Wichita eagle., 1886-09-17
IT'S BIG DAY.
SUNDAYS HEGIRA TO THE COMFY
ISLAND BEACH.

and Strong-Luaged Money Makers-A
Few of the "Attracticns.''
When the Brighton hotel was reached tbs
reporter found that good many Of the chair
on the piazza were already occupied. Stale
old gentlemen were reading their papers ane
mothers, with their youthful charges wer
walking up and down or gazing at the Graf
of all kinds, whose white sails contrasted in {
pleasing manner with the deep blue of tn
ocean. At the pavilion all was life and bus
tle Scores of people, men, women and chill
dren, disported themselves among thu
breakers, which were none of the gentleSt
and the shouts and badinage Of the bather:
proved that they were thoroughly enjoying
themselves. Attic Manhattan more uecorum
Or perhaps stiffness, among the holiday
makers was noticeable, and this feature in
tensified itself at the Oriental, where every
thing was suggestive of solidity and eminent
propriety pointed the way. Sleek merchants
dozed in their chairs or walked about in the
grounds, giving to each other stray hits OF
news from the commercial world There
were foreigners there, too, principally Eng
lishmen, who. attired in unspeakable gar
ments, were taking turn before lunch
Soon after o'clock the real influx of the
day began. Train after train deposited its
living freight and hurried back to the city fol
more The seats in front of the band stand
were rapidly filled, as were those which com
manded good view of the sea. The walters
awoke or were aroused from their lethargy,
and were soon busily engaged in waiting up
on the hungry guests. The white-aproned
| barkeepers girded themselves for the fray,
and drew countless glasses of beer which they
placed on ice to await the coming of the ever
thirsty throng. At $3.50 o'clock the east end
was seen at it's best. The grounds Of the
Manhattan and Oriental presented the appear
ance of vast panorama, in which all the
| figures were those Of well dressed ladies and
gentlemen. Hardly table at either cara
vansary was unoccupied, and the rain of
money into the cashiers till was unceasing
BACK TO BRIGHTON.
Jumping into one of the cars of what is
known as the Bonanza railroad, possibly
from its excellent paying qualities, the re
porter was rushed back to Brighton, not be-
fore he had undergone a thorough ducking,
however, by reason of the waves washing
over the canvas breastworks which are sup
posed to guard passengers from old Neptune's
assaults. at the Brighton one might, to use
a common expression, have walked on the
heads Of the assembled multitude, so thickly
were individuals packed together. A fair
business was being done there, but not nearly
SO large III volume as one might naturally
have expected. The railroad takes down its
thousands and lands them right in the hos
telry, where everything that the heart of man
desires, in the way of eating and drinking,
may be found 1t is a fact, however, that
about 800 out of every one of these thousands
seem to be Oh the lookout for an unusually
cheap table, and either wander Off to the west
end, after listening for time to the strains
of the band, or return to the city. without
having expended cent.
The gentlemen who announce with more or
less distinctness, that the ride to the West end
can be enjoyed by anybody for the ridicu-
lousy low sum of five cents, were all at their
posts when the reporter, after staving in the
top of his hat, succeeded in seating himself in
one of the low-roofed vehicles by courtesy
called stages During the few minutes ride
an opportunity was afforded of watching the
crowds of people who dotted the beach or
strolled along the edge of the Concourse. No
one seemed to be in hurry and the utmost
good nature was apparent on every side
When the West End proper was reached, it
seemed as if one had been transported from a
monastery into the middle of Il fair Of the
most noisy type. On every side enterprising
spectators chantod the praises of their re-
spectiye commodities Or institutions. ard as
surcd the passing public that now was a
chance of tasting viandS ana beholding Curl
osities which might possibly not occur again
in lifetime.
ALL SORTS or FAKIEs.
On one side was a burly fakir who called
attention to the characteristics Of the '!pig
faced lady" and referred in a casual manner
to the gentleman whose only sustenance was
broken glass, while on the other was a shrill
voiced German who kept on asserting that his
establishment was the only place where the
genuine hot sausage could be enjoyed in all
its pungent flavor. The air resounded with
the weird shrieks of the calliope, the extrav
aganzas Of cornet and trombone artists, and
the popping of the shooting gallery rifles.
Flying horses, camels, swans and beasts of
wondrous formation all had their riders, male
and female, who lunged furiously with short
swords at the supended iron rings, and who
rarely, il ever, bore them Off A man with
a club melted two dropsical goats attached to
miniature carriage to make some pretense
to speed, much to the delight of {. couple of
youngsters seated in the aforesaid vehicle.
Wiley to,tS attached to photograph gal
leries lay in wait for victims and reiterated
the announcement that q whole family group
could be reproduced for a quarter OF a dollar.
In the so-called concert halls men and women
who labored under the delusion that they
were singing murdered popular melodies for
tho delectation Of not over critical, beer
drinking audiences, and youths clad in
tawdry tights sprinkled sand ON the stages
and danced with q wild abandon such rs is
seen in no other place.
The further west one ventured the more
he regretted his imprudence. On every side
he was beset One pirate suggested that he
should test his lungs, another ran at him with
a mallet, such as Thor might have used, and
besought him to pound a peg in the ground
with view to testing his strength; another
whispered that he had a chance to buy seven
Struggled cigars for quarter, while still an
other took him by the 0r1n and insisted on ex-
planning the merits of an article, by the use of
which an old sock could be easily Transformed
into a stylish necktie. The number of the
bandits who ply their trade in this part Of the
Island IS truly legion, and lucky is the man
who, having ventured among them, escapes
with his money intact or q whole skin. As
night came on and when nyriads of gaudy
lamps were lit the revelry redoubled its license
and scenes were enacted which one cannot
even refer to.-Brooklyn Eagle.
French Mania for Decorations.
The mania for decorations in France is
steadily On the increase. The legion of honor,
the military medal, the academic palm, the
cross for agricultural r,erit-these and many
others we know And now there are to be
! prtisau end commercial decorations What