The New York herald., 1872-08-12
SUNDAY IN THE CENTRAL PARK.

few days drove thousands Of visitors to the Park
yesterday whom the pressure OF business or limited
means has kept cOoped up all through the hot sum-
mer months in this great city. To the weary tOera
OF the metropolis Sunday visit to the Park is the
weekly stirnulant which enables them to throw of
the exhaustion and fatigue Of the six days pre-
vious labor, and fits them for renewed efforts in the
six succeeding days. Dickens has said that the
parks OF city are its lungs. without them half
tho children of our large centres of populatio1
would never attain to maturity and the other half
would grow up stunted and dwarfed both In nina
and body. Y
There is no finer park in the world than our own
in extent beauty and facilities for enjoyment, and
1t has rarely presented more attractive appear
ance than 1t did yesterday afternoon. The freshly
mown mall, the shady walks, the sequcstercd hooks
and the widening paths were oil filed with merry;
laughing groups sweethearts and lovers, parents
and children, servants who had their Sunday out
and thirsty TeutOns. whom the cruel edict OF o
tyrannical Excise Board had driven from their fa-
vOrite occupation OF to the cool shades
of the trees In the Park, where they endeavored to
compensate for their unnatural deprivation OF Heav-
ems best boon to Germans of devouring Schweizer
sandwiches and drinking copiOus draughtS
from suspicious black bottles, which the prOvdent
fraus had carefully slowed away in the reCesses OF
their capacious wallets. "Eat, drink and be merry,
all round, and-what the prediction of Pantamour
be true s-the last Sunday in the Park was cele-
brated right royalty. 1t Is true that now ana them
the natural feeling OF impending doom would
throw temporary gloom over the more thoughtful,
and they would ponder for a moment, wondering
how they would feel this afternoon, when they wilk
either be smashed into atoms, dissolved into thin
air, hurled upon the sun or left undisturbcd, but
such feelings were heetlng, and the CROWD
md uhaH
and chatted about politics, fashions and scam
dals as did tho ancient Pompeiians on the
last day of Pompeis existence, even while the
lava OF Vesuvus was preparing to lay IN one
common ruin the castle OF the patrician and the
humble home Of the plebcan. SO runs the world
tunity to tell Of the number Of people who visit the
Park on summers Sunday, and the manner in
which they enjoy themselves, we Will lose no tmS
The tiny pleasure boats on the artificial streams
who wore stff collar and carried huge cigar in
his mOuth-the smoking OF Which was cvidenty q
assert his manhood by treating the blushlng damseI
Of sixteen his companion, TO half hours pull
the Every boat was ar fSss aa =
have all found work to do, the picture reminding
one Of Venice, the city in the sea, and its canals
seekers bore no resemblance to venetians and the
sweet music which Venice loyes TO hear was en-
tirely wanting. In its place there was boisterOuS
laughter and rude jokes, the young men bearing q
striking resemblance TO each other In get.up ana
pretty, coquettsh and silly.
The number Of handsome vehicles which turned
out yesterday was very small compared with the
display which may be seen in the early spring, bnt
fair representation Of the best trotters and natty
occupants the less said the better the male portion
comprising the nashy dressed gambler, the young,
blood with more money than 6 brains and the rnrat
fair, but more fra their brazen appearance an6
impudent stares strtkingy contrasting with the
N n1O hoh ovio oc ha r.x
want girl, who was exceedingly enjoying the one
day in two weeks which the III generosity OF the law
pie tske out their carriages on Sunday the Park on
that day being to the saloon keeper the
The otner @ S ATTRACTIONS WITH which the
Park abounds were the centres OF admrinZ
crowds the menagerie, as usual, having around IT,
arrived einigrants The suggestion that the
museum should be kept open on Sunday, as well asA
dition, sacred music could be provided, as in Eu~
ropean cities, there would be no more delightluF
The straght-laced and Pharisaical spirit which
would prevent such innocent and heathfuk
s sesa sp rnpd ~ ~
Is rising up. which Is more in accordance
with the spirit j. Of the age and the & wishes Of the
zens would have a place to spend their day Of ieis-
orderly rowdies and witness the disgracefll eXhi-
billions which are the leading features Of so-called
As the shades of evening came on aud the trees
began to throw out ien9thehed shadows the se-
Q9estered nTTvks aid walks ECHOED with the sound
or 'S.Uleh kisses, sweeter for the theft" Vows
OF undyng fidelity were exchanged, love-
tokens were exchanged, and the founda-
tions laid for either happiness and misery
for marriages which would be advantageous or
marriages which would only bring misfortune, ana
80 ten O'Clock came on, the Park was closed and
night came down on the scene. ieThe sun rose
bright and clear upon the last day of the city'a
existence, .if there is any truth in astronomy,
UIn NJ c.rrnv nvovL
ing, and now we coming to the dread moment
when 1t shall be proven whether there will be any
more Sundays in the Central Park or whether we
ourselves '.shall vanish like the baseless fabric or
vision" aud leave not wreck behind" Selahf