Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-08-02
LIFE AT CAPE MAJ,
CAPE MAY, July, 1sIs.
MERMAIDs AND MERMEN.


between IL and O'Clock, according to indi
vidual convenience or fancy. 1t is generally
at Its height, however, about ~, and then
the occasion is as novel and interesting to
the observers on the beach as 1t is exciting
and exhilerating to those who are disporti ae
themselves In the yeasty waves. Along q
level and almost straight coast line, stretch
ing for nearly two miles, the bathers are
scattered in little squads or groups of huo-
dred or more, and at times as many as from
thousand to fifteen hundred may be seen In
the water at once. As rule, the bath ing
suits are dark blue, fancifully trimmed with
lighter shade of the same color or with
white, but there are enough made OF gray.
lavender, red and yellow stuffs to give fe
and variety to the kaleidoscope picture
Imagine this gatly clad army of big and lit.
Tie folks boobing up and down in the rapid
ly following rollers like a flock of ducks in
thunder storm, with the Oh-h-h his, and
Ugh-h-h-h's and E-e.e-e-e's OF the fem ale
portion OF 1t rising at times above the noise
OF the sea,-s0me floating serenely on the
surface beyond the outer line OF breakers
others Drawing their full force little nearer
In, and Others, still more timid. basking h alf
In sunshine and half In the ripping surf that
breaks upon the clean smooth beach white
and brilliant as waves of perfectly cut dia
monds.-imagine all this, say, and you
have fair idea of the scene to be enjoyed
by those who are walking or driving alon2
the beach little before dinner time.
Another spectacle, equally interesting, If
little less exciting, II Is to Sc the many
bevies of
CHILDREN PLAYING
all day long in the clean white sand. Each
one is equipped with a tiny wooden bucket
and shovel, and their enjoyment OF their
gentle sport Is every whit as keen and thor:
watch them digging wells, building bake
ovens, or molding Ice cream, as they call 1t,
and occasionally almost burying themselves
In the warm dry sand, is enough to make
one wish-vain wish, alas!-for a return of
the happy days and simple joys OF childhood.
indeed, almost irresistible, and 1t is no un
usual sight to see parents squat down aud
engage In the prevailing pastime with as
much zest as II they were indeed the youth
anxious fathers and mothers, already iu the
afternoon OF life In truth, better place
than this for children / have never seen.
required by af1ectionate Mamas for the play.
ground OF their darlings, are here combined
In remarkable degree. The sparkling sand,
washed, ialls from taeir clothing like waer
from q ducks back; and as for danger, there
is hardly possibility OF IL. A child could
only run risk OF drowning by wading out
for nearly a hundred yards In the shallow
water that ripples over the gently slopiag
beach, and even then, / verify bslieve, the
considerate sea would tsnderly carry It bl,k
TO shore before danger could befaI It. Happy,
thrice happy, the little boy or girl wac Ia
after life can look back to summer days
passed at this delightful spot!
The w ELL HOP
Of the season was that given TO the 5th NJ sry
land at the Stockton hotel On Thursday eve
ming. 1t had for committees, managers, etc,
the usual long list of high sounding civil and
military dignttaries, who had nothing to do
with it,-and IL was uotless all the better
managed on that account. did not attend
this ball, bat am told the toilets were sim
ply stunning. This statement can easily be-
lteve. For you must know the swell people,
and especially the swell girls, make The
stockton their abiding place while at Gaze
their whole mind to dress: to dress In general,
and to fancy stockings in particular, should
say And OF what use, pray, are fancy sto:S-
tngs, II not 10 be seen OF WON sn, for their
envy, and OF men, for their wonder? All
colors and all shades OF color are co1se-
quentiy INDUCED In. Some are In plain
unts; others with gay stripes running lo1gt-
tudtnally; others horizontally, sud yet 9th
ers again with variegated embroidery work
rum Ing every way. AS these expensive and
as for use, 90 1t happens that of q morning
the piazzas OF the Stockton present display
which for variety and brilliancy OF color
could hardly be matched by the decorated
eets or Philadeiphia on the Centennial
Fourth of July.
These Stockton girls, by the way, never
battle. At least, SO / am told. The indul-
gence OF that luxury increases too much the
Dolly labor of elaborate dressing; besides,
old Neptune has q way Of washing out ali
taces Of the artistlcally applied tints Of red,
their striking compilations. A lot of these
millinery dummies came over TO Con gress
lawn the other afternoon to see the boys run
Solomon in all his glory would have been
ashamed Of himself along side of them. II
they had been going to the royal opera or to
hardly have been arrayed more elaboratsiy.
i am ready to believe, therefore, that tnsir
make up for full dress hop was something
wonderful to behold and Impossible to de-
i aCC0rdinQlv
ter TO the charm and mystery OF the i'm sgt-
nation. 1t Is always well TO do this when
y oS, nave not seen or cannot describe the
AS Tor the regiment Itself, 1t does not seem
70 pan out SO well as the first surface lodi
cations promised. II has not numbered
much over two hundred, all told, should
say, at any roll call since 1t has been here
We have repeatedly been told, to be sure,
that more detachments were coming; but
only serve TO make good the places Of otners
who leave. At any rate, the line doesn't ap-
pear to grow any longer. What there is of
II, howe yer, has a good band, a fair drum
corps, and gorgeous drum major; and these
things are good deal, even without a "rigi-
ment:" But In spite of these attractions, the
crowd seems TO have lost interest in the en-
campment and Its dress parades. The sill n
muster roll is doubtless chargable for mucn
OF this, for great masses OF men are always
fascinating TO the eye, though other aLtrsc-
tive features be wanting. Another circun-
stance has probably not been without iutiu-
ence In the matter. On the occasion OF tue
reception given at Congress Hall to the regi-
ment on the evening of its arrival, its baod
bad the inexcusable bad taste to open the
music OF the evening with the adopted rebel
airs OF "Dixie" aud my Maryland" in the
order named. This significant selection ap-
peaIed TO please little knot OF mourners for
the lost cause present from Baltimore, but
10 the larger proportion of the guests from
other portions OF the country IL was clearly
distasteful, and If this distaste was not
openly manifested IL was because they woo
felt 1t had more regard for the proprieties of
the time and place than had those who ar
ranged the programme. Seeing that the war
is over, or supposed to be, for the present, at
least, the horn tOOters undoub tedly have the
right to play rebel tunes as much as they
please; but most persons will agree that,
under the circumstances, 1t would have been
both natural and proper to give the plac OF
honor TO one or Two old time national airs.
Such were performed afterwar 1t IL true;
but the offensive prominence accorded to the
others could not fail to be observed nor TO
leave an unpleasant impression on the mind
Of large majority OF those present.
ONE OF THE NUIsANCEs
existing here that ought to be abolished or
greatly reformed, but which probably VIII
not be while monopolies continue as power