Connecticut western news., 1880-09-08
To Rockawax Reach.

TO ROck0Way Reach.
 ED. NEWS 1T would like, in small space, to take some of your readers-those who have never been to Rockaway Beach on one of those mammoth excursions"- me on the Sim on pure, unadulterated excursion for the mil lion. We will take the train at Canaan, which leaves at 5.15 a. m. The first requisite is, to lie awake nearly all night in 6 tremor of ner- vous excitement, and the second is. to wake up in time, in the morning, Now considering that both those requisites are observed, an't after getting our shlrt on sshind side before .' pants ditto, the right shoe on the left foot, ana vice versa, Tn our rush to get ready in nVe mlnutes before train time, we go the de- pot, hear that the train is three-ouarters of an hour late, and sit down and get cooled of and think what an idiot we were to fly around SO ana get into sweat in getting ready, while at the same tune, the fact that the train is late IS the only thing that saves us from being left. Here she comes at last, and we'll get right into this car and take the first empty seat we come to. Why, here we are right familiar faces we have seen. This will make the trip pleasanter and shorter, and-what's that fight in the carr There now they are separated, and the'cigar that made the dis turbance IS out--just where the pugilists ought to be. Get your1tickets ready, here comes conductor Thomas, and it won't do to keep him waiting, for he has a long train to go through. Why there goes superintend- ent stlllSon through the car. He seems to be everywhere at the same time, and looks sharp ly after the welfare of the roads patrons Well. at last we are in Bridgeport, over an hour late, and there is the noble steamer "Grand Republic waiting for us-but gra- clous She seems to be overcrowded now, and there certainly can't be room on her for the thousands, who came on our train. Oh, yes, they are all on this side of the boat watch ing the passengers. Hark hear the music from the brass bands on the second deck ; ioY1ft +hn io,, blanks, The whole crowd wants to get on at once. We might as we'll crowd forward, for a
 policeman says not more than quarter of the multitude will be able to get aboard. Don't | stand on ceremony crowd that woman out of the way. Keep cool, back therel there's plen- ] ty Of time, don crowd so. Hurry up flow ard There, my back hair is down ouch, keep of my toes Beg pardon, madam, didn't mean
 to step on your train but thought it was passenger train. Here we are, on board at last, but what a jaml Now we move the ex- | cursionists all wave parting salute with their handkerchiefs, the bands are playing on both | ends. Of the boat, and the crowd walks to and fro, up stairs and down, in ceaseless stream. Let's watch them minute. There is William | Henry with half an acre of barnyard sticking | to his c0whide boots, which proves that the
 COWS were milked before starting this morn ing, and that his motto is Business before pleasure" He is leading Marian Jane by the hand. she sweetly chawing hunk of molasses | candy, with which her ruby lips are tempting ly besmeared. Don't they look happy? There goes Sambo with Chloe on his arm. he with
 white, tie, big button-hole bouquet and 8 40 cent diamond dazzling on his immaculate shirt
 front she rigged out in gorgeous yellow, and walking with lcose-jointed wiggle that any
 society belle might envy.-But if should at-
 tempt, Mr. Editor, to go on and review the va rious sizes, shapes and phases of human na-
 ture to be seen in this mongrel crowd, of 5000 people, it would encroach upon your ble
 space to greater extent than you would wish
 so will take my companions and go forward
 to where Miss Rose Harding is playing cor.
 net solo. Isn't it lovelyl How the listeners
 applaud. What "good player for child P
 well guess she is ; she is pupil af Arbuckle
 who predicts glorious future for her as 6
 cornetist. Here we are at the New York Ian.
 ding, where over 2,000 are getting off. Nov
 we are of again. Here is Brooklyn bridge
 here the Battery, and everywhere objects oi
 historical interest. Now we are out on tht
 ocean blue and the boat begins to heave, anC
 full and prudish Miss Prim, stretched out sea
 sick in the unappreciative arms of her seasicl
 escort. Threaten to throw them overboart
 and they wont so much as wink toprevent
 They know how ridiculous they look, but don care cent whether school keeps or not. Tht announcement that New York is sure for Han
 cock wouldn't enliven them @ particle. The
 are SO sick. Here is man throwing his din her overheard. Here are children deathl sick, and right here in the bow is lot of hard
 
 l fortunate companions, Here is Coney Island but there is not water enough to allow ou
 monslrous boat to approach the pier. Tn
 sea serpent has drank 1t all up, or else the i have used it to adulterate their Coney Islan whiskey. We can see the bathers in the surf
 and the big hotels, and the magnificent fro
 pier and lots of other nice things as we pasi Now we are at Roekaway, where we have jus an hour to stay. What lively and excitin
 scene. The military bands are playing on tn
 hotel verandas thousands of people are prom :, enading the streets on this side IS minstrt show opposite museum here dancing ps
 vilion; there the swinging horses, here ar = photograph galleries; there bowling alley l. and shooting galleries smirking hucksters
 every article conceivable greet us at ever
 step.. Sun or storm, they are always on hand j. In rain, the parasol huckster hawks umbrella d and the bootblack greases the pedestrian
 shoes. Every man, woman and child we mee has scheme to get our money. Let's go dow and watch the bathers few minutes Gres r. Scot how the modest land lubber's sense
 propriety is shocked by the display. Ther .. are ladies whose fimsy bathing suits wet an U baggy, set with shocking looseness, betrayin a every form and feature See how the hoa1
 headed old patriarchs flock to the front ranl n to watch the sport why, they appear 20 veal cons, too. But let's get away from here, an }. go back to the boat, which starts at once. E7
 erybody's aboard and now we're of. ''Lo ' of people left ; well, they had time enougl 1T | why didn't they come arOundI They II hay z- to stay over Sunday. Now as we are preti
 tired let's go into the grand saloon and S
 down until we land at Bridgeport. Wh T. says I've been asleep? It's no such thing ! Bridgeport at last ? well it's about time-1 6 o'clock at night. Now with sleepy eyes, an
 all tired out, we must squeeze into that jal ,r again, and disembark and break for the wal = ing train in order to secure seat. We mui ' run the gantlet of the meanest set of low-live e roughs with which any city is cursed, who ge train starts, insulting the passengers an using all sorts of vile language. We'll, let 'r get into the train here's just one empty ses e in the rear car; now we'll wait patiently {
 start. Now if you look around you can SC ,, just how much h. o. g. there is in human ns ,t ture. There's man occupying two seats, all ,, no doubt swearing because he can't fix tn q backs so he can occupy two more. That ma
 Lying there in his seat lies easy. He just tol , 1 lady the seat was engaged proving that he i rather lie than sit up and tell the truth U There's 8 fat woman with all of her clums length the seat will permit, on one side, the
 bent at right angle, with her big feet on tn d seat opposite, while right here is 8 young fe n low with his doxie, so anxious to make roo1 . that they both occupy but one-half the sea e Everybody seems to be asleep, SO there's n
 use in our lying awake. Whats that? s'Mov @ into the next car.' Horrorsl here every ses - is occupied and not more than dozen pei r sons in the car. Here, shove over that wa 5 and ggive us a seat Blast this night travel
 ssWake upl'' what for2 What Canaa ] already ? five o'clock Sunday morning; fiv ., hours coming from Bridgeport JAIRE.