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1 September 1901 — Aboard Alert, Newport, Rhode Island | |
Sunday. 1st September [1901]. When we rose in the morning we found it pouring with rain so there was no moving & we all sat gathered under the awning talking. After lunch the weather cleared & at 3 Mr Griscom took Nelly, Sister Bettle & myself on shore in the launch, hired a carriage & took us for a drive. The town is very pretty– Low wooden houses or bungalows run on each side of the 2 streets that run parallel along the shore– The upper street ends in detached villas which continue along the shore line. We drove across the peninsula to the ocean side of it—got out of our carriage & walked along the low cliff of the shore with pretty country houses on the other hand—having their towns unenclosed running quite down to the public foot path– Some of the houses, especially 2 built by the Vanderbilt family were mere pretentious imitations in white marble of Italian palaces—& looking curiously out of place– After walking some distance we were met by our carriage & drove on quite round the peninsula on the bay side & back to the Yacht Club landing places where we found the steam launch waiting for us & went to the “Alert” & Mrs Griscom forthwith took us on board Mr Wideners big steam yacht the “Josephine” where we found a select party assembled. We were kindly received by Mrs George Widener the daughter in law & introduced to many people whose names I failed to retain. We went over the yacht which is a marvel of elegance & comfort & even too grand. Most of the cabins have brass bedsteads such as I have only before seen on our late Queen’s yacht when we sailed in the “Osborn” to Constantinople. We returned to the “Alert” for 7.30 dinner & the George Wideners sent to ask if they might dine with the Griscoms & were gladly welcomed. They left early as Mr G. Widener was returning by an evening boat to N. York. Mrs G. W. is a nice looking well bred woman, but to my taste lacks the dignity & reserve of an English woman of the same class. | |
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