and where we ate a most wonderful luncheon of English chops and apple pie。 As the luncheon drew to its close I remember how Richard and I used to fret and fume while my father in a most leisurely manner used to finish off his mug of musty ale。 But at last the three of us； hand in hand； my father between us； were walking briskly toward our happy destination。 At that time there were only a few first…class theatres in Philadelphiathe Arch Street Theatre； owned by Mrs。 John Drew； the Chestnut Street； and the Walnut Streetall of which had stock companies； but which on the occasion of a visiting star acted as the supporting company。 These were the days of Booth； Jefferson； Adelaide Neilson； Charles Fletcher； Lotta； John McCullough； John Sleeper Clark； and the elder Sothern。 And how Richard and I worshipped them allnot only these but every small…bit actor in every stock company in town。 Indeed； so many favorites of the stage did my brother and I admire that ordinary frames would not begin to hold them all； and to overcome this defect we had our bedroom entirely redecorated。 The new scheme called for a gray wallpaper supported by a maroon dado。 At the top of the latter ran two parallel black picture mouldings between which we could easily insert cabinet photograph
