St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-08-08

thousands of men, women and children, of
Old men and maidcns who daily disport
themselves during two months of the year
IN the long Atlantic swels that everlast-
lngly break in thunder upon its beach are
varlously alluded to as the ''beatitic bath
ers." the ''sanctified swimmers" or the
''pious plungers." Such are the terms en-
ployed by the unregenerate scoffer to desig-
nate a resort of high repute among the
rellglouS elements of the country, and yet,
despite their Sneers, the same unregenerate
scoffer HES himself to the park and informs
his chosen friends in his frank way that
there is more fun to the square inch to be
found there than anywhere else ON the At
lantic seabord. The artist and writer of
the World who went to ASbury Park one
day this week did not confine themselves to
the square inch of the United States men,
toned, but wandered over several square
miles OF hard clay roads, hot sand, board
walks and hotel piaZzas. on their investi-
eating tour, and the result of their obser-
vations was something as follows:
The prevalence of maidens with Titan or
copper colored locks, in the vulgate gener-
ically known as red-headed girls, at Asbury
Park has often been noted. To this dis
tinctive feature of the place may be added
others as equally evident to the stranger
after five minutes stay there, and which
are near-sighted women, colored people,
regulations and drug stores. These last
conveniences, which. since Mr.. Bradley's
1.-THE feudal lord of the settlements) recent
lurld blast regarding them, have become
famous the country over, are to be found on
every side. They are in almost every in
stance, no matter what their proportion,
dignified by the title of pharmacy, which
doubtless enhances the value of their wares.
Their number somewhat supplies the void
felt by the eye at the entire absence of
liquor stores, usually so marked feature
of seaside resorts, and remembering that
prohibition of the sternest sort holds the
place in its own iron grasp, the visitor is
constrained to believe that strict temper
ance people must be on the whole an I'M
usually thirsty set, to judge from the UNI
limited quantities of root beer, soda and
mineral waters consumed in these pharma-
cies. A tramp-like individual met by the
visitors at the depot, who was inter-
rogated as to the reason for so many drug
stores in a place SO noted for health, re-
piled, with a wink OF intense meaning,
that the pine barrens back of the town
were. full of rattleSnakes and he added:
Most of the visitors goes in them
barrens at least onc't a day; the snakes bite
awful hard and they're ALMOST sure to get
bit" Illuminating over this remark and to
what connection there could be between
drug stores and rattlesnakes the visitors
who had began to feel the thirst provoking
influences of the town entered one OF the
largest drug stores, and not being members
of the Prohibition party asked for soda
with stick in it, The obliging clerk
m OF To n Inn hot
was wanted. replied mot without pre-
scription.", ooh, I'll make that out" said
the writer. Il am a physician and 1 can
testify that my artist friend is suffering
from heat, exhaustion due to the glare from
the ruddy heads of many maidens met, and
without stimulantS may not live to reach
the beach," Il can't help it," replied the
clerk. Il can't fill out your prescription
unless / know you to be a regular prac-
ticing physician of Ocean county," Just
then a sadly demOraliZed individual, with
garments and hat decidedly the worse for
wear, walked up to the counter and said:
"Gimme some nerve food!'' The clerk i'm
mediately poured out brownish- looking
mixture, which the visitor gulped down
and then said: ''It's astonishing how much
of that stuff we sell. l suppose it must be
the name that takes"
This drug store episode made deep i'm
preston on the visitors mind, for the many
buxom matrons and healthy-looking people
met hardly seemed to argue need of nerve
food among the Asbury Parkites. Per
haps," said the artist, ''they require nerve
strengtheners to enable them to live under
the multitude of regulations governing the
place." Some of these we had already
read. but they were mild in comparison
with others yet to be seen. On corner Of
the principal thOroughfare a Enthusiastically
decorated room came into view and it was
soon seen to be an intelligence office. The
walls were covered with bright-colored cal
leo, open japanese umbrellas were placed
here and there, stout coIored woman pre-
sided at a table at the far end of the room,
and On benches along the walls were seated
rows of unhappy-looking white women,
with ,SphinX-like expressions, waiting to be
hired out and looking as If they required
gallons of nerve food. A summer intelli-
genee office is novelty, and somehow
seemed out of place at this time of leisure
How it must recall to thousands of house
wives, resting from ten months of labor,
the burden that mnSt soon be taken I'D
again.
An unusual stir and movement toward
the pretty lake that bisectS Asbury park
warned us that backward the tide of travel
was taking its way, and, enSconcing our
selves in the stern OF a comfortable boat
rowed by two sturdy young Jerseymen. we
Joined the tiotilla proceeding to the shore.
The scene was now a lively and picturesque
one and it needed little Imagination to
picture the fairy-like aspect of this same
lake ON carnival nights, when the rows of
cottages on either bank are Illuminated
and fleet of boats with colored lanterns
moves slowly to and fro over the dark
waters. Even in the garish light of July
midday the life and animation of the scene
were wonderfully attractive. The air was
filled with laughter and the hat-bottomed
ferry-boats piled to and from the opposite
banks laden with fair passengers at / cent
a head, the grim and Charon-l like ferryman.
the only discordant note in the panorama
of youth and beauty. Arrived at the beach
the scene was even more animated and at
tractive. The breeze blew freshly in from
the ocean, crested the pillows with foam
and laid its cooling, moist touch on heated
brows. The white surf tumbled about
hundreds of bathers whose individual
shrieks, as they lapsed from the perpeDdic-
ular and found themselves tangled together,
mingled in chorus heard above the roar
of the waves. On three covered pavilions
extending out over the surf were
gathered groups of matrons, girls
and young men, sewing, knitting,
chatting and reading, while the
whole atmosphere was one of careless,
happy ease and enjoyment. The utmost
decorqm marked the scene, the bathing