The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-01-14
ATLANTIC IN MIDWINTER.

| booths and pavilions, and the quick step
of the pedestrian along an almost de-
serted plank walk-these are the sounds
that distinguish the Atlantic City of De-
cember from the great playground Of
July. The shrill music of merry 90.
rounds. the loud calls of hurried walters
as they rush to and fro bearing cooling
| beverages, the appeals of dealers in sea
shells, the cries of children at play, and
the surge of crowds-these are the sounds
that are now remembered as but an echo
of the past season, and they are thought
of only as what will be heard i'll the dog
days of 1888.
Those who have visited Atlantic City
only in the summer have seen but half
its beauties. They have seen swarms of
people on the beach and in the streets,
the hotel parlors, billiard rooms and cor
ridors crowded with cots, stir and
hustle every where, and several thousand
men and women bathing, moving, talk
ing all day, and huggiug the delusion
that they are getting a we'll earned rest.
All this is changed in December. There
are few on the beach, aud abundant room
in the hotels for all who may come, and
those who are able to take few days
from business and drink in the salt air at
Atlantic City derive more benefit from
brief stay in the winter than in fort
niUht'S SnInnrr m ha hnf RI cS,fS
To call Atlantic City summer resort
does not cover the ground. Many OF the
hotels, and all of the best ones, are open
the year round. This fashion was set
about ten years ago by the proprietor Of
the Hotel Brighton, and has been kept
by him ever since and copied by most Of
his neighbors. The experiment has
proved perfect success, and TO many
people the charms of Atlantic CT in
the winter are more attractive than the
allurements of sea bathing and music in
the summer.
Nearly every body spends the day on or
near the boardwalk. A tramp on the
boards or stroll or ride along the beach
at low tide are the regular events of
everyday life. Some who do not care TO
walk or ride sit in the glass-enclosed sun
parlors and look at the ships sailing far
out on the sea, or occupy their time in
the less poetic amusement of watching
men dig clans on the shore. 1t is won.
derful how the clam digger manages to
fad tie happy clam. l do not mean one
of Frank Siddalrs clans, for he is not
hard to find anywhere, but the succulen,,
salt water shell fish. The digger walks
near the edge of the waves with a hoe in
one hand and basket in the other, and
Whenever the hoe descends it is certain
clam has been found. The CLAIMS are
used as bait in the cod fisheries.
Occasionally there is a storm, aud the
grandeur Of winters storm at sea is
something that cannot be conceived Of by
those who have only seen a summers
gale. The great breakers come rolling
in, their crests tipped with line of
snow-white foam. and dash madly against
the wooden bulwarks, throwing volumes
of water high in air. Then the waves
slowly recede to meet another torrent of
water rushing in, and again the white
spray is tossed on high. The board walk
shivers under repeated blows at its sup
ports, and fortunate is it if several lengths
are not carried away.
There is a certain balminess peculiar to
the air of Atlantic City, due, in the opin-
ion OF scientists, 10 the proximity of the
gulf stream, which DIVORCES slightly to
the eastward after passing Cape May.
The influence of this warm current is
distinctly felt here whore the trend OF
the coast exposes the shore to it's full ef-
feet. The rigors of winter climate are
moderated, The air is bracing, without
being sharp, and the winds and breezes
pleasant, not penetrating. Physicians
claim that the atmosphere is a specific
for certain cases of throat and lung trou
bio, and no doubt many people suffering
from these complaints have been greatly
benefited by sojourn hero. However,
Atlantic City is not an infirmary by auy
means, and the large majority OF winter
visitors are those who desire a rest and
want to enjoy it at place where they
will be free from annoyance and care.
while not being so far away as to be un-
able to reach home quickly in case of
emergency.
The hotel accommodations are excel.
lent. At the Brighton, which is regarded
as in many respects the best-appointed
b )use on the coast, there is every conve.
nience for making life pleasant, known
to the guild of hotel keepers. The pro-
prietor was the pioneer in the winter
business, and he has led from the first.
Tue house is comfortable, the apartments
the cuisine of the best. There are other
,tels oper, some of them very good
nDne of them poor, but the Brighton is
generally considered about the best
There are ample railroad facilities for
re aching Atlantic City. Fast express
trains with parlor cars attached are run
over the West Jersey and Camden aud !!
Atlantic railroads, covering tue distance |
from the Delaware river to the sea in
ninety minutes. The traveller euiuys a |
pleasant ride across the Jersey fields and |
through the pine forests, until at last he |
alights in the long depot, to hear the |
roar of Old ocean sounding in his ears, |
and to draw into his lungs the braciny /
salt atmosphere that has crossed dozen |
currents since it passed over the gulf |
stream, sixty-five miles away.
ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., Dec. ed, 1887.
Any domestic animal understands and
appreciates kind treatment. it Is no use
to say they are 'only dumb brutes." 1t
is true they cannot talk, but like dumb,
or blind men, their intelligence in other
respects is doubled. You can make
friends of all your animals if you take the
trouble to do SO, and if you ever feel
lonely, you can Danish this feeling by 90
ing among your beasts. J