, 1880-07-18
OCEAN GROVE.


music by c. F. Dennec-
OCEAN GROVE.
A Seaside Resort Under Religious Con-
! troll.
Special Corrrypondence Of The Chicago Trbune-
OCEAN GROVE, n. j., July 14.-Away down
In New Jersey remembrance of our Chicago
friends comes to us, and we wish they might
i be enjoying the ocea11-air and the delight
fully lazy atmosphere of this little place,
| considered BY some Of its Inhabitants to be
nearer Heaven than any other spot this side
Of Jordan. It is the very headquarters Of
t Methodisnl The ground was bought ten
| years since, by the Methodist Association, for
camp-lneeting purposes, aud Is leased
by them for term OF nincty-nlne
years to people who wish to enjoy the
privileges OF the place. So the town for
the next century will be under the surveil-
lance Of the Committee, and will doubtless
deserve its nickname of s' the Holy Land"
It is a pretty little village, and takes its
| name from the grove Of dwarfed pines and
| oaks in which 1t stands, The spicy breath Of
the pines makes the air very sweet, and the
| salt sea-air brings strength to all sojonrners
| here. Besides the cottages, in which we
| merely sleep and eat, and Of which most of
| the space is devoted to piazzas, there are
numerous tents scattered through the grove
Some people complain that the tents are very
| warm at midday, too cold at night, and that
during Il rain-storrn they are very damp. At
least they look very pretty and i'll
viting among the trees. To-day we
passed snow-wlite tent evidently just
pitched, and looking fresh enough for a
BRIDES habitation; but some one was unro-
mantle enough to assert that she would pre-
fer not to be a bride III such cralnped quarters
Of course, the great feature Of the place,
setting aside the canlp-lneetings, is the dear
old, eyer-changing ocean. Bathing seems to
be the chief occupation of the people. This,
and trying to keep cool, are all that we at
tempt. Aside from these employments, we
are thoroughly lazy There seems no virtue
in work; to enjoy is the aim Of existence.
The spirit of the L0tosreaters is upon us.
and, the longer we linger, the more we are
tempted to cry with them,
"IIow sweet it were, day by day,
To watch the crisplng rtpplcs on the beach,
Aud tender -curylng lines of creamy spr1ly."
If we siton the siiore III the Starlight, and
liarken to the unceasing break Of the waves.
we feel that this is the best thing in life; that
time itself is no more; that all things have
suspended their action to hear the music Of
the waves, and, it we would be part of the
universal harmony, we must stay and listen
too,
But, if we once venture into the water, the
aspect of Nature changes. Self-presarva-
tlon becomes the Jaw Of life, and this instincr
prompts us to move with the breakers, and
old swimmers, is to plunge into the depths
Of the waves and quickly and surely stra,lgle.
then to founder to ones feet just in time to
be seized BY the advancing surf. No matter
EstE-r
ordinarily, the head on such an occasion
seems the heaviest part: the feet become
light and fantastic, and insist on coming
to the surface, even though one wears i
ica's greatest heroes, t:These are the times
that try mems mems soles.' To float I'M
less the tloater be full Of experience, Is to
start out with high hopes and faith in Proyi- |
crushing breaker with 4 deal Of unwelcO1ue
salt water in nose. ewes, mouth. and ears,
and with faith and hope largely diminished.
Loungiug On the sa1ld to watch the bathers.
We see q great re It. many many amusing ] ~ pictures.'
There Is always some very large. unIeniably
fat woman sporting with the waves. an
parently laboring under the impression that !
SS hen t5eTa IS te n m
be seen, of whom there seems to be scarcely |
ANYTHING left when She has donnrd her
bathinr-Iress. Sometimes a tall. thin man |
appears III striped bathing-s,it. bearing u |
Striking resenbiance to the attirr of u co,,-
yict fnnp fivnres hnricfi in fhe sand tals;nr !
sandy sun-Daths. or gronns If yonng mt.I, =; |
astonishing batling-robes, playing ieap-froe
with great gusto, come before our vision, |
walk back to their c0ttag..s in wet bathimts. |
cinthess With totat disregard Of thair ahsuT,l |
appearance, constituting a truly erotesu,,e |
processiol1. which deserves to be nortrnvt.d
This s f is y eem,line Eicn for chi1t1ran A. !
Mi hours of fhe iov and eveuin@ aI,v n,,,rlar