The morning call., 1893-07-16
in SUMNER TIME.
New Workers Flock to
Coney Island.
FOR THE POOR.
Californians Who Are Sojourning in
the Eastern MetrOpolis-Minor
Notes.
Correspondence OF THE MORNING CALL

Coney Island is the Mecca of the work
ing people on Sundays. There is nothing in
San Francisco to compare with lt-thank
heaven. It's little, low, shabby, narrow
houses suggest Chinatown and the Latin
quarter up near Telegraph Hill bit.
There is nothing really in the world to
compare with this circuslke conglomera-
tion called Coney Island. The first thing
that challenges attention as one approaches
Brighton on the boat is huge wooden
elephant, as large as the depot at the loot
of Market street. 1t is considered great
fun to walk inside this mammoth wooden
beast and look out upon the ocean through
one of his eyes. Limned against the sky
is an iron scaffo!ding. supposed TO be 5oo
feet high. An elevator is run from the
ground to the top in this tower. Inc
passengers get an extensive vie" OF the
surrounding country. Low variety shows
ara innumerable. Merry -go-rounds meet
one on every hand. SausageS and long
rolls are ubiquitous. Softshell crabs are
fried in fryingpans right In the crowded
street.
The sign, "Lunch Cents" is seduct-
lively and conspicuouSly placed at many
little luu encounters to tempt the hungry
and poor, whose appetites are sharpened
by the keen seabreeZe. Target-shooting,
knlfe-thro wing, beer-drlnking, piano-piay.
ing, drum beating and cnatermongers
calls bewilder one on every street. lhe
short-haired performers IN the variety
shows, or the girls in the candy-s;Ores nave
their hair curled in little "cubby" shops,
where the people are crowded as closely
as in a depot when coming home from an
excursion
Hard-faced women, low-browed men,
tat omplacent-looking creatures OF both
sexes jOstle one in the crowd. Coney
Island sickens and oppresSes the sensitive
observer of mankind when he views this
side of it. But when he looks down on the
beach where thousands OF WoTk-worn.
unbeautiful men. women and children are
sporting in the waves he cannot but
rejoice that it Is in q measure the magnet
that attracts these unhappy beings where
they can have sunshine, air AMI the brac-
ing and cleansing benefit Of the salt watsr.
The factory girl in her red skirt, bright
pink waist, stiff sailor hat, hard mouth
and eyes and 10 solently sloyenly walk IS
not az attractive picture. She grows less
pleasing after her froiics0me dance in the
bser-hall. She does not always indulge
roo freely in beer, however CItrn she
sDorts in the water with her best young
u an, then takes a ride in merry-gp-
/ u
ar has an uDctCous luncheon Of SauSsges
and biscuits, perhaps washed down with
lager. She comes home with the young
man on the last boat. She experiences,
10 small degree at least, the inspiring
ecstasy of "love's young dream" Of which
the poets sing. for. utterly oblvlous to the
gaze OF onlookerS, she holds her young
chorus with others of her kind. "Oh Papa
Won't You Buy Me Bow-wow,' Mag
gle Murphy's Home," and other classic
ditties of the street.
To the nigh bred Of course all this seems
in sufferably vulgar But it is the only re-
fning. elevating. poetic influence that
touch OF. Alas! thar it should be So
Yet the charm of the night leaves its soft
ening impress on these apparently unre
sponsve human beings. II has but the
ilusory influence of pleasant dream.
perhaps, but it is good while it lasts Ii
can out be so. While this crowd s cross
ing the bay, despite their sharp voices.
they are quiet enough to know that the air
is balmy; that the stars are brilliant; that
in lullaby motion the waters lap the boat;
that the nearly landlocked waters. sur
rounded by thousands of lights, seem a
huge am hitheater fenced with Jewels :;
and the illuminated dome of the World
building looks like huge beehive of fam
ing Goals. and the Brooklyn bridge like an
immense bar of diamonds. This picture
seen night after night during the summer
time, mus: indirectly play upon the
beauty pulses that animate even the most
sluggish of human wretches.
The Canifornans who are In town make
weekly pilgrimages over to Manhattan
Beach and the Oriental Hotel, which are
some distance from the madly merry catch
penny center of Conev 1sland. Miss Maud
Howard and Mrs. }. II. Bailey are at the
Manhattan Beach Hotel. A great many
OF the Californians residing here are sum-
merlng out of town.
Mr.. and Mrs. S. Drew OF San Francisco
are at Asbury Park. Mr.. Drew met with
a painful accident while ia bathing there
recently. A big wave dashed him against
one of the poles supporting the lite lin es
knocking him senssless. He was taken to
a pharmacy and DR.. F. F. Coleman found
fracture Of the nasal bone. He is improv-
ing rapidly. however.
George Alfred Parsons, an Old-time CAL
ifOrnian, who has for some time been the
able book reviewer on the New York
Tribune. is not expected to live. He Is
alarmngly ill and has been unconscious
for days. His physicians give no hopes #
his recovery. Although Mr.. Parsons has
lived in comparative seclusion at his
home at IL West Fifty-nnth street, his
presence is felt in the literary world here.
Edmund Clarence Stedman said of Mr.
Parsons review Of his last book: Even
if the review had been unfavorable
should have read it with interest not un-
mixed with pleasure. the dictOn
was 50 fine. the style so mas
terly. concise and clear" Mr. Parsons
has occasionally accompanied Mrs. Parsons
when visiting the G. P. Huntingtons at
WestcheSter. His adopted daughter and
winsome little granddaughter are included
in the little home circle at II West Fifty
ninth street Mr.. Parsons adored this lit
tie grandchild. WHO seems to chers sh all
equally warm affection Tor her "housr-
father" as she calls her adopted grand
father.
Mrs. Bella Thomas Nichols had a charm
ing visit at Seabright before going to stay
with the Lakes at their lovely home at
MamarOneck, where she will spend sew
eral weeks
Among the recent arrivals in town are
MIR. and Mrs. G. W. Iaber, Miss Gertie
and Miss Daisy Taber AMI Mr.. Frederick
0. Heydenfeldt. DOROTHY Q,
New York July TO- 1893