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• 6 Newport— The Maid’s Story I will now go back in my narrative to the season of 1850. I was that year at work at Saratoga. The nephew of President Polk coming there with his family, consisting of his wife, two children, a man and maid servant, and the lady wishing to have a maid and hair-dresser, I gave up my situation at Saratoga and went to Newport with them. We stopped at the Ocean House.1 I found the most of the company there from Saratoga, as it was a habit with many to go the early part of the season to Saratoga and drink the water, after which they sought the seaside to bathe. I found out this season why many of the ladies liked Newport so well; it was because at the latter place the ladies and gentlemen were thrown more together. As there was but a small hall to promenade in at Newport, ladies, gentlemen, children, servants and all were together, while at Saratoga the ladies had two very large galleries and the gentlemen one, so they were never thrown together, except those who had families or acquaintances. This season the Germania Band was there, and I have often been amused, while listening to the music, to see the different dresses, different appearances, and different cliques. There were five ladies there from the neighborhood of Philadelphia, all of one family. These were all beautiful and very elegant in every respect. Though the ladies did not associatewith them much, they were great belles with the gentlemen; they did not care much for the ladies’ society, as they knew they were on the strong side.Three of those ladies were married, one was a widow, and the other a young lady. 65 Newport The widow was a tall, elegant looking lady, with a pure white skin, which was very much envied. She always dressed in the most elegant black silk and pearls, or black velvet and diamonds, while the young lady dressed in white silk, sleeves looped up like a child’s, and a sash round her waist. The three married ladies were a good deal talked about. I do not believe there was any foundation for such talk. Like all pretty women, they liked their admirers. Many of the ladies came together and declared they would not come another season if that family were permitted to be there. The proprietor very readily complied with the wishes of the mass of boarders, and told the ladies theycould not be accommodated there another season.Theydid not return fora season or two, with the exception of thewidow. She had always held herself above reproach. She always came there, and at length gained an entree again for them. At this time the widow is reigning at the head of society in the South, while the others are reigning the same in New York, and are married in the highest families. North and South, many who used to think them not good enough to sit at table with, now bend low to them this season. There were many belles there. One in particular was very gay and a great dasher. There was much talk about her, but no one can say whether there was any truth or not in such stories. It was really a delightful sight on a fine clear day to see two or three hundred ladies sporting in the water, and chasing the waves in their picturesque attire; some with yellow, some white, some crimson dresses on.The gentlemen had their hour, but many were so delighted to see the ladies in their bathing dresses, as they always had seen them so dressed up, they would not keep away, until finally the proprietor placed officers there to keep them off till their hour came. I, with my little Miss, went in one day with two or three hundred people. My little girl had on a yellow flannel dress, trimmed with red, and my own dress was the brightest crimson that could be found. I was proud to have them admired as the prettiest dresses in the water that season.While in the water, I noticed one lady who had on nothing but a simple nightgown; and on coming out she lost her little house.These little houses are for changing the dress in, and there are three or four hundred of them along the beach. She asked many people, but she was such a comical figure no...

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