The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-07-26

nlcu Oy lazy, nave no business On the pedcn-
As we are not one of those privileged few who
carry their smiling passports on their arm, we
must be contented with viewing the fair bathers
from decent bachelor distance-from the top OF
this high cliff for instance. Bah we can see
nothing from here, only ndstinct and grotesque
groups Of thurman figures Must we then be in
debted to fancy for sketch2 'Ah if we only
had telescope how much better it would be %
Hush softly! say nothing, Here is the article
cautious. A single fash of its polished mirrors
may betray us, and If once seen by The bathers
BE- low, and in our hands, our characters would
not be worth sous-gone forever. Hsre point
1t through the long grass-so now, tell me what
you see %
''Frst of all, half dozen carriages are gallop-
ing to and from the beach, each deposting It's
30 of what appear - be huckster-women."-
"Huckster-wornen the devil /! why they la
dies, sir; ladies of the first water, in dlshable %
"Well, only said they appeared 70 be huckster-
women, and am right" How so? explain
yourself" "Vhy they are dressed precisely as
have seen ~ huckster-women in eur NewYork
markets. Huge shaie bonnets to keep off sun,
wind, and rain, with large loose gowns of calico,
and coarse coorless shawls, thrown in sovenly
manner over their shoulders. They may be la
dies, but you recolect the old song that says, ex-
cept the dress
There's no difference to be seen,
Betwixt beggar and queen
So no doubt there are ladies and beautiful ones
too, concealed beneath most OF these ungraceful
DISCUSSES"
number OF gentlemen ase mixing with these
huckst- ladies'. These are husbands, brothers
and cousins. If we had only the good fortune to
have been a brother, a cousin, or northumberland
Course the word, it almost chokes me) we should
not now have been perched upon The cliff, view
ing the scene through telescope, but right IN
the midst ofthem; but let the topic rest tor the
present. Regrets are vain. Well"
Each has entered a little bathing house | can
count over 800 of these, standing wheels
along the beach, and looking like so many sentry
boxes Ha the little painted doors reopen, and
the inmates issue forth, but-oh how changed
in outward appearance Instead OF the oil sun
bonnet and the coarse colorless calico, they now
glisten in all the coors of the rainbow red, green,
blue, predominant some steal cautiously forth,
tmid and modest as the naked nymphs of Diana
W, while Others ' OF older a experience dash down
upon the bosom of the breakers. Here they go
hand in hand to meet the coming wave there
they are gathered in groups, exult,ng in the brny
food, and laughing in each Others embrace
Here far creature has ventured far beyond her
depth, and, with bold stroke, combats the swell
ing billow she would make fine wife for
sailor. Close in shore, gentleman is pursuading
his sister-a girl Of sixteen, tlmld as a fawn-to
wade further into the water but no, she will not
90 one step further She is from the west she
has never been near the great ocean before she
is frightened at the huge height and the hoarse
barking OF the breaker. and as each new wave
leaps against her well developed limbs, she can
scarce repress scream she trembles from head
to foot-and yet, perhaps, in her lar western
home, this terrified creature would not hesitate
to take up the rife, (the husband of course beng
from horne,) and level it at the wildcat, the
prairie wolf, or even the tawny savage Of the
forest himself! Quien sabe?'
"Come, come my friend, you are growing
satirical stuck 10 your telescoPe-what more do
you see %
Nothing more The dear creatures still plung-
ing and FLASHING about, like so many sweet sea
nyinphs. Occasionally | can see an arm or a
limb above the blue wave, white as Parian
marble. "Ha by Jove negroes !" What!
negroesl Devils! You are jesting." Not bit
of it, my dear fellow; look at those black faces
masked bathers.' "Nlasked! and for what rea-
sonP' "Oh! do not Pretend to know. Some
say they are too arisocratc to expose their faces
to the public gaze--others say the sea water has
the effect of washing off paint and pomstum, and
leaving very pale countenances behind :" "Hark!
there IS a scream-and see! they are all rushing
toward the dry beach. What is the cause of all
Bitten" ga lady bitten! What the devil do you
meanr' "Why, mean what have said
presume lady has been bitten, and her screams
have nut all the rest to fight" "Bitten by what!
A shark!' 40, not at all--only crab or a lob
ster" "And do the crabs attack the ladies In this
fashion!" "Why, certainly-almost every one
of them, more or less, has been bitten IN her
See, they have all returned to their bathing boxes
to doff their dripping dresses. They Will soon
re-appear as huckster-women; and in this dis
guise hurry home to their chambers and che
mises, where not even telescope eye can
reach them" EcoLER.