The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1886-07-31

Sunday in the Suburbs.-Very few people
living in far-of country homes have an idea how
the Sabbath is spent in the suburbs of a great
city like Baltimore. In order to enlighten them
little upon this subject we copy from the Balt-
more Herald the following interesting article on
this subject:
"Sunday in the suburbs is very different sort
of day from Sunday in town. 1t is celebrated
in another manner altogether 1t is kind of
combination of country Sunday and a city Sun.
day. 1t can hardly be described. 1t needs to be
seen to be appreciated. Each suburb has its
Enthusiastically distinct style of celebration.
"On the Belair road it is the greatest day of the
week. No other day can compare to it in impor-
lance. Very early in the morning the population
is astir, and long before the Red-line cars have
begun to disgorge their loads of sweltering hu-
manity countryward bound The ntIie cnemlooi
engine. house near the tollgate is filed with men
and boys, who occupy every available chair and
bench and squat around contentedly on the floor.
This is the day on which the county policeman
and the county fireman polish up their old jokes
and haul out funny anecdotes and marvellous ex-
periences. The toll-gate keeper arrays himself in
his go-to- meeting clothes, puts wax on his sandy
moustache, and stands by the gate and bestows
an elaborate bow upon all who pass through.
The big brewers dogs take rest and wander
harmlessly around the yards, while the huge brew
ing-masters stand at the gates of the breweres in
their shirt sleeves, looking sleepy and contented.
All the little boys and girls troop forth arrayed in
their best bibs and fuckers. Farmers and their
wives and families drive through on their way to
or from the city, dressed up in their best, and
nodding pleasantly on every side as they jog
along. Further out on the road the beer gardens
do q thriving trade, and German walters, in snow
white aprons, with combed and perfumed hair,
trip over the floors of the pavions carrying trays
of the foaming beverage. There is vast amount
of thirst quenched on every Sunday in summer on
the Belair road, and many hundred kegs of beer
that are full in the morning are entirely empty at
nightfall. The Baltimore Cemetery, the Hebrew
Cemetery and the colored cemetery all draw large
crowds that are about equally made up of curious
folk and mourners. On an average, there are four
funerals every Sunday in each of the cemeteries,
and these alone furnish an abundance of interest
for that suburb.
cat Canton things are done differently. There
a wonderfully large portion of the juvenile popu-
lation take to the railroad tracks and test their
skill and endurance by walking on the rails or
stepping over the ties. The rails seem to have an
irresistible fascination for the little boys and
a pleasant Sunday afternoon there will be string
of what the natives call "small tackers" strung
along single file the rails balancing themselves
with outstrethed arms. This is great FEATURE of
the day in Canton. Up in the suburb proper the
old folks, spend the day the front steps scat
tered around over the pavements in rockngchairs,
reading the papers, nursing the babies, smoking
chatting and thoroughly enjoying themselves in
numerous quiet fashions. The young men loaf
on the corners, against the lamp-posts, or stroll
along in couples. Many of them spend the day
around the wharves fishing, or else they hunt up
their best girls and spend the day floating around
in the lower harbor in little yawl boats and ski.
Those who have teams, particularly the young
butchers, gear them up and take a spin out
the she'll road and drop in at one another of the
dozen or more well known retreats along the road
and quaff glass if lager of suck mixed drinks
through straw. favorite Sunday pastime with
Cantonites of tender age is to wander out the
dusty, yellow road to Bayview and either rambe
through the long, almost endless corridors of the
poor-house distribute themselves in small pic
nicing parties under the trees in the spacious
lawn.
"Highlandtown takes picnic. 1t ia the most
unanimously dressed up place on Sunday that can
be found in three days journey on the cars.
Everybody is toged out, without exception, and
the William Goats, whose name is legion,
put on pious, resigned expression and walk
around in strictly quiet and sensible fashion.
The pretty little village on the hill draws over its
head veil of funeral quiet and either goes to
church or goes to town.
"The York road on Sunday is converted into a
boulevard. 1t is more travelled by pedestrians on
that day than any other road leading into the
city. Women and men, finely dressed and poorly
they all go is as great mystery as is where they
come FROM About half of them colored peo-
ple some of whom come from as far away as Tow
sontown. 1t is also the most travelled road by
vehicles of all descriptions. Along its route can
be seen magnificent equipages by the score, owned
by rich people who live on estates that open out
upon it. 1t is also a very popular drive for town
folk. There are some we'll kept public houses
along it, and these literally patronized on the
sacred day of rest. The old road is the scene of
many brush between fast flyers, and the spor-
tively-inclined inhabitants of the suburban vii
lagos and hamlets eagerly look forward to these
races as special feature of the Sabbath.
"The Hookstown road is like the York road,
only little more so, in one respect. 1t is the
great avenue for trotters and the young gents who
own fast nags. On Sunday the ancient pike is
hardly wide enough to accommodate the great
mob of teams all bound for Halstead's or for some
one of the public houses along the road"