Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-10-22
Josh Billings at Long Branch.

The best description ofthis fashionable
hathing place, is that OF Josh Billings
In bis letter he says:
Arrived here just in time tew see the
Atlantik OSean. which is now on exhi
blshun and dewing good Dizziness tew
full houses. Took bath tew onst, and
was astonished to find the water so sal
turous; inquired the kauzs ov an intel
lgent ratitf, and he informed me he
didn't care; | think the cuss lied.-
There liz about one bundeed and sixty
thousand human beings and other folks
here now, az near as | kan git at it; L
kounted III | got tired, and then estima-
ted. 1t is perfekIy heart renting tew
see the feemas here in search ov natural
protectors. | kounted l6 yesterday in
one pile, tn y aw sighed az | past b
them, with downcast eyes. | felt sorry
for them but couldn't help them. for L
am thoroughly married and intend tew
remain SO. Their is two breezes here, q
sea brteza, and jerze breeze, and | adj
wise awl persons to use the sea breeze,
for the other is so used up before 1t
reaches here that it soon uses up every
body after it gets here. Shoddy and
Petroleum are both here. and exsite az
much notise az patent churn, warranted
To make butter in ten minutes from skim
milk, but they say they shant remain
long, bekause the air smells SD much like
old brine. Yesterday | went out krab-
bing and ketched peek Of them; they
bite SIDEWAYS. and hang on like a dead
boss shoe; they make good vltte.s enuff,
but they aint profitable to cat, if you
kount your time wurth ennything. They
have a singular bug here, which they
call the mu>ketOw they roam about IN
herds and are much respected by the in
habnants; | caut one day before yester-
dav, sticking something sharp into me,
and carried the bug into mi room and
mash d hi n on the sIi. The bathing
is luxurious, anl the bathers resemble
nermaids half men and half women /;
and they dress in the Chocktaw kostom,
and when they emerge from The water,
YIN cant tell which is who unless you
ask them. After bathin3 you feel q
kind Of lackness Of limberness, for which
| was advised to battle in whiske. /
took one immershun. about a tumbler,
anG never felt so stout in mi life. |
tho't could lift an ;,ker of their land,
but bimehy. after licker had let go, |
felt as though ] could foller al angle
worm into his hole and hadn't strength
enuf TO ask dog to foler me-if |
ever drink sum more jersee whiskee, it
will be after am ded and gone. There
is one church here but it would hold so
few that nobody never 60 out of polit
eness. There is 81 hotels, aud they are
principally built out of doors, tew give
the guests as much brinrqueous air M
possible The lodging roo ns are all
small, tut handy, each one haz door
to them and looking glass on the wall
and two washboIes and towel. Dinner.
served at two O'Clock, "opens with soup.
and shuts up with buckleburry. The
servants are generally blak, but many ov
them have lived so long among thu
whites that they begin tew adopt our
kuler. The beach by moonlit, is
worthy of philosopher. Lovers meet
he'e from aUi parties of the kuntrv tew
VOW and sware, and menny hearte
Gums h're tufi and goes home smashed,
and bleeding at every pour. Bnt the
grand atlrackshun IL the Atlautik Osean.
great hnispheer ov liquid life and pow
er. blue watei everywhere the eye kan
reach, ~ gentle NJ a summer G, ening
mil pond, and then agin, NJ awful az a
water earthquake. Upon the whole,
Long Branch z a sensible place to visit ;
| think there " az little nonsez there
generally NJ the same number of visitors
"re capable ov. JOSH BILLINGS.