The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-09-20

4 A gossipy Long Branch correspen-
dent writes: The girls who gather in
the pavIlions along the bluffs NAV be
noted for their beauty, their ostenta-
tious display of diamonds, and their
want of well-bred reserve. They talk
IN nigh falsetto voice, and talk at ey-.
efyboiy Instead Of talking to their COM
panl0n They cannot understand that
we are not interested to learn whether
papa paid $3.50 for the village cart. or
5000 for the pony, or $500 for the elus-
ter ring which covers the first Joint of
their delicate third finger. They carry
white SATIN fans ornamented by eioh-
teenth-century artists, and lined with
Huns OF .teathers in the morning, with a
White cotton gown, and appear on the
fashionable drive ia the afternoon in
blue satin. embroidered il gay bouquets.
cut square neck, and only q piece of
white tnlle covered over their head and
face. They look more elegant than we
know their grammar and enunciation
to be. There Is one lady who has never
appeared in the dining room, morning,
noon OF night, for over fortnight with
out the inevitable white tule covering
her head and face. 1t may be couven-
lent to keep bangs in order, bnt Long
B.aach IS notso disastrous to coiffures
rs Cape May, Atlantic City, and many
res prts of the southern coast.
A still more interesting type is the
Young married lady. She is as dainty
as piece of Dresden china, and comes
to breakfast in white surah, elaborately
trimmed in Mecklin lace, or a silver
batiste, ornamented with Irish point.
She lays her ight-covered novel on the
table near and feeds off Apician viands
with French names. Her maid brings
her pug to her on the porch for a short
call, for doggy is prescribed a home
with his mistress in the great hotel, and
consequently boards out. Later she is
seen on the pier or in one of the numer-
Gus ;irbors. with her favorite gallant
Size keeps her white satin sunshade well
over her head and face, and never, by
the mefest accident, is known to turn
to recognize friend or shift the posi-
ton OF the parasol Oh course not; the
sun is powerful in its effects, and she
might get tanned. She has a mysteri-
Gus and fascinating method OF telegraph
ing from an upper landing over the
stair-railing to her lover. | saw the
performance one morning; did not I'M
der5tand, but he did; that was all that
was necessary. 1t was done by mo-
ton of the fair hand and a movement
OF the eyes and lips. He merely return
ed II satisfied bow, passed on, and her
FrencE-heeled slippers continued their
ascent. At p. m. she stands on the
piazza, outside her chamber window,
Respondent in crushed strawberry mer-
veilleuX, garnished with pink floss EN-
brJidery; her maid works on gloves of
the same color to meet her sleeves at
the elbow.
Later we meet her face TO face on
Ocean avenue in her victoria, behind a
pair of high stepping bays, and at her
Side a friend in equal gorgeous attire.
She comes into tea late and sits under
the blaze of the chandelier, Jewels
sparkling in her ears and pearls hang
ing from her bracelets. She is all
smiles and gentle bushes now; she will
not be tomorrow morning. as you will
hear if you happen to occupy the next
room, as | do. heard the same frivo-
lous creature have five dresses put on
and off one morning before she found
one she was entirely satisfied to appear
in Mt breakfast Her voice was raised
several times in petulant denunciation
of her maid about ruffies, laces and col
lars; as soon rs one was jerked off and
flung aside another was snatched from
her servants hand. The revel of the
night is a fitting climax to her day.
Sequestered in the darkest corners OF
the hotel piazza, she sits until l and
even 2 O'Clock, slipping cobblers,
punches, and juieps, smoking cigarettes
and receiving The wantSn dafliances OF
the man with whom she exchanged tel
egraphic dispatches in the morning. If
her husband be in the same hotel he is
never known to be guilty OF such pie
| bian custom as occupying the same
room. Her maid sleeps in the adjoin-
ing apartment, and acts as sentinel at
her lady's chamber. He quits his
amu=ements when he chooses; she does
the same. and they appear to be very
| happy.
The Branch is given over to such
manners more this summer than form
erly. 1t is no longer covert, and when
it began to be discussed openly few
correspondents wrote in high dudgeon
of the way intrigue and amorous CO.
quetry is Haunted among quasi reputa-
bic married men and women. What
the use? Nineteenth century morals
are very subtle and delusive anyway,
especially at Long Branch.