High Tide

A woman sits in a chair on the covered porch, taking in the salty sea breeze as I approach. Soon I am introduced in the retreat’s lobby to Sister Ann Raymond, director of St. Mary’s-by-the-Sea.   A piano rests near a statue of Saint Joseph, the carpenter. The main sitting room, a library with a variety… Read more »

They’re talking about it in New York. They’re arguing about it in Philadelphia. And in both cities, the town of Cape May crops up in the conversations. They’re discussing the use of horse and carriages as entertainment. Animal rights activists are scrutinizing the trade, noting the animals suffer cruel treatment and work long hours. Both… Read more »

During his Cape May visit, Sousa, later dubbed “The March King,” left behind one composition and a noteworthy concert that formed the seeds of what later would be the greatest example of military marches written in America. His most rousing compositions “Stars and Stripes Forever,” “El Capitan” and “Semper Fidelis” were yet to be written.