National Republican., 1881-08-11
KDAY At coNEY ISLAND.
Tho Crowd, the Bsthers, the Music, ths
Fireworks, dkc.
Ipondence OF NM RrrunLIcAN.

FlreW0rka, Hc.
Special Correspondence Of THE REPUBLICAN,.
BROOKLYN, N. Y, Aug. 9.-The day was
hot and sutry, 1909 in the shade, bringing large
mass ofpeople hurrying and amming their elbows
into your sides, rushing for the best seats in the
cars to convey them TO the cool precincts Of Coney
Island. Now and then you see n smile ofinfantile
satisfaction upon the face OF some fortunate indl-
vidual who has succeeded in getting in first. A
gentle knock from an unseen lunch basket on the
side Of your cranium, disaranging your frizzes, &C.
which have just occupied one and half hours
time, and knocking your head into, or out Of (vul-
carly speaking), "cocked hat" Some more
rushing and jamming and we alight in full view Of
the famous island. Very little Of the island is to
be seen, however, for what has not been built
upon is
COVERED by swELTERING HUMANITY
from every nation under the sun, travelling to and
fro, up and down the beach; and to attempt
to number them would be folly. 1 judge
that the visitors to-day would amount to about
sixty thousand. The sun is doing his best but his
opponent, the wind Is blowing stiff breeze caus-
ing your hat TO assume a rakim position on the
side of your head, giving you I" free from. all
care " look, which is just the way you feel and, as
you inhalc the fresh salt air, you exclaim: "Oh,
this is gloriousl" Everywhere is something to at.
tract the eye anew. The water seems alive with
bathers, in their different dress and undress, which
is an interesting feature. Some ladies do not ven
ture more than ankle deep In the water Two
especially noticed,
cIISGING TO THE ROPE,
In fear of being drowned. They formed pleasing
contrast. The elder weighed about two hundred
pounds, her bathing suit fitting to perfection, such
perfection that Parlsian belle might envy; while
that of the other hung in loose and anything but
graceful folds around her bonnie (bony) figure
showing sufficient room TO almost stow away her
companion. But still they were happy, laughing
and screaming as wavelet would dash itself
against them. The cry Of" shark" was heard, and
as with pale faces and eager eyes they gazed In
the direction whence the monster was supposed to
be lying in wait, the object that met their view
proved to be only
THE BALD HEAD OF A MAN
just appearing above the surface of the water after
diving from spring. board. The bath over, you
feel an Inward longing. You seat yourself at o
table where numerous persons are waiting
"ony waiting" They do things with great speed
at the Island time is money The cook fires the
food and the waiter deposits 1t on the table in the
same manner. The guests scramble and fill up
still retaining that inward longing. The music of
Conterno's band Of sixty pieces is the next at
traction, where the famous Levy is still admired
and is encored and good humoredly responds
with " The Last Rose of Summer" SO artistically
rendered that one could almost fancy hearing the
poor, lone rose mourning for its companions and
as tie last strain dies away you tcel tnat music
has the power TO bring out your better nature.
Twenty minutes intermission for the band to dis
band, and we turn our eyes in the direction Of
Manhattan Hotel to witness the
FINE DISPLAY OF FIREWORKS,
only to be seen there and at Brighton alternate
nights, under the management of Messrs. Warner
and Mcmahon, of the Crystal Palace of London
The whole island is illuminated with electric
lights, and colored lamps add largely in complet-
ing the enchanting picture. The shrill sound Of
the whistle warns us that the hour of departure is
near, and looking at my chronometer, find 1t is
being but few more trains from the Island After
the train starts find myself seated with lady
and a group Of little ones, the darling next me,
busily engaged
EATING BREAD AND BUTTER,
rose TO look around, and placing her hand upon
my shoulder, left the finger prints of oleomarga-
rine upon my linen duster. Yet was forced to
smile good naturcdly, thinking with the poet ~
was saddest when smiled" Soon, alas, too soonl
we reach our journeys end, sgbing "0h, for the
breeze we LEFT behind usw Arriving home none
the worse for our days trip, We descend to the
basement to wash out our bathing suit, lined with
sand, and then wend our footsteps to the refriger
ator to satisfy that inward longing which 1t was
impossible TO do on the Island without emptying
our pocket.b book and pawning our sleeve buttons
and ear rings We then retire for the night, salts.
fed that we had one day Of pleasure If not profit
NJ, A, w,