The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-22
LONG skANcH.
The Bad Weather and tho Hotel Keepers
Shoddy and the Lords Of the Branch-A Ball
and Who Were There.

III u an dAlom, DeiieFe, among meuicai ihon' W
rather law, that excessively hot weather has tn
effect Of dspiriting, instead OF enlivening human
beings. Now ] am not disposed with the mercury
creeping over ninety degrees in the shade, to carl
at THIS wonderfully scientific discovery OF tue healer
OF men, but must confess TO full conviction tina
~"v never ta.anded to include hotel proprietors II
Wiz. -. ana baya he.n led Z,
the miserass4 cateso., aua . na'o ''e ~. hot,
this conclusion by the act,.- -. agains
lords hereabouts, whom one stump.. 90
at almost every step; for dare ~"
you are perfectly well aware that every other M
~ this nelghborhood is supposed to be directly OF
Indirectly hotel proprietor or nobody at all,
have noticed tnat they are invariably in thex ve.-y
best humor whenever heated term comes about,
and everybody else has got the blues az persprIug
consequence. In fact, their good humor appears to
increase IN proportion TO the rise of the mercury In
the tlerponstsr gauge towards the fever heat point
To be sure. excessively hot weather drives hundreds
>of people out Of the city to catch q breath OF
iresn air, and somehow or another g good many
people come down here to catch it; in fact, hun
dreds who never think or leaving town az long as the
heat Is not altogether too purgatorial to be borne
with any degree Of Christian patience; and this
naturally Ills the hotel mans money bags to over.
lowing But then this circumstance most assuredy
cacn0t be the cause OF their exoruciating good hu.
NOR ID cxcrucistingIy warm weather, for they are
such unssfdsh men, are hotel pr0prietors. They
know 80 well how to stand up0n their dignity-s
very frail platform as rule-so wen now to scrapc
and bow to the paying customers who order so
much wine, and manage. without any very great
dfficulry. but at great expense. to go Jolly drunk
every night; 80 WE'LL In fact how to look dow with
contempt upon the plainly attired guest who pays
BIS board promptly but Affects neither green seal nor
veuve Cltqu0t The weather is horribly warm here
Just now and the crowds that daiiy arriving ut
the various notes are immense. Just imagine the
good humor of the pr0prietOrs-on account OF the
weather. Of course.
"sHODDY."
Long Branch, in the opinion OF most people who
know great deal about IT, and who would Know
great deal more about 1t than they do could they
only be prevailed to suffer martyrd0m Of q whole
season ct one OF the hotels, Ii rather IN Overrated
place. For myself, do not exactly know how 1t Is
that newspaper correspondents never fall, whenever
they visit It, to write 1t up the Of all that
Simon Pure aristocracy. The fact is with the ex-
ception of number OF wealthy residents. who shun
the usual society to be found In the hotels az
they would 50 many lepers, Long Branch Ii shoddy
from the crown OF Its head to the sOes Of its feet
the crowd individuals who do not know exactly the
social atmosphere they breathe. yet breathe freely,
thanks to their own 0btuseness; but, Tor all that
the vulgarty that Is hidden beneath silks and satns
purchased In nine cases out OF ten. Dy the price OBJ
talned for bsd whiskeys retaied by the measure at
, i, w. Er9gser1es, meets r one on every side. -
the briiiiancy Of thousand lights IN ballroom,
where everybody attempts to outdress every
dition; for the stubby fingers will show themselves
and the slang talk Of the uneducated rich one fresh
from the baser walks OF lie. viii break In upon
Of breakfast gong IN the midst OF mel0dous music.
