Beyondthecottagesettlementsisastrugglinglittlepark，dedicatedtotheonlyIndiansaintIeverheardof，thoughtheremaybeothers。Hisstatue，colossalinsheet—lead，andpaintedthecoppercolorofhisrace，offersanyheathencomerthechoicebetweenaBibleinoneofhishandsandatomahawkintheother，attheentranceofthepark;andthereareothersheet—leadgroupsandfiguresinthewhiteofallegoryatdifferentpoints。Itpromisestobeaprettyenoughlittleplaceinfutureyears，butasyetitisnotmuchresortedtobytheexcursionswhichlargelyformtheprosperityoftheBeach。Theconcertsandthe\"high—classvaudeville\"promisedhavenotflourishedinthepavilionprovidedforthem，andoneoftwomonkeysinthezoologicaldepartmenthasperishedofthepublicinattention。Thishasnotfatallyaffectedthecaptivebear，whorisestohishindlegs，andeatspeanutsanddoughnutsinthatpositionlikeafellow—citizen。Withthecockatoosandparrots，andthedozendeerinaninclosureofwirenetting，heisnomeanattraction;buthedoesnotcharmtheexcursionistsawayfromthesummervillageattheshore，wheretheyspendlongafternoonssplashingamongthewaves，orinlollinggroupsofmen，women，andchildrenonthesand。Inthemoreactivegayeties，Ihaveseennothingsodecidedduringthewholeseasonasthebehaviorofthreeyounggirlswhooncecameupoutofthesea，andobligedmebydancingameasureonthesmooth，hardbeachintheirbathing—dresses。
Ithoughtitverypretty，butIdonotbelievesuchathingcouldhavebeenseenonOURbeach，whichissafefromallexcursionists，andsacredtothecottageandhotellifeofthePort。
Besidesourbeachanditsbathing，wehaveareading—clubforthemen，evolvedfromoneoftheoldnativehouses，andverandaedroundforsummeruse;andwehavegolf—linksandagolfclub—housewithineasytrolleyreach。Thelinksareasenergetically，ifnotasgenerally，frequentedasthesands，andthesportfindsthefavorwhichattendsiteverywhereinthedecayoftennis。Thetennis—courtswhichIsawthrongedaboutbyeagergirl—crowds，here，sevenyearsago，arenowalmostwhollyabandonedtotheloversofthegame，whoarenearlyalwaysmen。
Perhapstheonlything（besides，ofcourse，ourcommonmortality）whichwehaveincommonwiththeexcursionistsisourloveofthetrolley—line。
This，byitsadmirableequipment，andbytheterroritinspiresinhorses，haswell—nighabolisheddriving;andfollowingtheoldcountryroads，asitdoes，withanoccasionalshort—cutthoughthedeep，green—
lightedwoodsoracrosstheprismaticsaltmeadows，itisofapicturesquevarietyentirelysatisfying。Afterayearofferventoppositionandprotest，thewholecommunity——whetherofsummerorofwinterfolks——nowgladlyacceptsthetrolley，andthegrandestcottagerandthelowliesthoteldwellermeetinagratefulappreciationofitsbeautyandcomfort。
Somepassagreatpartofeveryafternoononthetrolley，andoneladyhasachievedcelebritybyspendingfourdollarsaweekintrolley—rides。
Theexhilarationoftheseisvariedwithanoccasionalapprehensionwhenthecarpitchesdownasharpincline，andtwistsalmostatrightanglesonasuddencurveatthebottomwithoutslackingitsspeed。Aladywhoventuredanappealtotheconductoratonesuchcrisiswasreassured，andatthesametimetaughtherplace，byhisreply:\"Thatmotorman’slife，ma’am，isjustasprecioustohimaswhatyoursistoyou。\"
Shehad，perhaps，reallyventuredtoofar，forordinarilytheemployeesofthetrolleydonotfindoccasiontousesomuchseveritywiththeirpassengers。Theylookaftertheircomfortasfaraspossible，andseekeventoanticipatetheirwantsinunexpectedcases，ifImaybelieveastorywhichwastoldbyawitness。Shehadlongexpectedtoseesomeonethrownoutoftheopencaratoneofthesharpcurves，andonedaysheactuallysawawomanhurledfromtheseatintotheroad。Luckilythewomanslightedonherfeet，andstoodlookingroundinadaze。
