The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-08-16

II 20
men occupy themselves with their letters or IN IA
| reading the morning papers. AT about Two tL the
dining-rOOm is thrown open, and then o~omes ~ @ Sne
grand rush and dash for dinner. III you ~
posted ven fare very well, but II, unfortunately
You see proper 70 place yourself IN the nanus VI
Of the servants luness ne s "a an o orders
will be answered with the terse expresslOh'
"Just outl" ,.,,.
TO bear it with Christian forttude, price $3.50
per day. The more indignant you are the less
are your chances for a successful attack on the
bill of fare. A couple of well.known Philadel-
phia merchants one in the saddlery hardware
business, the other wholesale grocer, excited
my nsibiiities q day or two since by their per-
sistency and forbearance; After one hour and a
quarter at the table, their patience was gra-
ciOusly rewarded by a cold snack. They have
left the Branch in disgust, with q hope TO do
better at Lake George.
Dinner over, those who are not the happy
possessors OF their own establishments do the
handsome thing by paying two dollars an hour
Tor team, and away they 20 for ride. But
now comes couple Of hours which are little
troublesome to those who have nothing TO do
and do not wish to sleep. l have noticed that
some of the ladies and gentlemen wander upon
the beach, and
"Pick up shells that lay at their feet"
While others indulge in the primitive sport of
making sand pies and pebble dumplings At last
The two troublesome hours are passed, and then
we dress again. The bands take their accus-
toned places on the lawn in front of the hotel,
and as the sun gradually sinks below the horizon
we see one OF the grandest features of the day,
For miles along the beach extends wide
gravel road, as level as q floor. Facing it are
the hotels and cottages while at the rear, ma
Jestc old ocean, dotted with its scores OF sailing
and steam ships, rolls up and lashes the gravely
strand. In few moments the drive, which, an
hour before has been almost deserted, is a
scene OF animated life and confusion, which pen
and paper are inadequate to describe in man
ner fitting to the occasion. Rockaways cabrio.
lets, phaetons, and trotting wagons, in endless
variety, freighted with the most elegantly attired
ladies' and gentlemen, and drawn by the
most beautiful and dashing horses, skim
the road. Now passes the diminutive pony,
whose ambling pace stands in striking COM
parson with the magnificent stud OF trotters
X6I which follow hi hp; Here is Mr. p Of New
along like wind, and there is MIR. P, of Phila-
delphia, who knows all about harness, being in
the business, with his try greys prancing and
dancing as though bidding for admiration.
They get it. But look here comes Miss ",
Of Cincinnati; she draws her pair with mas
terly hand, and guides them along through the
maze OF vehicles in manner which betokens
that she understands her business Nov comes
a bevy of ladies and gentlemen on horseback;
we recognize them as the f. F.'s of the Quaker
City. They are folio in tuFn by hundreds of
others; and so it goes until the drapery of night
settles down upon the earth, and precludes the
possibility OF further enjoyment upon the road
without danger
OF course there are many who find more
amusement in looking on than they do in par
ticipation. They loll upon the verandahs, and
applaud their favorite teams, and mlnutely in
spect and consider the relative merits OF the
passing teams. Others with whom these scenes
have become commonplace, resort the
billiard room, the bowling alley, or pistol
gallery, and there indulge in their favorite
sport There seems to be only one matter of
consequence to all, and thus is, how to pass the
time. The ladies indulge in most of the sports,
and some OF them a1e quite as proficient with
the cue and rifle as their sterner companions.
Ia fhn
crack shot of the Continental" if not of the
Branch. She rings the bell five times out of
seven on an average, at sixty feet, which is hard
| TO beat.
Gradually the loiterers on the road and beach
| find their way to the hotel, and alter dressing
| and supper are over the hop commences in the
| parlor, and while this Is going on in the parlor,
| the swains steal forth to breathe their tender
| passion to their Dulcineas. The wide in
| tootpath at the edge of the bluff is a favorite
resort, snd here at least is democracy. Jehu
| has put his horses away, Biddy has lulled the
| children to sleep, Pomp has served hls last
meal, and Dinah has finished her last lot of
| clothes. Here they congregate after the labors
| OF the day are over, and sip the sweet nectar
| from the abundant store of pouting lips Adonis,
| too, here finds his sweetheart, and Cupid holds
court in the summer houses. There is love and
| love-making, and high and low enjoy the privi-
| lege, while old ocean roars and tumbles on the
| beach like an ogre angered at the scene of peace
and happiness which he neither comprehends
| nor enjoys.
There are nearly if not quite, ten thousand
visitors here. The hotels are filled to overflow
| ing, and one is fortunate to secure q nook
| wherein he can stretch his limbs. Probably
one-haf of all these visitors are ladies, but out
of all have yet to see more than half dozen
really beautiful women. There seems to be a
singular dearth OF beauty, and gorgeous sup
ply of ugliness. draw my conclusions from
tour through the hotels at different hours during
the day time. At night cosmetics, store hair,
and what not, add greatly to the appearance of
the fair creatures but with all they fail to come
up to the usual standard. The reason why am
at loss to conceive.
But have already exceeded my limits. With
a few words in regard to one of the most heart
rending affairs, will close. Reader, did you
ever make trip over the Raritan and Delaware
Bay Railroad? II you never have, pray you
as you love your life and your friends, do not
attempt 1t, lest you never see friends or home
again. 1t is a swindle of gigantic proportions,
and an institution which the Legislature of New
Jersey should indict as nuisance. Let me pic
ture a TRIP IN few words, from Philadelphia to
Long Branch. You climb over innumerable
baskets of truck, fish, etc., to the ticket office
and after securing your ticket, and running the
risk of running your clothes by coming in con-
tact with sundry cart-Wheels and fish baskets
you find yourself on the boat. In the course OF
a half hour you are over the river, and en-
sconced in one of the ilthiest of cars Directly
you start Slam, bang goes the train with a
jerk; and now commences a scene rivalling John
Gilpin's ride on horseback. Slam goes the train,
and Whack goes your head against the side of
the car. You still live, however, an1
"Onward we go, in mingled hope and pain"
Five miles are passed, and we stop until q
train passes. Oh, how agreeable it is, with the
thermometer among the ninetes Ten minutes
4 Ha.ra -,