In fact shoddy-not shoddy Of the war fortune
sudden wealth without Its due degree Of cultiva-
tiOn-pfevaiiS everywhere at the dinner table
where the knife is made to stun down the dessert in
n q a a cred tn mao fhaf
ar butter, you lummicks;" or IN the paror where
shoddy tells the other that her two young friends
the folks Of Long Branch dress better and more ex
pensyely than at any other Of our summer resorts
al OF wniea eoncede, aud more loo, for the guests
at Long Branch dress more than tue folks at other
resorts and, Ia the majority OF Instances. with not
Que half tue taste ana good breeding displayed else
where where both qualities are supposed 10 exist in
an eminent degree. II may be, and l think facts
prove that Il Is the fault OF the really hugh toned
ssow sans AFTER with tins no sod oSn
dstiOn TO BACK It, should usurp the place OF the
more valuable article but that Is neither here
there. Facts are very stubborn things, gIoss them
over as you may and one of the most stubborn facts
for certain people s that the Branch Is overrun
with sh0ddy as no other resort has ever been.
THE LORD OF rHB BRANCH.
II there be one class moro than another at this
ran r s ahead R e Of the
may be safely set down ~ part and parcel OF the
shoddy carcass 1t is that which the guest rst en-
counters on entering the hotel A bright and par
ticular specimen Of this class wears the very slick
Of broadcloth, and collar that from its starched
look at anything under the ' range wea oe b 10
right eyebEow, especially II stranger at the
Branch desires TO know in what corner OF room
containing eight or nine beds he Will be allowed to
rest his weary frame for the patry sum Of nve dol
lars currency. His hair 10 always parted in the md
Ole or SO near the middle that lt would be Q hazard
Gus thing 70 bet which part OF the head contains
his small quantum OF brains. HIS manner Is that
OF the wealthy man OF the world, whose great toe
every one struggles to kiss; his smile that of the
lord who c0ndescends TO notice his tenant hs fr0wn
that OF the overseer when slave dares tn dispute
his word. His walk Is stately hts carriage majestic;
with hun. He Ia good talker. but poor listener;
always imagtnes his advice is law, the suggestions
inferior sort Of being, for the special and highly
laudabc purpose OF crushing out which IL was
ordained D,sa, that ne should %
AT the hotel balls ne dresses elegantly ~ the most
elegant, and not content with one fair companion,
generally circulates ABOUT IN the crowd to be ad.
mired and taken for o man with brains In the
midst OF two feariully and wonderfully dressed
charmers. This magnificent creature Is lord OF all
ne surveys ct the Branch, and no one disputes his
right to consider everybody but himself nobody at
ALL even though he may be In debt to his tailor ana
not either BY right OF ership or personal industry
but simply s-hotel clerk. That and nothing more.
4 BALL.
There was grand ball' at the Continental last
night for the special qualification OF the proprietor
who doubt get the PERMISSION OF the hotel CLERK
large dining room or the hotel was used as the ball
ROOM and was decorated IN magnificent style. The
walls and pillars were adorned with national nags
and bunting Of all colors and descriptions while
large hag5 were tastefulIy hung over and at the
sides OF the entrance way as 10 form a sort Of
bower. Even the ceiling was hidden from view by
the display OF bunting, and at various parts Of the
room huge bouquets OF natural flowers we've
nestled among the folds Of the flags and banners,
which not only lent additional beauty 20 the general
scene, but FLIED the room with a sweet odor as OF
crushed roses Long befo Q the hour dxea for the
N ball had we'd the cYoWI9 from
various hotels along the eaen began to pour into
the Continental, and which. OF course, by the time
the festivities began, were increased thousand fold
by tine guests OF the Continental Itself. Several
calcium lights lft up the grounds In front OF the
hotel and the at the entrance way as carriage
after carriage drove up TO the door and deposited
each It's quota OF beauty, was brilliant the ey-
IRENE, although the crush for 'pace, position and
comiorr' as the doors. were hung open was Vt one
time quite appalling. The dresses and
toilets OF the ladies were superb, and In
many cases altogether too much so--that Is, where
more regard was had for style than quantity Of
dress above the waist. Two excellent bands of music
did their melodtous utmost to make the ball as
Nzi 40 INV al