\"Oh！oh！\"exclaimedanotherwomanintheseatbehind，\"she’sleftherumbrella！\"
Theconductorpromptlythrewitouttoher。
\"Why，\"demandedthewitness，\"didthatladywishtogetouthere？\"
Theconductorhesitatedbeforehejerkedthebellpulltogoon:Thenhesaid，\"Well，she’llwantherumbrella，anyway。\"
Theconductorsare，infact，verycivilaswellaskind。Iftheyseeahorseinanxietyattheapproachofthecar，theyconsideratelystop，andlethimgetbywithhisdriverinsafety。Bysuchmeans，withtheirfrequenttripsandlowfares，andwiththeeaseandcomfortoftheircars，theyhaveconciliatedpublicfavor，andthetrolleyhasdrawntravelawayfromthesteamrailroadinsuchmeasurethatitrannotrainslastwinter。
Thetrolley，infact，isafadofthesummerfolksthisyear;butwhatitwillbeanothernooneknows;itmaybetheirhissingandby—word。Inthemeantime，asIhavealreadysuggested，theyhaveotheramusements。
Thesearenotalwaysofanaturesogeneralasthetrolley，orsoparticularasthetea。Buteachofthelargerhotelshasbeenfullysuppliedwithentertainmentsforthebenefitoftheirprojectors，thoughnearlyeverythingofthesorthadsomesortofcharitableslant。I
assistedatastereopticonlectureonAlaskafortheaidofsomeyouthfulAlaskansofbothsexes，whowereshownfirstintheirsavagestate，andthenastheyappearedafteramerelyrudimentaleducation，inthecostumesandprofilesofourowncivilization。Ineverwouldhavesupposedthateducationcoulddosomuchinsoshortatime;andIgladlygavemymitefortheirfurtherdevelopmentinclassicbeautyandafinalelegance。Mymitewastakenupinahat，which，passedroundamongtheaudience，isacommonmeansofcollectingthespectators’expressionsofappreciation。Otherentertainments，ofaprouderframe，exactanadmissionfee，butIamnotsurethatthesearebetterthansomeofthehat—shows，astheyarecalled。
Thetaleofoursummeramusementswouldbesadlyincompletewithoutsomerecordofthebull—fightsgivenbytheSpanishprisonersofwarontheneighboringisland，wheretheywereconfinedtheyearofthewar。
Admissiontothesecouldbehadonlybyfavoroftheofficersincharge，andevenamongtheEliteofthecolonythosewhowentwereamoreelectfew。Still，thedayIwent，thereweresomefiftyorseventy—fivespectators，whoarrivedbytrolleyneartheisland，andwalkedtothestockadewhichconfinedthecaptives。Arealbull—fight，Ibelieve，isalwaysgivenonSunday，andPuritanprejudiceyieldedtousageeveninthecaseofaburlesquebull—fight;atanyrate，itwasonaSundaythatwecrouchedinanirregularsemicircleonarisinggroundwithintheprisonpale，andfacedthecaptiveaudienceinanothersemicircle，acrossalittlealleyfortheentrancesandexitsoftheperformers。Thepresidentofthebull—fightwasfirstbroughttotheplaceofhonorinahand—cart，andthencamethebanderilleros，thepicadores，andtheespada，wonderfullyeffectiveandcorrectinwhitemuslinandcoloredtissue—paper。Muchmaybedoneinpersonaldecorationwithadvertisingplacards;andtheloftymuralcrownofthepresidenturgedthepubliconbothsidestoUsePlugCut。Thepicador’spasteboardhorsewasattachedtohismiddle，foreandaft，andlookedquitethesortofhaplessjadewhichisordinarilysacrificedtothebulls。Thetorohimselfwascomposedoftwoprisoners，whosehorizontalbackswerecoveredwithabrownblanket;andhisfeet，sometimesbareandsometimesshodwithindia—rubberboots，wereofthehumanpattern。Practicablehorns，ofasomewhattooyieldingsubstance，branchedfromafrontofpasteboard，andaclothtail，apttocomeoffinthecharge，swungfromhisrear。Ihaveneverseenagenuinecorrida，butaladypresent，whohad，toldmethatthiswasconductedwithalltherightcircumstance;anditiscertainthattheperformersenteredintotheirpartswiththeartisticgustoftheirrace。