The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-16
LONG BRANCH.
ITS FASHIONS AND FOLLZRS.

Tho weather - Tho OroWn - General
Grant-what ne Did for Long Branch
-whs Rival Of Saratoga and Newport
Warming an Honest Penny-ChriRtian
Eortituds - Manners and Customs -
Phta and New York
-aLOud" Fashions-The Programme OF
the Day-The Phstimes-The Drive
aI,oudO Teams AmusemSnts - Pistol
shooting Extraordinary - The Hour
DemOcratic-LOve-Th Ladies-Where
- aThs Beauty" I-Vhe AaiArOad TO
Long Branch, Etc.
IvvvD,Na rE1EeRAPH SPECIAL ooRREsPoNDENCE.l
LONG BRANCH, N j., August 8.
"ob this intolerable weather, as somebody
NV pen, though but feather is heavier than
lead"
so sang the poet SAKE in his New York
SD noe Davs.S and so may the scribe sing
vho Jerks the quill this morning at Long
Branch, Last night it was cold, with a
fresh breeze from the sea; Enis morning
II Is warm and clear, with gentle, insinu-
atpg sort of an air direct from the glittering
sands of Jersey. To vary the scene, and if pos
gible make everything more disagreeable, old
Sol occasionally steals forth from behind the
fleeting clouds, and rejects his brazen face upon
the placid bosom of old ocean, dazzling the eyes
of the sightseer, and compelling the prone
naders to seek the shade. But what of that?
This is Long Branch; ; tits fashionable; therefore,
we are in duty bound, according to the rules of
le bon ton, to smile, congratulate our friends
upon their improved" appearance since they
have spent day at the Branch, or leave for
more congenial quarters. 1t may be that Pm
fastidious this morning. A close room of a
warm day certainly does not have tendency to
make one very agreeable, but as have many
things to speak Of which partake somewhat of
all the different phases of watering place life, l
shall endeavor to accommodate myself to cir
stances.
General Grant, in the past few weeks, has &C.
eomphshed a multiplicity of great things which
excite the admiration of the civilized world.
His last step into the War Bureau was a feat in
its way, but his sojourning for a few days at
Long Branch was matter of no small moment
to the fashionable world, although a mere
matter Of pleasure to the. General. Long
Branch of three years ago is the same Long
Branch to day, so far as the scenery and drives
and comforts are concerned, and yet there is a
radical change in the society. 1t was always
highly respectable, but in years gone by there
was an easiness, amounting almost to negl-
gence, which made things agreeable to those
who sought the seaside for comfort, which has
now entirely vanished, and been supplanted by
form and fashion. In fact, we are destined to
be, if not already, the successful rival of New
port and Saratoga. "Good morning, Jonesn
says Mr.. Fitzbizen "When did you get in ?"
al auwived this evening"" answer the ex-
quisite Fitz.
"why, thought you'd gone to.the springsg"
''Au, yes,n answers Fitz, with twirl of his
moustache, $50 l did, but it's so confounded
stupid THAI. Thau's nobody thau bat the
McFlimseys and few othau good families of
our set; so 1 thought I'd run down heau; con-
found it, caunt see what's the reason General
Grant couldn't stop up there anyhow"
This is no idle talk or matter OF imagination;
the conversation (omittiug names) took place
last evening on the verandah OF the Stetson
House, within my hearing. nave endeavored
to give the language. with all of its peculiarlties
simply as reflex OF the ideas and style of our
visitors. If 1t should occur, and 1t sometimes
does that lady sang an air III the parlor OF the
hotel you are sure TO hear it done up in the most
limpld French or italian. English, in song, is
entirely ignored and conglomeration of
sounds, interspersed with tr1lls, quaVers, and
demi-semi-quavers, are shreked out upon the
air in such a manner as to defy its identity by
the most acute and sensitive ear. 1t Is left to
you to ask the title of the piece, If you have a
desire to know what and where the music was.
This of course refers strictly and only to that
class of individuals who visit watering places
with the sole idea of being seen heard, and in
quired after. To say the least OF this matter,
it would be unfortunate if we were compelled
to see and hear these moths of society all the
time, but kind Providence has so arranged 1T
that they become tired III time, and then those
who enjoy the solids ofths life have their little
We have manners and customs here which,
although quite similar to other places of like
character, are nevertheless q little peculiar. 1t
reminds me of first class hotel life in New Or
leans American citizens of African descent
are the instruments through which most of the
''kind offices" are performed. When l say that
they are up to their business, mean that they
know how to turn an honest penny. They are
very 'loudn in their manners, which is our new
coined word for "style," and they do not forget
to make the innocent guests of the hotel pay
for the temporary enjoyments. For instance
YOU are lodged in room 999, 'The best we can
do for YOU, sir" and upon retiring to youl
room tired and weary, you find your pitches
empty and everything generally in confusion
There is no bell; you descend from your sky
parlor and walk half square to the Office
enter complaint, and with bow you are again
escorted to your room. John (all hotel servants
are John) trisks about, and at the end of an hal
hour you are fixed. / said you are fixed; well, In
in that was right but John still hovers round
about you, doing a thousand things that dont
want doing, and you wonder if John don't wan
to be fixed too. Slip a small sum into his hand
and with leer, which fuctuates between irony
and sarcasm, he asks you II you want anything
else; fee him handsomely, and a bright and
benignant smile will overspread his countenancC
in o moment, and with bow he quits the room
with an ease and grace which speaks profound
respect. OF course the old stagers, soon free
themselves from these petty annoyances but
the neWly-hedged suffer, and become disgusteC
with a matter that has become one of the essen
tials of hoIel life; and so we 90. Hundreds
leave us in the morning, whose places are eagerly
snatched up by those in waiting, or the throne
pOurs from the depot upon the arrival of the
trains. We have people from almost every State
in the Union, and the tide Is, seemingly, never
ceasing. The preponderance of our popula
tion is however, from New York bu
there are also quite a number of Phila