The Sunday tatler and Jersey City express. (Jersey City, N.J.) 1883-1886, 1885-03-22
SIGHTS ar THE ALPHA RINK.
How Reporter Got Lefl-A Very Timid
Young Man.

Vs.
Young Man.
The largest skating rink in the county is
the Alpha, situated on jackson avenue,
near Bramhall. It has fine floor and
several hundred visitors, desiring only to
watch the skaters can be accommodated in
the enclosure around the building, which
It would not be improper to call ssthe Wis
ltors gallery. The ceiling ID beautifully
draped with bunting in the national colors.
The building is splendidly lighted. and.
from each gas jet is suspended q wreath of
flowers, which look natural. even If thew
are only of paper. Mr.. Blake, the man
ager of the rink. very courteous
younng gentleman informed the TArrLEn
last night that children from the swell fam
lies visit there. s'There's ex-Goyernor
Bodies and Judge Dixon's children. as
well as members of the Negus and Eye
families, besides twenty Others whose
names could mention Ali FREQUENT this
rink" far band discourses music every
evening and the different carniyals and
other feature which are taking place all
tend to make the Alpha a very desirable
place of enjoyment OF course, like ali
skating Kinks. it is not devoid of its
oddities.
The TATTLER's acquaintance with the
habitues of the place is very limited. SO
hieing himself TO tho far end Of the visit
ors gallery he beckoned to a passing
skater who was well acquainted with the
skaters who frequent the rink who. when
he had learned the newspaper mans mis-
sion, became very willing listener. ssWho
Is tnatf asked the reporter as young man
with an apology for black side whlskers.
who innKQd If ha rntrv H.,
something much more ennobling, wheeled
by -
'sOh that that's Holmsey Harrison: he's
dandy, he is !" answered the guide: and
then nudging the reporters shoulder. he
continued, sect on to this coming around
now, see him? mean that chap there
with knee breaches, brown stockings. a
big sailer collar and light .cap, that's Hugh
Mckay" 1t was but the work of an in
slant to single out this makeup of a tvpi
cal roller skating friend, who by this time
had almost made another circuit of the
rink. The next curiosity that passed un-
der the reporters eye was a regular ssoh.
I'm dude, dandy dude |" fellow. He
/ was tall, and, to constitute a real duda.
very slim. He wore a silk hat. and around
a very high piccadilly collar was a white
lawn tie. He could wheel first rate. how
ever, and probably on that account the sey-
eral young ladies with whom he was whesl.
ing at different times took kindly to him.
Say, who is that fellow" asked the re-
porter.
"Oh yesl was the reply, ssYou must
give Herman Bennett shot sure. and don't
draw it mild either" The reporter answered
that he would not, but desired to give The
little darling fair play. Then he pereerin.
ated to the other end of tho hall and sat
down with VIII Horton, the good-loekine
young doorkesper. He was no sooner
seated, however, than pretty blonde,
whose avolrdupols was not less than 40
with short crop of hair. passed, smiled
sweetly and then glanced around and beck.
oned. The TATTLER thought sure he hnd
made mash, and was congratulating him.
self on his good luck, when his companion
said: "Oh, that's lille Richter. She's
reckoning for me-" The TArr1ER would
not be convinced, however, until the sick.
ly, side-whiskered young man referred 10
above rolled around and said: "Tillie has
got on to you, Will" But Title is q MIGHTY
nice skater at any rate. Then there was
another fellow up there, with skull cap on
"a tiny dude-to watch whom for fvs
minutes would make one more tired than I
hard days manual labor. This chan. Il
is said, is Mike Nathan's brother, and The
TATTnER came to the conclusion. if it was
true, that Mike must possess all the manli.
ness, at least, of the Nathan family.
"Who is that doing all the heel-and-toe
wheeling in the centre of the hall ?" thu
guide was asked 'sThat's Bobby Young
He spends most of his time here" was t6s
reply. Bob is daisy, but he looks like ,
man who, if roller skating had never beer
invented, might have made mark in I'll.
world, but he's stuck on roller skates. ant
that settles the mark. There was one mar
who retired to the managers Office as soor
as ne heard the TATTLER was present. as b,
told the boys he wasn't going to have hi,
name in the paper. The TATTLER cal
guess. though; it is Howard Smith. and b,
will hereafter be dubbed the 'sTimid Lad