St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-09-15
Central Park and COney Is
land,
New YORK, Sept. >, l6s

NEW Ohk, otpI. ., loS-.
The weather has been delightfully."-
cool for more than a week past; occa-
sional showers have settled the dust,
cleared the atmosphere and revived
dropping vegetation. Quite IA change
was wrought in Central Park, for the
grass was looking parched and burnt
by the drOuth, and the trees were al
ready shedding their leaves. This is
one of the first places which the tourist
wishes to visit. Taking carriage or
one of the regular stages at the grand
entrance on Fifth avenue, for twenty
five cents you describe the circumfer-
ence of the park afterwards you
wander round and observe things ut
your leisure admire the statues erect
ed i'll honor of Shakespeare, Walter
Scott, Burns, The Indian Hunter and
Dog, etc. Near the Dairy you pause
ut the large rustic arbor, embOwered
with vines, and watch the merry frOlics
of tiOcks of children under the super
vision of fond mammals, or more fire.
quently some Bridgets, or pass on by
others taking their first ride on don
key or i'll IL goat carriage, enjoy the eX
citement of the boys in their game of
base ball on the common, stroll over
to the museum or menagerie and see,
no, not the elephant, but lions, tigers,
bears, camels, giratfes, etc, and sym
pathize with the children in their de
light in their first lessons i'll natural
history ascend to the top of the mu-
scum and hear the exclamation of for
eigners at the size of some trunks of
noting the force and velocity of the
wind descending, follow the crowd
and find the great centre of attraction
the monkeys 1t is il curious fact and
one which we have often observed in
Europe and America that there is Il
peculiar fascination in watching the
movements of the monkeys ahd study
ing their physiognomies. We have
seen literary people standing spell
bound before them and have wondered
in what the attraction consisted. Are
they believers in the theory of evo-
luton, admirers of Darwin, and ac-
knowledge a kinship with the mon
key7 No, we will not think that
Rather mankind love to he amused
like novelty. What seriO-cOmic all
they have! With faces like old mcI
they have all the mischief and antics
of children. Then you visit the won
;. derful obelisk, notice the climate is be
t ginning to tell on its surface, and after
= taking sail on the lake you are ready
' to listen to the concert, if Saturday, 10y
Dodsworth's band, as well us watcl
d the passing throng and fine turnout'
on the park.
i Coney Island is accessible by rail o.
+ steamer the latter is preferable. The
steamer from twenty-third street land
II you at the wonderful iron pier, anC
e from West Brighton you take Il stage
:. which in Boston would he styled
/ barge, when at the beach, to Brighton
" for five cents, thence by marine rail
way to Manhattan beach, the finest o
all. On the occasion of the benefit t,
Gilmore's band thousands were upol
the spot, and all the available seat
upon the beach, the reception room
and piazzas of the hotel, were full, an,
people standing packed like sardine
in box, and hundreds of men, women
y. children, babies and all were strOllin
Of round the grounds, watching the fire
works or delving i'll the sands on tn
beach, and standing upon the hOto
steps listening to the music-a trul
festive scene is spread out before yor
1t seems like second centennial
J, The bright cardinal plumes and feath
ers on the ladies' hats peeping OF
d from beneath the sea of umbrella
20 brighten the picture, while here an
=" there discOrdant voices jar upon you
- ears. Listening to the opening straiI
of Wagner's music, a tall, lank-lOokin
woman shouts i'll your ear, Cant st
bit of music in that thing" and
s. meek little man by her side echOe'
Not Bit" until he heard the drum
and then he said with an emphatic no'
That is grand ~ On your right trai
after train loaded with human freigl
arrives, and it is estimated that b
tween 10000 and $1,000 persons we
at this beach during the day and evel
ing. Gilmore seems to have lost mol
of his popularity. 1t was the event
is the season. Il.