The morning call., 1891-08-23

zaars, of equestrian display, sort of Rotten
Row for brilliant equipages, and grand
promenade for beautiful and beautifully
dressed women. With all its splendors it
has hushed and quiet air. Indeed this
dreamful pensiveness is characteristic OF
the entire place. 1t is not languor. 1t is
the sea airs tender bidding to rest. Some
thing like it comes with the soft breeZes In
Florida, in the Bahamas, and with those
witching, narcotic breaths that pulse and
throb in Cuba and the Azores.
Exclusive of its seashore delights, the
place Is provided with so great a number OF
genuine attractions that the dearth OF these
in our own watering-places becomes
humiliating reflection. On land reclaimed
from sand there has been made one of the
most exquisite parks in England. Its winter
gardens, open all the year round and afford
ing various forms of entertainment and re-
creation. cost over half million dollars. A
conservatory and aquarium, among the finest
in Britain, are also here. Its Kew Gardens
are only second to Royal Kew in Lopdon.
Its free public library and art gallery would
honor any city. The Victoria Baths cost
nearly quarter of million dollars, and its
botanic gardens and museum are alone worth
a days visit 1t would almost seem that in
this extraordinary provision for recreative
and educative diversion lies suggestion of
value to our own managers of great resorts.
The city faces the sea to the west. For
three or four miles along its front runs the
Marine Esplanade. The great hotels, the
most imposing private residences, the grand
baths and pavilons extend to the north and
south along this. forming an almost I'M
broken facade Of great beauty and interest.
In front of all this, the sands and the sea :;
the sands
AN AMPLE PLAYGROUND FOR MILLIONS,
Not thousands, of visitors; the sea a stream
of majestic sweetness and repose. From Il
central street a pier has been built across
the sands, which are covered by spring tides
and often lett like polished gold by other
high tides to the sea channel. This is nearly
a mile in length. and one of the longest in
England. 1t provides a wide promenade all
this distance; and a cable passenger rail-
way runs neariy to its sea-end. Here the
pier is broadened 10 perhaps an acre in
area, and there are observation-disclosures,
music paviliOns and room for dancing. Seats
are everywhere. and the pier can comforta-
bly accommodate $4,000 loungers and pedes-
trians; while from the sea-channel beneath
it excursions are made as far north as Bar
low, as far west as the Isle of Man, and as
far south as LlandudnO. in Wales.
To the right and left OF the great pier is
always to be seen the real holiday activity
of Southport. The sands, or fOreshore as
they are called here, are fully tbree-fourths
of mile broad. One could follow them,
along this or greater breadth, for twenty
miles tn the south, and to the north all
along the Lancashire coast and around
Morecambe Bay on the north, distance
Of more than 1C0 miles. l have never
elsewhere seen SO noble reach of beach.
II is pure sand, with no "shingle" and
scarcely pebble within it. To the
left is marine park within the sands,
a saltwater lake within this, and all
The groiesque shows insepara6ie from
great popular resort grouped beyond in a
manner De Knitting the closest poles sur
veillance. To the right there is little but
the sand nd the sea. 1t is the playground
of big and little children, and gl0rlonSly the
thousands enjoy it. A stranded brig, sit
ting bolt upright in the sand, ADDS ZeSt TO
the picture. a fleet Of d-boats-curouS
wide-tired wagons propelled by sails
course over this level plain. At the shore
edge beyond are rows of ragged bathing
vans, Ike all emigrant train gone into en-
canlpment. DonkPys, Salvationists and
vagrom musicians are everywhere, but not
single beggar is allowed in all the parish
precincts.
For myself l love best to come to South
port when the great interior hives Of indus
try belch forth their thousands for days
outing here; or the Lancashire and Cheshire
miners come down stronger in numbers
than any one of our single armies during
the late civil war. That may seem like ex-
aggeration. Only few days ago l was one
OF just such a crowd here at Southport. Not
only did 10000 miners leave the black coal
pits Vo!celess behind them, but many of their
families came. The great wheels at the
pIt-mouths were still, and all the "pit-brow
lassies," with some of my own good friends
among them. came also. More than 100, 900
of these sturdy folk were here-nearly as
many souls as are housed in Rochester or
L0uisylle-and all in one day. It is at such
times that one may know, if he will use his
eyes, how precious a thing is the CLINT of
the waves, the cool touch of the golden
sands, the whispered lullaby and mysteries
of the sea, and all the benefcence OF GODS
blessed sunlight kissing through life-giving
airs the pallor from out these toll SCARED
faces, TO unused, eager eyes and haunted,
hungry hearts. EDGAR L. WAKEMAN.
&Coul7f0ht