Thepicadorsustainedsometerrificfalls，andinhisqualityofhorsehadtobetakenoutrepeatedlyandsewedup;thebanderillerostormentedandeludedthetorowithtable—covers，oneredandtwodrab，tilltheespadatookhimfromthem，andwithdueceremony，afteraspeechtothepresident，drovehisbladehometothebull’sheart。Istayedtoseethreebullskilled;thelastwasuncommonlyfierce，andwhenhishindquarterscameofforout，hisforequarterschargedjoyouslyamongtheaficionadosontheprisoners’side，andmadehavocintheirthicklypackedranks。Theespadawhokilledthisbullwasshoweredwithcigarsandcigarettesfromourside。
IdonotknowwhattheSabbath—keepingshadesoftheoldPuritansmadeofourpresenceatsuchafeteonSunday;butpossiblytheyhadgotonsofarinabetterlifeastobelessshockedatthedecayofpietyamongusthanpleasedattheriseofsuchChristianityashadbroughtus，likefriendsandcomrades，togetherwithourpublicenemiesinthisharmlessfun。Iwishtosaythatthetobaccolavishedupontheespadawascollectedforthebehoofofalltheprisoners。
OurfictionhasmadesomuchofoursummerplacesasthemiseensceneofitslovestoriesthatIsupposeIoughttosaysomethingofthissideofourcoloniallife。ButaftersixtyIsuspectthatone’seyesarepoorforthatsortofthing，andIcanonlysaythatinitsearliestandsimplestepochthePortwasparticularlyfamousforthegoodtimesthattheyoungpeoplehad。Theystillhavegoodtimes，thoughwhetheronjusttheoldtermsIdonotknow。Iknowthattheriverisstillherewithitscanoesandrowboats，itsmeadowyreachesaptfordualsolitude，anditsgrovesforpicnics。Thereisnotmuchbicycling——theroadsareroughandhilly——butthereissomethingofit，anditismightyprettytoseetheyouthofbothsexesbicyclingwiththeirheadsbare。Theygoaboutbareheadedonfootandinbuggies，too，andtheyounggirlsseekthetanwhichtheirmothersusedsoanxiouslytoshun。
Thesail—boats，mannedbyweather—wornandweatherwiseskippers，areratherforthepleasureofsucholdersummerfolksashaveatasteforcod—fishing，whichishereverygood。Butateveryage，andinwhateversortourcolonistsamusethemselves，itiswiththeleastpossibleceremony。Itisasif，Naturehavingtakenthemsohospitablytoherheart，theyfeltconventionanaffronttoher。Aroundtheircottages，asIhavesaid，theyprefertoleaveherprimitivebeautyuntouched，andsherewardstheirforbearancewithsuchaprofusionofwildflowersasIhaveseennowhereelse。Thelow，pinklaurelflushedallthestonyfieldstotheedgesoftheirverandaswhenwefirstcame;themeadowsweremilk—
whitewithdaisies;intheswampyplacesdelicateorchidsgrew，inthepoolstheflagsandfloweringrushes;allthepathsandway—sidesweresetwithdog—roses;thehollowsandstonytopswerebroadlymattedwithgroundjuniper。Sincethenthegoldenrodhaspassedfromglorytoglory，firstmixingitsyellow—powderedplumeswiththered—purpletuftsoftheiron—weed，andthenwiththewildasterseverywhere。Therehascomelateradwarfsort，sixortenincheshigh，wonderfullyrichandfine，which，withalow，whiteaster，seemstoholdthefieldagainsteverythingelse，thoughthetallergolden—rodandthemassesofthehigh，blueastersnodlessthicklyaboveit。Butthesesmallerbloomsdeckthegroundinincredibleprofusion，andhaveaninnocentairofbeingstuckin，asiftheyhadbeenfancifullyusedforornamentbychildrenorIndians。
Inalittlewhilenow，asitisalmosttheendofSeptember，allthefeatherygoldwillhavefadedtothesoft，paleghostsofthatloveliness。Thesummerbirdshavelongbeensilent;thecrows，asiftheyweresomanyexultantnatives，areshoutingintheblueskyabovethewindrowsoftherowan，injubilantprescienceofthedepopulationofourcolony，whichfledthehotelsafortnightago。Thedaysaregrowingshorter，andtheredeveningsfallingearlier;sothatthecottagers’
