The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-01


detvorcd 10 Jim on tho suhicct OF his exploits
| Mt Saratoga induced him to make an attemp t to
I reform.
| II think ] had better no 10 some quiet place
In W"stchcstcr County" said no. They sell
eurh horrible liquor thers that could not
| drink II II I were paid for II. That viii keep inc
| out Of mischief" And of he went.
few dave later l received letter from him,
| saying that he had enough Of this rcformntory
experiment. and wanted 10 have iittlc relax
ation-just for onco only. H0 suggested Man
1 haitian Beach M tho proper place TO go to. with
a party OF two or thrco moro friends. TO spend q
whole day. II was understood that we should
meet at tho hotel there at Up. NJ. tho previous
| evening
| But before leaving his Wcstchester County
retreat, Jim took n stroll along somo pond
upon which lndy with number OF children
was indulging In boating. Ono Of them, a boy
about fvo years old fell head foremost over
board, and tho desperate cries OF tho mother
"havo my boyl save my boyl' caused Jim to
jump into the water and TO fsh the little chap
out Hc had tho blessings Of tho mother called
down upon his head, but hn had no change Of
| clothes and had. consequently, 10 lie In bed for
several hours til his garments were dried.
This circumstance delayed considerably his
arrival nj the rendezvous.
misadventurc Of amuch more stupid Kind
kept mo bchndhand. too. Unaware that the
proper steamer to take at the foot Of Twenty
third street for Manhattan Beach was the Eliza
HaneoN, took tho first that came along and
! found my mistake only when we woro approach
ing Backwcls Island. I was on board tho
Harlem, bound for Harlem. Luckily tho boat
stonped NJ Astoria. and thus enabled mo 10
reach nv destination by the roundabout way Of
Astoria Ferry and the Second avenue ear from
Nncticth street.
Our friends were already through with their
dinner when Jim and | made our appearance
On hearing 81 our adventures they. Of course
laughed NJ mo and congratulated Jim.
THAT is all very wcll' retortcd he But
I'll mover do anything Of the kind again. ! can
not swim at all. and might easily havo been
drowned The lady has seven children. and
may have moro. So IL would not matter much
to her II she had lost one. But 1t would make u
dcvilsh sight Of difference to me IL | had been
| drowned. for ! have no duplicate Of myself
Besides the water was confoundcdy muddy
and my pockets are full Of dirt yet. Ny change
il all covered with verdlgrs. Ny papers and
pocket book are gone. and the repair of my
watch will probably cost me so note. No
moro humanitarian impulses for me. gentle
mcnl"
II was getting quite late when Jim's narrative
and the dinner were over Tho music had
ceased. and most ~ the guests had started for
home What shall we do now Z" was evidently
written on every ones face. when George sud
denly addressed tho party.
"Gcntlemcn | am an absolute believer in the
H7aifs weather predictions. / read to-day
that we are going to have a rainy day to-mor-
row. and madc IN my mind that little game
Of poker would be acceptable. have accordingly
brought chips and cards Let Us start at once.
aud l. l.frs
II will practically be the winners who will thus
hAve to pay the bill"
The motion was accepted with unanimous
reclamation. and we immediately adjourned to
one 81 the bedrooms secured beforehand A
round table was ordered from the dining room.
n woollen blanket put over II. and the principles
OF the game were settled in tho twnkling Of an
eye Limit. 1850; ante. rs cents; straight
boats three Of u kind; royal Aush beats four
aces"
The hand bag which George produced while
We were taking our seats was worthy Of sketch
by Palzac or rhackeray. 1t contained a box Of
chips. two packs Of cards tive bottles Of brandy.
a corkscrew, and n tooth brush. He had lodged
his change OF linen In tho Tag of his travelling
companion. but ample reason was given 10
everybody 10 surmiso that he had none and
intended 10 sit at the table till the hour Of return
had struck.
Tho bottles being duly handed to jim and
the chips counted out the machinery was set in
motion. The windows wide open on the beach
sent us delightful pufs Of bracng sea air.
Go ahead" Iims deal :" am I'M" " |
am out . Il -tradde;' Two and a half bet
ter. 90 | see you; these and similar technical
phrases We're. long after midnight resounding
in the room with the same portcal monotony a.
the rush Of the breakers against the shore
under our windows.
For heavens sake boys. let us go 10 bed"
said Jim about four in the morning. Il am
awiully tired Besides. would not. for all the
gold in tho world have the daybreak find me at
u card table"
"Pshaw!" retorted George. Since when do
you care 80 much about daybreaL You aro
ahead-that's what makes you feel so scrupu-
lous,'
But largo majority decided that 10 quit the
game at A. NJ. could not reasonably be- consld-
ored As an attempt 20 jump it. so 10 bed we
| went. survey Of the situation showed about
half-a-dozen empty bottles OF Saumur. an inn
mense quantity Of cigar and cigarette stumps
kitty worth some twenty odd dollars. and one
empty brandy bottle. OF which Jim had the spe-
cial charge.
1t was the first time made tho Acquaintance
| Of Saumur. II has the advantage OF being sold
at about half the price Of regular champagne
WHO II h''tnS 10 pflSSfhS MI mo tAllllhlAlUR
qualities Of the latter II does not give head
ache. and tAstcs well. and there is no reason
why il should not since most Of tine wine made
at Rheims is manufactured from grapes com,
ing from still more distant district, than Sau
muir.
Tho next morning about ten or eleven the
company began to show symptoms Of renewed
vitality again. Two members went on, for m
immersion in tho Atlantic waves. Jim started hi
morning campaign by making an eye opener
while George and myself looked stupdly out OF
the window at the dismal picture ~ torrents Of
rain pouring on the deserted beach.
You see how right was in bringing the
chips and tho cards" remarked he, with gtri
umphant air. What should We have done
i here to-day If we had not HAD thcm2'
Great head great head! observed jim
nfcr having finished hi. cye-opening opera
ton Now let us go and take our breakfast
Here are our bathers coming in wet and SILVER
ing ali over"
e An hour later va were nj work agaiL. nnl thu
rafting Of chips and the cracking Of card.
went IN AS lively as on tho night before
Toward the evening it began 70 rlcnr on
+ masses Of New York and BROOKLYN people
began To- pour in with every train, and we al
, felt as if We were entitled 20 q good dinner