Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 8.djvu/239

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night, in the early part of July, 1883, as the successful real-estate broker, Mr. Gordon, returned to his home from his city-office, his attention was arrested by a lively conversation among the members of his family on the wonders of Nantucket. The sound of this old name brought so vividly back to him his own boyish interest in the place, that almost before he was aware of it he announced his return home to his family by saying: "Well, supposing we go to Nantucket this Summer! It is thirty- four miles from main-land and so free from malaria, there is no better place for fishing and sailing, and there would be a mental interest in looking around the island which would be instructive and delightful, and, perhaps, profitable for me, from a business point of view."

Mrs. Gordon, who had of late years developed a keen interest for the historic and antique, immediately seconded her husband in his suggestion; and before the evening closed a letter was sent to Nantucket asking for necessary information as to a boarding place there, for at least ten days, for a party of five — Mr. and Mrs. Gordon, their daughter Bessie, twenty years of age, their son Tom, fifteen years, and a favorite cousin of theirs, Miss Ray, who was then visiting them, and whose purse, as Mr. Gordon had so often practically remembered, was not equal to her desire to see and to know.

In a few days satisfactory arrangements were made which ended in their all leaving the Old Colony depot, Boston, in the half-past twelve train, for Woods Holl, where they arrived in two hours and a half; from that place they took the steamer for a nearly three hours' sail to Nantucket, only to stop for a few moments at Martha's Vineyard. While they were thus ploughing their way on the mighty deep, Nantucket's, famous crier, "Billy " Clark, had climbed to his position in the tower of the Uni-