The New Penelope, and Other Stories and PoemsVictor, Frances Fuller
General
The New Penelope, and Other Stories and Poems
Victor, Frances Fuller
Northwest Coast of North America -- Social life and customs; Pacific Coast (U.S.) -- Social life and customs
I was summering at our Oregon Newport, known to us by the aboriginal
name of Clatsop. Had a balloonist, uninstructed in the geography and
topography of this portion of the Pacific coast, dropped down among us,
his impression would have been that he had alighted in a military
encampment, very happily chosen, as military encampments usually are.
Given, one long, low, whitewashed house enclosed by whitewashed pickets;
a group of tents outside the enclosure and on the bank of a beautiful
graveled-bottom, tree-shadowed stream, and you have the brief summing up
of accommodations for summer visitors at Clatsop. The plentiful
sprinkling of army buttons among the guests--for there are two forts
within a three hours' ride of this beach--tend to confirm the impression
of military possession. Besides, our host of the whitewashed hotel is a
half-breed; and there is enough of the native element hanging about the
place, picking berries and digging clams, to suggest an Indian family
where a temporary station might be demanded. It would only be by peeping
inside those tents where ladies and children are more numerous than
bearded men, that one could be convinced of the gypsy nature of this
encampment; though, to be sure, one need not press inside to find them,
for the gay campers are sauntering about in all directions, ladies with
their escorts, children with their nurses, parties returning from
boating or fishing, or riding or bathing: everybody living out in the
open air the whole day through on one pretense or another, and only
repairing to the hotel at meal times, when the exquisite dishes prepared
by French half-breeds suffer the most instant demolition--such hunger
does open air inspire.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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