The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-09-04
FIVE DOLLARS FOR TRICK.
Where the Feminine Form Divine Is
Displayed Regardless Of Restrictions.

With all of its claims to morality.
says an Ocean Grove letter, Ocean Grove
is the place on the Atlantic coast where
the feminine form is most generously
displayed. The female bathing suit takes
possession of the streets, and the prac.
tees of bathers here are in marked con-
trast to those of the women of other
resorts. This is a resort for families,
aud apparently all of them have brought
their bathing suits along. Instead of
dressing down at the beach, as Is the
custom elsewhere, many of the women
living away up in the town dress in their
rooms at the cottage and walk the whole
length Of the streets and avenues to the
bathing pavilions and back again every
morning. Taking a stand at the foot OF
any of the avenues that run through
Ocean Grove to the beach, you may see
hundreds of young women in the morn
ings in their bathing robes going down
to or returning from the beach. Some
wear waterproofs-most of them do not.
They walk along the avenues a half
dozen blocks from the ocean with as
little nervousness as woman at Long
Branch would take header.
The ministers are numerous here, and
they have frequently put in word
against such free display of feminine
perfection about the lower limbs, and
once or twice believe that an indlgna-
ton meeting or something of that sort
came of their repeated complaints. But
the procession of handsome limbs con-
tinues right through the Grove, and the
poor thirsty man who is on his first visit
says: "Well, if that's allowed, what's
the matter with my getting drink Of
brandy after my bath or cigar after
my Sunday breakfast?'
Every official there regards the gay
Young man as party to be Studiously
and we'll avoided. Does small boy
run loose along the board walk9 "My
dear" says the pious officer, don't run; :;
Walk. You may create noise or get a
splinter in your foot if you run y
The worst case of officiousness to the
average new man is the sallow Jersey
man who, as soon as the sun goes down,
begins to patrol the beach. He carries
small cane and is so heavily loaded
down with importance and authority
that he could not well carry heavy
stick. Early in the evening this pecu-
liar character makes its appearance on
the beach. Over beneath an improvSed
hammock are a young man and young
woman, and it is as natural as life that
they should sit close together. he
looks into her eyes and feels that there
is something in the girl that brings her
quite close; he therefore rests his head
in her lap. ''Marjory," says he, II
like you so much, and then the Jer-
seyman says, Brace up there now
This not only seriously interferes with
what might have developed into real
love match, but it makes the young man
feel that romance, after all, is sort of
insanity breaking loose. He feels
ashamed of himself to be so rudely
awakened. And then at 1890 the
officer creeps along the beach, muttering
as he goes: Times up. All off the
beach at 1890" At 10:45 the couples
slowly make their way towards the
Grove, followed by impudent officers"
On Sundays the bathing hours both at
Ocean Grove and Asbury Park are be-
tween and 9 in the morning, and after
8 o'clock no one is allowed in the ocean.
Sunday is also the day for excursionists,
and most of these have been used to
places where man who hires bathing
suits is always ready for business. They
hang around the bathing houses to find
that they are left. One of them rudely
asked last Sunday. as the proprietor
turned him down:
''Is one allowed to chew tootbpick
Sunday on the board-walk?'
There is a sniff of propriety in the de-
ligbtful atmosphere of the place which is
most pleasing to people who walk the
straight and narrow path. The ozone
co1es in with pious clasp of the hands
N front of the breast, and the ocean
mere calls with strict propriety.