From Martha Bell’s Diary April 6, 1914
Well we are back again to this forlorn place and have had the grandest time. I don’t know when I’ve ever enjoyed anything more. After nearly worrying our heads off for fear it would be rainy, Friday proved to be a glorious day. We went down to the dock and took the “Verona” at quarter after five for Quartermaster. It was so lovely on the water and we enjoyed every minute of the ride. The boat stops at many of the little settlements on Vashon Island and winds in and out making the ride a beautiful one. We finally got to Quartermaster about seven. It is just a little country community and very countrified. The Fenton’s house is a nice roomy one very near the water. Behind the house is a meadow and on one side a beautiful orchard. It is the loveliest place and we immediately feel in love with it. We had the nicest dinner and I was starved. That condition seemed to last thru out our stay and the way I did eat! Everything was dee licious [sic]. We spent the evening getting acquainted. Mr. and Mrs. Fenton and an aunt comprise the family and they are all very delightful people. I slept with Jeannette that night.
Saturday morning, we waked up to find it simply pouring. But we were there and perfectly happy to be there so didn’t care a whoop. It was grand to be in a home once more. We girls took possession of the house and work, cleaned up, got lunch, etc. etc. making ourselves perfectly at home. After lunch we read out loud for a long time. Then the rain stopped and we went down onto the beach. Mid [Mildred] had never dug clams so got a stick and set to work. Before she had succeeded in getting the first one a most sudden and terrific rain came upon us. There was a dock near and we tore for it and got under the floor feeling quite secure. But soon we discovered our mistake. There were many and large cracks in sheltering boards thru which many and wet drops came down upon forlorn and unprotected maidens.
There we were huddled up in the most dismal fashion with the water simply pouring down our faces and clothes and worse than that our spirits, we were simply drenching. But funny. I laughed till I was perfectly limp. The girls, especially Mid did look so funny. Jeannette seemed to think it fit and proper to lit out the most piercing shrieks regularly every second. Well, we got wetter and wetter so decided to make for the house anyway. So we made one wild dash, laughing so that we could hardly stand, and at last reached the house. We had an awful time getting dried out but never were the worse for the experience and it was the most fun I’ve had for ages. That evening we sat around the fire place and popped corn, told riddles and had a nice cozy time. That night I slept with Mid.
Sunday, joy of joys, was an ideal day. In the morning we walked along the prettiest road to Portage to church, it’s a mile or more. The Island is very narrow there coming down to just a tiny strip. We went to a little Episcopal Chapel. We had the grandest chicken dinner and everything good to go with it. Right after dinner we started out with “Billy” (the horse) and a one seated rig with us four in it. Some tight squeeze. But we did have the most wonderful afternoon. It certainly is a beautiful country. We went to Vashon and then to some green house – one of the biggest establishments on the coast. Jeannette knows the man who owned it and he took us thru. Such beautiful rows and rows of lilies, roses, hydrangeas, orchids, etc. etc. etc. Oh, but they were lovely! Then he took us to the room where he had his cut flowers and gave us the most beautiful bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley and red rose buds. There was so much in that afternoon that I’d like to tell about but haven’t time. In the evening we made fudge and then all sang hymns for a long time and had the nicest time.
That morning J. & P. had pulled the covers off us and we were bound to do something to get even so hid their night gowns. That was my night to sleep with Pearl. Mid and I hurried up and went to the bath room before they discovered and nearly died laughing. Unfortunately, though I had left mine up stairs in plain sight and I knew that would be the last I’d see of it that night and it was. Well they didn’t say one word about it and neither did we but we sure did have a lot of fun. This morning we put them in their suitcases and I found that J. had mine on. Still we didn’t mention it an haven’t yet.
This morning we were up betimes [Note: early, in good time] for the boat leaves at seven. We all did hate to leave just awfully.
Father will be here tomorrow morning. I can hardly wait to see that dear man. Mid is going to visit in Seattle tomorrow and will be gone a couple of days. We expect to take a boat trip. Can’t take any more time now.
Next Entry April 10, 1914
A College Year 1913-1914 - Whitworth Archives 