The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-06
AT THE SEASIDE.
Atlantic CIty-Th- Grand operate Con-
cert at the Surf HOuse-The Hop Ihat
Followed the eCOnceRI-T The Sabbath that
Followed Ihe HOp-Mustc, MIrtn, and
SObeFnsS6..

cert at the SURF HOuse-Fho Hop that
Followed the Co ODCerI-The Sabbath that
Followed Ihe HOp-Mustc, Mlrtn, and
SObeFDsss..
lEVENING TELEGRAPH SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.l
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., August g.
Step by step-slowly, it is true, but surely
this once desolate and dreary strip of ocean
shore has assumed all the characteristic features
OF frst-class watering-place. We need run
back but a few years in our remembrance to
recall the time when it was frequented only by
the louneer of day. A three-hours' ridt.
through barren tract of country. breath of
air that was not tainted with the smoke and
dust OF the city, dip in water that was clear
and pure from its very immensty. dinner on
the beach or in some rIckety structure called
by mere courtesy hotel, another dip, and theu
back again through the wilderness to the light
ano lie OF the world;-such was the programme
of day. Tue programme of week was seldom
contemplated.
But the past ten years have wrought mar.
vellous change IN the aspect OF the world; and
Atlantic City, though 80 tar removed from it,
has meekly followed with it. There are hotels
which, inside and out, are strictly 6rst.class-
commodious and comfortable. The people who
live in the great world beyond the barIenness
they come trooping in goodly numbers, accom-
panied by their baggage, and nurturing the
deliberate intention OF remaining O week or
month. In other words, Atlantic City has
become "watering.place." 1t has likewise
become fashionable. These two short sentences
comprise the gist of the matter.
Saturday evening was marked by an event
which will tend to render the place more popular
and more fashionable than ever. This, as all
the world by this time knows, was grand
Operatic Concert. The concert was followed by
| a Hop. The concert was a noYelty-the hop was
not, being an old institution. People come here
on purpose to hop. While the sun shines they
hop into the water, they hop about among the
breakers, aud then they hop out again. And
! when the sun goes down, from mere wIluness,
and prompted by feeling OF surplus energy,
they hop about the parlors and dining-halls
until their heads grow dizzy and their knees
weak. But until Saturday afternoon, no one
ever dreamed of coming through the pines to
this desolate coast, for the avowed purpose of
listening to prime donRe and tenOre who have
| figured on the stage of the Academy itself.
On Saturday, however, people left the city to
the number of legion or more, They sought
the seaside not so much because 1t was the
seaside, as because it was the scene Of the
Operate Concert. AS william T. Caleb mine
host of the Surf House, was. guilty of devising
and perfecting this great innovation, the legion
became his guests Caleb, by-the-way, is a good
soul People who stop at the Surf House some.
times swear by his name, SO great is his popu-
lar ty The secret of it lies Just here-he has
AN eye to the comfort of his guests; they suffer
not for want of meat or drink, not if he can
help it.
SO Caleb devised and arranged the operate
concert, which came off according to promise,
on Saturday evening at eight O'Clock. The
spacious dining-hall was full Everybody OF
standing an unpIopiuous tt OF weather, and a
hop, with attractions, elsewhere. The audience
was one of the most select that was ever col
lected at Atlantic and the hearty manner in
which the efforts of the artists we're received
showed that they had the capacity and the dis
position to appreciate good music.
The programme carried out on the occasion
was the tollowing:-
!. Overture from Bellini's Norma, by the
Orchestra.
2. Arla-"Pro Peccatis"-from Rossinis Stabat
Mater Sung by Professor Jean Louis, OF Phila-
5. A6ts "sleep Well, Dear Child" Sung by
Franz Himmer, of the German Opera.
4. Enc0re-'Srhou BeauteOus Maiden"-Abt.
8. Grand Aria from Meyerbeer's "Pr0phete."
Sung by Madame Frederici, OF the German
6. Encore" -"Loekung"-Dessau