the confessions of a summer colonist-第2章
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summer colony； was sparsely dropped along the highway bordering the
harbor； and the shores of the river； where the piles of the time…worn
wharves are still rotting。 A few houses of the past remain； but the type
of the summer cottage has impressed itself upon all the later building；
and the native is passing architecturally； if not personally； into
abeyance。 He takes the situation philosophically； and in the season he
caters to the summer colony not only as the landlord of the rented
cottages； and the keeper of the hotels and boarding…houses； but as
livery…stableman； grocer； butcher； marketman； apothecary； and doctor；
there is not one foreign accent in any of these callings。 If the native
is a farmer； he devotes himself to vegetables； poultry； eggs； and fruit
for the summer folks； and brings these supplies to their doors； his
children appear with flowers； and there are many proofs that he has
accurately sized the cottagers up in their tastes and fancies as well as
their needs。 I doubt if we have sized him up so well； or if our somewhat
conventionalized ideal of him is perfectly representative。 He is；
perhaps； more complex than he seems； he is certainly much more self…
sufficing than might have been expected。 The summer folks are the
material from which his prosperity is wrought； but he is not dependent；
and is very far from submissive。 As in all right conditions； it is here
the employer who asks for work； not the employee； and the work must be
respectfully asked for。 There are many fables to this effect； as； for
instance； that of the lady who said to a summer visitor； critical of the
week's wash she had brought home； 〃I'll wash you and I'll iron you； but I
won't take none of your jaw。〃 A primitive independence is the keynote of
the native character； and it suffers no infringement； but rather boasts
itself。 〃We're independent here； I tell you；〃 said the friendly person
who consented to take off the wire door。 〃I was down Bangor way doin' a
piece of work； and a fellow come along； and says he； 'I want you should
hurry up on that job。' 'Hello！' says I； 'I guess I'll pull out。' Well；
we calculate to do our work；〃 he added； with an accent which sufficiently
implied that their consciences needed no bossing in the performance。
The native compliance with any summer…visiting request is commonly in
some such form as； 〃Well； I don't know but what I can；〃 or； 〃I guess
there ain't anything to hinder me。〃 This compliance is so rarely； if
ever； carried to the point of domestic service that it may fairly be said
that all the domestic service； at least of the cottagers； is imported。
The natives will wait at the hotel tables； they will come in 〃to
accommodate〃； but they will not 〃live out。〃 I was one day witness of the
extreme failure of a friend whose city cook had suddenly abandoned him；
and who applied to a friendly farmer's wife in the vain hope that she
might help him to some one who would help his family out in their strait。
〃Why； there ain't a girl in the Hollow that lives out！ Why； if you was
sick abed； I don't know as I know anybody 't you could git to set up with
you。〃 The natives will not live out because they cannot keep their self…
respect in the conditions of domestic service。 Some people laugh at this
self…respect； but most summer folks like it； as I own I do。
In our partly mythical estimate of the native and his relation to us； he
is imagined as holding a kind of carnival when we leave him at the end of
the season； and it is believed that he likes us to go early。 We have had
his good offices at a fair price all summer； but as it draws to a close
they are rendered more and more fitfully。 From some； perhaps flattered；
reports of the happiness of the natives at the departure of the
sojourners； I have pictured them dancing a sort of farandole； and
stretching with linked hands from the farthest summer cottage up the
river to the last on the wooded point。 It is certain that they get
tired； and I could not blame them if they were glad to be rid of their
guests； and to go back to their own social life。 This includes church
festivals of divers kinds； lectures and shows； sleigh…rides； theatricals；
and reading…clubs； and a plentiful use of books from the excellently
chosen free village library。 They say frankly that the summer folks have
no idea how pleasant it is when they are gone； and I am sure that the
gayeties to which we leave them must be more tolerable than those which
we go back to in the city。 It may be； however； that I am too confident；
and that their gayeties are only different。 I should really like to know
just what the entertainments are which are given in a building devoted to
them in a country neighborhood three or four miles from the village。 It
was once a church； but is now used solely for social amusements。
IV
The amusements of the summer colony I have already hinted at。 Besides
suppers； there are also teas； of larger scope； both afternoon and
evening。 There are hops every week at the two largest hotels； which are
practically free to all； and the bathing…beach is； of course； a supreme
attraction。 The bath…houses； which are very clean and well equipped；
are not very cheap； either for the season or for a single bath； and there
is a pretty pavilion at the edge of the sands。 This is always full of
gossiping spectators of the hardy adventurers who brave tides too remote
from the Gulf Stream to be ever much warmer than sixty or sixty…five
degrees。 The bathers are mostly young people； who have the courage of
their pretty bathing…costumes or the inextinguishable ardor of their
years。 If it is not rather serious business with them all； still I
admire the fortitude with which some of them remain in fifteen minutes。
Beyond our colony； which calls itself the Port； there is a far more
populous watering…place； east of the Point； known as the Beach； which is
the resort of people several grades of gentility lower than ours： so
many； in fact； that we never can speak of the Beach without averting our
faces； or； at the best； with a tolerant smile。 It is really a succession
of beaches； all much longer and； I am bound to say； more beautiful than
ours； lined with rows of the humbler sort of summer cottages known as
shells； and with many hotels of corresponding degree。 The cottages may
be hired by the week or month at about two dollars a day； and they are
supposed to be taken by inland people of little social importance。 Very
likely this is true； but they seemed to be very nice； quiet people； and I
commonly saw the ladies reading； on their verandas； books and magazines；
while the gentlemen sprayed the dusty road before them with the garden
hose。 The place had also for me an agreeable alien suggestion； and in
passing the long row of cottages I was slightly reminded of Scheveningen。
Beyond the cottage settlements is a struggling little park； dedicated to
the only Indian saint I ever heard of； though there may be others。 His
statue； colossal in sheet…lead； and painted the copper color of his race；
offers any heathen comer the choice between a Bible in one of his hands
and a tomahawk in the other； at the entrance of the park； and there are
other sheet…lead groups and figures in the white of allegory at different
points。 It promises to be a pretty enough little place in future years；
but as yet it is not much resorted to by the excursions which largely
form the prosperity of the Beach。 The concerts and the 〃high…class
vaudeville〃 promised have not flourished in the pavilion provided for
them； and one of two monkeys in the zoological department has perished of
the public inattention。 This has not fatally affected the captive bear；
who rises to his hind legs； and eats peanuts and doughnuts in that
position like a fellow…citizen。 With the cockatoos and parrots； and the
dozen deer in an inclosure of wire netting； he is no mean attraction； but
he does not charm the excursionists away from the summer village at the
shore； where they spend long afternoons splashing among the waves； or in
lolling groups of men； women； and children on the sand。 In the more
active gayeties； I have seen nothing so deci
