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5 September 1901 — Boston | |
Thursday. 5th [September 1901]. We left Boston by a 9.30 train which took us to a place called Stonington on the sound. Mrs Griscom had ordered the Alert to meet us there that we might embark. We reached there abt 12.30 & on getting out of the train looked in vain for the steam launch. There was an old man with his “turn” a very slow fat old horse in a kind of waggonette. Sister Bettle & I got into it & went slowly down the long street which ran the length of the little sleepy old town to the end of the point of the promontory where we could look into the Sound & search for the “Alert”– She was nowhere in sight so we drove up the other street & thus saw the entire town. It seemed about 100 years old & consisted chiefly of semidetached houses of 2 storys. There was a small square plat of grass in the midst of it holding a small stone building wh our driver informed us was the “Free Library”– In another place were 2 old long muzzle guns wh he said had been used to protect Stonington against the attack of the British fleet in 1814– He also pointed out an unexploded shell stuck on the top of a stone post wh had been fired into the place by the British fleet. There were 2 larger houses belonging to the owner of some mills—& in the main street a rather fine avenue of trees gave a grateful shade. It was a very hot day & the sun was rather trying. We returned to the station to tell Mrs Griscom that we had no news of the Alert. We were very hungry & consulted our old friend the driver as to where we should be likely to be able to get any dinner. He said he thought a lady who kept a boardinghouse wd probably give us the best meal & drove us at once to the door. But the lady came out & said she regretted that she had her house so very fully she was quite unable to help us & advised us to go to another boardinghouse kept by a Miss Selden a little further down the road– This we did & a nice looking ladylike woman in a clean white piqué dress came to the door & finally agreed to take us in & said that her boarders were just finishing their dinner & if we would wait a few minutes she would give us some food. We were very hungry & very hot & glad to get into her house. In about 20 minutes we had a most excellent lunch, beef steak, soup—& apple tart & were altogether in a better state. I declared that I had taken the sight of the British shell very much to heart & had longed to carry it off by stealth!! but after the excellent lunch I had got in the good town of Stonington I was mollified and could think of the trophy with less bitterness!! After lunch Mrs Bettle & I went out to the Drug Store to send telegrams to Watch Hill to ask Mrs Rodman Griscom who is staying there if they could see the Alert coming. Mrs Griscom had her afternoon nap the while– At the Drug store I saw “Souvenir spoons” advertised & on asking found they were modern spoons with an engraving of the British Fleet & the American guns so I bought a couple as curiosities. The answer from Watch Hill was that no Alert was in view so we all 3 determined to take the local steamer over to Watch Hill. We had great debate whether we should not go straight on to N. York by train & give up the Alert—but we went to Watch Hill after all, tho’ as the steamer was about to start Mrs Griscom again very nearly resolved to go by the train wh was then passing thro’ the place– Mrs Bettle discouraged the idea & we went on to Watch Hill & reached it in abt 20 minutes. It is a summer residence where there is good bathing & consists chiefly of large hotels. We took abt 5 minutes walking up the hill to Mrs Rod’s cottage & she was sitting in the verandah waiting for us. She is a fine tall handsome young woman—her looks very much spoiled by her stoutness. She gave us tea & showed off her little children to their relations. While sitting at tea I was opposite the window with Venetian blinds half closed but through them I espied the “Alert” in the distance tacking up the Sound. This was a welcome sight & Mrs Griscom at once became happier. At 4 we took the Ferry steamer back to Stonington & the launch saw us & fetched us & took us on board. They had already secured our two maids & the luggage & we were once more reunited to Nellie & Pansie & our troubles were over & we cd talk them over & laugh at them– For myself I had been amused at the whole thing & felt sure we should be in no difficulty at the end. It appeared that the Alert had only left Newport this morng at 4 A.M. & there was so little wind that they had made very slow progress & only got to Stonington at 4 P.M. There was now a dead calm & we remained at anchor. | |
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