husbandswhocomeupeverySaturdayfromtownmightwellbeimpatientforaMondayoffinalreturn。Thosewhocamefromremoterdistanceshavegonebackalready;andtheladycottagers，lingeringhardilyontillOctober，mustfindthesightoftheemptyhotelsandthewindowsoftheneighboringhouses，whichnolongerbrightenafterthechillynightfall，ratherdepressing。Everyonesaysthatthisistheloveliesttimeofyear，andthatitwillbedivinehereallthroughOctober。Buttherearesuddenandunexpecteddefections;thereisasteadypulloftheheartcityward，whichitishardtoresist。Thefirstgreatexoduswasonthefirstofthemonth，whenthehotelsweredesertedbyfour—fifthsoftheirguests。Therestfollowed，halfofthemwithintheweek，andwithinafortnightnonebutanallbutinaudibleandinvisibleremnantwereleft，whomadenoimpressionofsummersojourninthedesertedtrolleys。
Thedaysnowgobyinmoodsofrapidsuccession。Therehavebeendayswhentheseahaslainsmilinginplacidderisionoftherecreantswhohavefledthelingeringsummer;therehavebeennightswhenthewindshaveroaredroundthecottagesinwildmenaceofthefaithfulfewwhohaveremained。
Wehavehadamagnificentstorm，whichcame，asanequinoctialstormshould，exactlyattheequinox，andforadayandanightheapedtheseaupontheshoreinthunderingsurgestwentyandthirtyfeethigh。I
watchedtheseattheirawfulest，fromthewidewindowsofacottagethatcrouchedintheveryedgeofthesurf，withtheeffectofclutchingtherockswithonehandandholdingitsroofonwiththeother。TheseawassuchasightasIhavenotseenonshipboard，andwhileIluxuriouslyshudderedatit，Ihadtheadvantageofamellowlog—fireatmyback，purringandsoftlycracklinginaquietindifferencetothestorm。
Twenty—fourhoursmoremadeallsereneagain。Bloodcurdlingtalesoflobster—potscarriedtoseafilledtheair;buttheairwasasblandlyunconsciousofeverhavingbeenafuryasaladywhohasfoundherlosttemper。SwiftalternationsofweatheraresocharacteristicofourcolonialclimatethattheotherafternoonIwentoutwithmyumbrellaagainsttheraw，coldrainofthemorning，andhadtoraiseitagainstthebroilingsun。ThreedaysagoIcouldsaythatthegreenofthewoodshadnotouchofhecticinit;butalreadythelowtreesoftheswamp—landhaveflamedintocrimson。Everymorning，whenIlookout，thiscrimsonisofafierierintensity，andthetreesonthedistantuplandsarebeginningslowlytokindle，withasortofinnerglowwhichhasnotyetburstintoablaze。Hereandtherethegolden—rodisrusting;butthereseemsonlytobemoreandmoreasterssorts;andIhaveseenladiescominghomewithsheavesofbluegentians;Ihaveheardthattheorchidsarebeginningagaintolighttheirtenderlampsfromtheburningblackberryvinesthatstrayfromthepasturestotheedgeoftheswamps。
Afteranapparentlytotalevanescencetherehasbeenalikeresuscitationofthespiritofsummersociety。IntheverylastweekofSeptemberwehavegonetoasupper，whichlingeredfaroutofitsseasonlikeoneoftheselateflowers，andtherehasbeenanafternoonteawhichassembledanastonishingnumberofcottagers，allsecretlysurprisedtofindoneanotherstillhere，andprofessingopenlyapitytingedwithcontemptforthosewhoareherenolonger。
Iblamedthosewhohadgonehome，butImyselfsnifftheasphaltafar;
theroarofthestreetcallstomewiththemagicthatthevoiceoftheseaislosing。Justnowitshinesentreatingly，itshineswinningly，inthesunwhichismellowingtoanOctobertenderness，anditshinesunderamoonofperfectorb，whichseemstohavethewholeheavenstoitselfin\"thefirstwatchofthenight，\"exceptfor\"theredplanetMars。\"Thisbeginstoburninthewestbeforetheflushofsunsethaspassedfromit;
andthen，later，afewmoon—washedstarspiercethevastvaultwiththeirkeenpoints。Thestarswhichsopowderedthesummerskyseemmostlytohavegonebacktotown，wherenodoubtpeopletakethemforelectriclights。