The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-07-15


Most people on waking yesterday morning looked
at the sky all overhung with low clouds Of that Pc
cuar leaden tint that usually presages coming
storm, and at once concluded that we were going
to have another summer shower and more or less
wet Sunday. The more cautious therefore, natu-
rally abstained from excursions and either went to
church or drew cool chair into the shady part of
the stoop ana read the Sunday HERALD and watched
events. But it tursed out that the sky for once
Yves better than its warning. BY noon the clouds
sailed away to more congenial regions, and
the sun broke out with an earnestness and
vigor that had In 1t something terribly cruel,
and reminded us that we were still in the 'sun-
stroke sostice" OF the year. the heat became, In
deed, intolerabe, and the consequence was that in
addition TO Its usual throng Of Sabbath iders, the
prOmenades or the Park, the cool vaults OF its
arched bridges the gloriously draughty Of
the ice cream and pumpkin pie restaurant in mont OF
the lake. and the grateful shade Of the oliaged
trees were enjoyed by large number Of people who
generally 60 further a1eld for their Lords day
airing This lent to the great 'lung Of the city,"
as somebody has called a city park, an exception
ally crowded and animated appearance. Wherever
you went you encountered crowds Of holiday
folks, clad In their finest dry goods ana radiant
with joyous conviction that 1t was
still "infernally" hot, yet still they had come to
s as was
every STEP you certainly came across very charm
ing little subjects for genre picture parties A
pair OF lovers, sitting close together In spite OF the
perspiring weather, upon weatherstained bench
delightfully."- shaded by mass OF verdant foliage
and with little babbling rill trickng out from a
big rock in the background, and falling into hol-
low basin In the stone from which couple of ur-
chins are slipping drink Of water in rusted iron
ladle-surely that deserves translation upon can
vass. Or, again, boatload OF a dozen people
rounding the point Of the island in the lake with
of the way OF the coming PROV; or agroup
Of gamins enviously watching the SEALS as they
founder IN their pond and snort and blow with
-, but il is idle to give in detail the dozens Of
pleasant scenes Of peaceful contentment and calm
happiness which delight the eye Of lover of his
kind wherever he strays within the precincts Of
our great popular garden.
will, there Is an air OF reverental thankfulness.
tone ofquiet gratitude, underlyngSunday life at the
Park in spite Of its frequent apses into gaiety and
noisy with baseball Players the band stand Is loud
with the braying OF trumpets and the beating Of
drums and the banging OF cymbals, and in attire
and manners OF the people; and even in the
snatches OF talk that you invoiuntarily catch as
you pass along, the sentiment OF the scene Is
emil No flying balls threaten your safety as you
skirt the meadow on your way to the lake. The
PR efas ana 1ne Cees ana me insects are
ear; and the crowds though thick as the day
before, are subdued with O palpable though un-
If you think aboutait, you may come to the con-
clusion that this is as real and complimentary a
irionto TO the institution Of the fourth COM
mandment ss Though these health imbibing
pleasure seekers were to devote themselves alto.
gether to the questonably duty Of being stewed
alive In the sleepy pews OF city church at mid
summer.
1t is scarcely necessary to review all that THESE
countless streams OF visitors did to while away the
bright hours Of the weekly day OF dolce Jar nsente
They ate Ices and sauntered quietly along the
walks and wandered about the banks of the lake,
and halted in convenient spots whore shade and a
vacant seat happened to come together; they ad
equipages and fast trotters along the road; they
stared at the elephants and wondered at the silent
wisdom OF the eagles and pitied the poor hears In
their suferings from the heat, and laughed at the
monkeys, and perhaps wished that they were, just
for the summer, Of the same animal persuasion as
the serpents who can live for month without
eating and spend their entire existence In lying
dead asleep upon the ground. That is not all they
did. either by the way; but 1t at least shows that
an afternoon at the Park may be abundantly filed
with pleasant sights and amusing mental occupa
lions.