News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1888-09-20
HUNTING GIRLS WITH A LANTERN.
The Way People arc Kept Proper at
Prim Asbury Park.
LCorresnondence of the Chicago Tribune. !

Prim ASDufy Iafk.
Correspondence of the Chicago Tribune.l
"What is he looking for, pray!"
''Girls."
"What! With lantern?"
eyes. How could he find them other
wise? 1t is Fast midnight, and there is
no moon"
els that one of the customs of Asbury
Park?"
cit is one of the rules. Every one is
expected to walk square to the line at
this charming and pious resort, and if
one fall, here is the pious policeman
with his lantern to enforce the law"
A New York friend and l, spending
some days at this seaside resort, had
strolled out of the hotel little past
midnight for breath of air and quiet
chat over our cigars. Although living
so close to the place, my friend and
many other New Workers, had never
been there before. He had an impress
sion that it was ''too good" but he
found out quickly enough that it Was
not ':too good" to be comfortable, and
he remained longer than he expected in
altogether placid enjoyment. Though
aglow, and the tumuItuous surf booming
heavily upon the hard beach rushed in
foam up the shining sands. We strolled
along plank promenade, ten feet broad,
perhaps, with a safety railing along the
ocean side of it. A few hours earlier
the walk had been packed with gay hui
manity, old men and women, widows,
brides, young men and maidens, especi-
ally maidens; yes, maidens five to one.
Now it was deserted apparently, save
for ourselves, though the electric lights,
burning at short intervals, made it al
most as bright as afternoon as far as We
could see. The walk, believe, is some
two miles long. The man with the Ian
tern searching for feminine loiterers was
on the beach beyond the walk. He
strolled on leisurely, carrying the IAN
tern close to the ground and flashing its
light over the sands out to the brim of
the foaming sea. He didn't find anyone
apparently, and he came up on the
promenade just ahead of us, and con-
tinuing his way brought him towards
my friend and me. He was tall and
thin, and dressed in black. AS he got
directly under the electric light I recog-
nized him as a person whom had seen
on guard at service over in Ocean
Grove, and who, [ was informed, was
doing police duty around the vineyard
of the good.
Evening, BROTHER" said I politely.
"Evening, brother, said he.
"What luck?"
Gail is well. There is no ole on the
beach. Our righteous laws have been
properly observed"
''Have you looked cnrefully?"
"Oh, conscientiously. l have gone
over my half of the beach and met
Brother Babbage at our dividing line
He has carefully examined his end, and
his report is similar to mine"
cat what hour do you begin work %
cat 10. We expect you all-excuse
my saying tive expect you all to be off
the beach at 1910. But we do not OBJ
iect, particularly, to your strolling along
the walk here-that is, we do not OBJ
ject to gentlemen strolling along the
walk until the lights are put out. But
we insist that the ladies shall leave the
sands at 10. It is curious what liking
some people have for sitting on the
sands out there and gazing at the moon
till all hours. don't wonder they sit so
close together, for they must get chill
ly."
"Do people ever object to being Or
dered off,"
Sometimes. But that makes no diff
ference, for if people won't be respecta-
bic We force them to be. Night before
last young fellow began giving me
some CUFF. But gave him left-hander
that made him see stars, and he went off
meek enough after that, with the young
lady trying to wipe the sand out of his
eyes. L 'spect he didn't know [ us d to
be 'bouncer' for the McGuckin and
prize fighter, or mebbe he wouldn't have
monkeyed with the buzz-saW."