1883-08-20oo

During a hot August afternoon, in pursuit of material for a column, a Spectator reporter was allowed to escape the heat of the city and go to the Beach. 

His column follows:

          “Quite a crowd of city folks visited the Beach yesterday afternoon, driven out by the heat to the cool and exhilarating breezes coming across the lake. As one sat on a bench before the Ocean House, and looked out on the stretch of yacht-dotted blue waters to where the azure arc met them, he was reminded of a little verse:

          ‘There’s a white, white sail in the distance,

           Over the sea it comes to me;

          There are sweet June flowers blossoming,

          Who shall gather them? We?

           We who gathered a year ago

           Blossoms which paled with winter’s snow,

           Buds which promised a blossoming fair,

           But scattered their petals on summer air.’

          “It was a day in a thousand. In the sunshine, the fierce light which beat on one’s head unprotected by an umbrella was unendurable, but in the shade, with the wind coming in frequent puffs, and the sound of the surf making music in the air, it was quite different. The verandahs were crowded with guests and visitors. In one of the parlors a piano was awakened by master hands, and many voices joined in the melody evoked from the instrument. The players were William Rule and George Lee, the songs were appropriate to the day and situation. Mr. George Smith, a baritone of splendid capacity, led in nearly all the selections.

“At the Beach”

Hamilton Spectator.    August  20, 1883.