Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-08-18
A DAY AT CAPE MAY.
Meanwhile We Have 60 10 satisfied with
Reading Of tho ncnuty md crnndeur
Of the Ocean and tho Charms of
tho rchbiy Beach.


tho fchbly Beach.
Especial Washington Lctierl
There IS no harm in envy unless II Il
permitted 10 grow into jealousy. You
will all be cnvious when you hear the
story, and yet ! believe not one Of my
readers win be jealous
Having received and accepted an
Invitation 30 make trip 10 Cape May,
N. j.. and be n guest at the princi-
pal hotel there for four days. ! started
on Friday morn1ig with my wife and
baby and arrived at the Cape about
four o'clock In the afternoon. First
let me tell you about the hotel.
II Is one Of the largest establishments
Of tho kind on the Atlantic coast aid
can readily accommodate thousand
guests. giving good bedrooms as well
us the best Of food with prompt atten-
tion to every one OF that number. IL is
situated about one hundred yards from
the beach. and is 50 planned and erect
ed that rcurly every room faces the sea
and recciyes the ocean breeze. That
same ocean breeze seems % be ceaseless
IN It's efforts 10 Gil the lungs aud invig.
OlHtl AAt nlrAtAAir VI rtAAA WIZ uiG AOI-
tupate enough 10 visit the coast.
The beach at Cape May is one Of the
safest In the world. For fully half
mile II slopes downward so gradually
that an cight-ycar-old child can wade
fully thirty yards into IL without hav.
ing the water come over his head, ex.
ccpt as the big waves roll in. Under
the circumstances. Of course, there is
no undertow along the beach, and no
loss Of life occurs at this point except
through carclessncss.
To reduce tho peril OF this pleasure 10
a.minimum opposite each one OF the ho-
tells along the beach there is stationcda
life-boat panned by four sturdy sailors.
When tho bathing hour commences
these lusty lads push their life-boat
through the breakers and row out be-
yond the furthest line Of bathcrs, and
there anchor with their oars ready at a
moments notice to rush TO the relief Of
anyone who may by any mischance be
in danger Of drowning
Although IL is n generally accepted
rule in the cities of the east that oysters
are only fit for food during the months
from September TO April, the people
along the Jersey shore regard them as
healthful and wholesome the whole
year around. AT Cape May every meal
commences with raw oysters on the half
shell fresh taken from the salt waters
near by. We also had CLANS and soft
shell crabs In abundance; so that you
see II II Is true that products OF the sea
produce the phosphorescence necessary
10 recupernte the tired brain your cor
respondent must be in n very brainy
condition at the present writing, be-
cause for three days We almost lived on
the vertebrates, articulates and mol
lusxs Of the deep.
On Saturday afternoon, joining par
ty of ladies and gentlemen, we char
tered a large yacht, sailed seven miles
ont from shore and anchored there.
Two gentlemen and one lady in the
party gave up their dinner to the fish
before we reached our point OF anchor
age. 1t was my good fortune not TO get
seasick and therefore the sport Of fish
ing was the more thoroughly enjoyed. In
about three hours time with our hooks
and lines we pulled in over three hun
dred ocean bass, founders and other
specimens of the flnny tribe, until our
boat was well loaded end o.ch one of
our party thoroughly sunburned and
tired enough 70 enjoy our supper. Our
skipper thereupon raised anchor, set
his sails ant with a southern breeze
chasing us over the waves we sailed
back 10 Cape May Our fishes were
.,.I
the hotel table thrt evening had a pcr.
tion Of the catch Of the afternoon.
Saturday night, in the great dining
room. which is larger than the cele- /
bratcd east room at the white house, /
aud In the adjoining ballroom, the I
young people enjoyed terpsichorean |
trippings for about three hours. On /
Sunday night in the same rooms, a I
sacred concert was given by the Cape /
May orchestra. assisted by New York, |
and Washington vocal .
talent Whether ii was the novelty of /
the occasion or not, II seemed TO me /
that. in the salt sea air. the orchestration |
was more perfect and the vocaliza.ion |
more effective and enjoyable than |
have ever experienced in any housn of /
Although beneath the splendid roof, |
we seemed so near 10 nature that a
sense pervadcd the throng
with an intensity Of feeling akin 10 that
which must have pervndcd the hearts
and minds of men when the groves
were Gods first temples, ere man had
learned 10 hew the shaft or build the
srchitrave The interudes were songs
Df praise from the lovingly-laved shore
Df the ocean, as the snow-crowned
waves ccnselessly kissed the silvery
strand One young lady Ia the impro-
yised choir sang peculiarly appropriate
Did hymn. portion OF the words being:
Il love 70 thins Of JesuE as lie walked upon the
While the waves were rolling, murmurinR on
the strand:
Where He sat within q hoaL on the crystal
waves anoat
As lie taught the waiting pcoplc on the land "
That sacred concert Sunday night inn
pressed me deeply There were words
'aid and songs sung which enabled me
10 turn backward the curtain Of time;
away back 10 those sunny-haired hours
1f boyhooc when the happicst day Of
Al the week WAS the day when my best
'uit Of clothes was donned, every but
ion and every garter and shoe-lace in
'pected by mother before we started for
and joined IN singing
'ome Of the very songs which now are