224
��Ten Days in Nantiitkct.
��should sec whenever he should come home from a European trip.
Two hours later they were relatin;/ their pleasant ex])eriences in the din- ing-room of their boarding house, while enjoying the delicious bluefish which gratified their hunger. As for Miss Ray, her anticipations had been real- ized ; and that night she wrote to a cer- tain young man in Boston that she knew of no place in America where they could be more by themselves and away from the world, when their happy time should come in the following sum- mer, than at 'Sconset.
The next afternoon found them all listening to Mrs. McCleave, as she faith- fully exhibited the many interesting curiosities of her museum, in her home on Main Street. Mrs. Gordon was very much interested in the Cedar Vase, so rich with its "pleasant associations," while Bessie was delighted with the beautiful carved ivory, with. its romantic story as told by its owner. Miss Ray considered Mrs. McCleave, with her benevolent face, her good ancestry, and her eager desire to learn and impart, a good specimen of the well-preserved Nantucket woman.
Through the courtesy of their hostess, they were privileged, on their way back, to visit the house of Miss Coleman, on Centre Street, there to see the wonderful wax-figure of a baby six months old, said to be the Ukeness of the Dauphin of France, the unfortunate son of Louis XYL When Mrs. Gordon learned that this was brought to Nantucket in 1786, by one of her own sea captains she be- came very much excited over it. As she realized then that her knowledge of French history was too meagre to fully understand its historical import, although she appreciated its artistic value, she determined that another winter should be partially devoted to that study. So she
Vol. 3-3-C
��added " Frencli history" to "Camels," "Lighthouses," " Navigation," and " In- dians," which were already in her note- book. She had added " Indians " the day before when her interest in them had been quickened by some accounts of the civilization of the early Indians in Nantucket, which seemed to her almost unprecedented in American his- tory. After supper, Mr. and Mrs. Gor- don went out in a row-boat to enjoy the moonlight evening, Tom went to the skating-rink, Miss Ray spent the evening with some friends at the Ocean House near by, while Bessie went out for a moonlight sail with some friends from a western city whom she said she had " discovered, not made." Her ap- preciation of a fine rendering of her favorite Raff Cavatina by a talented young gentleman of the party, soon after her arrival, had been the means of bringing together these two souls on the musical heights, which afterwards had led to an introduction to the other mem- bers of the party, all of whom she had enjoyed during the week that had passed. And now with these newly- found friends, on this perfect July even- ing with its full moon and fresh south- westerly breeze, in the new yacht " Lu- cile," she found perfect enjoyment. Pleasant stories were related, and one fish story was allowed, to give spice to the occasion. After a little more than two hours' sail they found themselves returning to the Nantucket town, which, in the moonlight, presented a pretty appearance.
The next day, Saturday, INIr. Gor- don and Tom started early to sail around the island, with an intention of landing on the adjoining island, Tucker- nuck. Tom had calculated that it would be quite a sail, for he kne^v that Nantucket island was fourteen miles long, and averaged four miles in width ;
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