The sun., 1895-02-03
BEACHCOMBERS ACTIVE.
THE TIME THEN THE CLEANERS
or rHE SANDS IRE ar WORK.

The "beachcombcr" is one of the characters
of every sonshore resort A person who patrols
the beach in search OF valuablcs lost by care-
less pleasure seekers Is called a beachcomber.
There are several men along the Monmouth
coast rc3orts who lind this n profitable business.
During the summer many articles of value such
as money, watches, and jcwclry. nre lost IN the
sand by the hotel guests who bnthe or frequent
| the beach. The loser invariably posts n notice
| Cf his loss at conspicuous place along the beam
and advertiscs IL in the local new6pa peTs; but
| he seldom finds his property. for II sinks by it's
own weight through the yielding sand and Is
efiectunlly hidden from view. Little boys with
| Fauntleroy locks and toy spades may dig and
! dig. hut the chances are always against finding
the lost articles.
| watch worth 5000 is excellent burroweu-
| common mole may move downward more
rapidly, but the valuable timeplece is sure to
| seek the bottom or the sand. IL is the general
! impression that lost articles are washed out TO
| sea by the next high tide, hut such Is by no
means the case. The dainty diamond ring from
! my lady's finger with which she toys nonchal-
antly while her ardent swain. the summer man.
vcrges pcrilously near To summer proposal.
Immediately begins burrowing when, in her
surprise at tho suddcnness of the thing she letd
1t drop in the sand. The circular silver dollar,
being fiat and thin, and therefore Offering but
slight resistance Is the champion turnover of
rcd she'll" which undcrlies the beach sand,
and there they rest.
The beachcomber bides his time. All through
the summer thousands OF persons from tS1
cities and tho inland towns, n certain percentage
of whom may be depended upon to lose personal
trinkuts OF more or less value, are sowing for
him the crop that he may harv est when the full
ness of the time has come. The beachcomber
usually pursues some business catalogued 40
igitp ia
doing the Planting on the beach. For that
matter, he may be leading dry goods
merchant with four-hgured bank
count or he may be even banker, or he may
himself entertain as host and condole with
words of sympathy the guest whose appetite 10
injured by the loss Of some costly jewel or sa-
cred heirloom. Beachcombrs is a calling that
affects and attracts men of many minds; IL 10
more properly mania, for tie kleptomanino
who secrctes silk handkerchiefs while the dry
goods clerk is looking the other way is no more
surely in the mysterious leash of mania than is
the man who combs the beach. Beaclcomb bers
are born. not made.
The fall and winter Is the harvest time Of the
bcachcombcr 1t is then that his crop is
ripencd by the fierce tides of storm and tenn
pest that sweep away tho several feet OF sand
and leave the corrugated red shell bare. TO the
eye unacquainted with seashore phenome ma this
underlying hard pan thus made max ed is mis-
taken for rocks. 1t closely resembles. in color
and form. the ridged bouldcrs found in many
igneous deposits; but it is simply reddish.
shaly, hardened clay, with II sticky surface
which catches and holds all foreign substances
of compact form and weight. 1t proves tho
bonanza of the beachcomber.
Immediately after every storm that denudes
thc beaches OF sand in places. leaving great bare
spots OF red shell. the beachcombers repair to
the ocean front to gather in their harvest. sowed
months before by unconscious and unwilling
hands. The comher has plenty of time. Il
rule. for the duties OF his calling business in
other lines being usually dull at this time of
the year He finds the naked spots, walks slow
lyovcr the red shell. pokcs with stick, watches
with the Keen eye OF natural and cultivated
beachcomber. ana rarely goes home unreward-
nTaItry nickel or a fifty cent stick pin
no parsicul ar value to any one save as it might
serve as II keepsake ior some sentimental yOut!t
whose lnamurUta sowGd il deep for the unknown
and unscntmcntal beachc0mbcr's ruthless
hand. Bat the beaeaGomber i, is never disap-
lnh former ownership by n member OF the hu-
On the other hand the beachcomber may dis
cover jewel Of rare value, which he can turh
TO commercial account Ia this event he gloats
thusiGst. Hcncefurth he occupies pedestal Of
distinction among the members of the Modern
comes FOO, Bah unit! his successor IS duly qual-
Ali the jerscy towns aloneshore ore have have their
familiar beachcomhcrs The beachcombcr, like
two classes chronic and periodic The chronic
bcachcomber commonly wears an old rubber
only Immediately after n storm. Most Of tho
IN tie Monmouth coast towns
ics.. Long, Branch, Ashury Park, Belmur,
spring Lake. Point Pleasant and the several
have their regular bcachtom6crs This winter
lhe beach A. hSIlna Is proving a yertahle h3-
Pert AIlgor, found a SILVER bracelet o
make. Comhcr Ailsor has also found various
says; to board a horse in the country from now
lntil summer. Z. w. Brown. almost a chronic,
iuoisc, which he wears his little finger as a
rophy, Elisha Newman found heavy gold
tGnet ring and severd! other articles OF value.
VIZ Brown is one Of the most successful beach
'alin., having been chronic for several years.
lc cannot he induced T. let a storm go 10y with
aid that II all tho prizes he has from tho
M rd 5, shrll Dug out OF NE hard pan rs IL were
lme, the veteran comScr would be almost inde-
'cHdvHl.y rich.
There is another bcachcombcr. a gentleman
y Il" name OF Klein, residing In Asbury Park.
'lr. KEN Is not much Of a winter COinbrr. lie
While the sowcrs are s,.Il i IN th"ticd Mr.. Kcin':
'ractice is 70 rise early ON summer MORNINGS
rai ''% Who M n4nrss ' wher Rs IS SSumG SS hi.
omher who. by the way. is II pronounced
0 see the sun rise over the icrnn. As he walks
le Looks down at the ground scanning the side
walks and cutters with CiISc attention. When
!" reaches m" boardwalk he walks through
hc ptN ,i."us and along the hard sand under
ne boardwalk, still looking dowa- watching
nr the sunrise;
When this ,omhcr returns to his breakfast he
ingirN ia hi> poe kc' enough COINS to pay tor tho
neal, aud all of them he haS tuHbcn from tho
CHcu. Mr. Is, In Ont" said ilHt II was his habit
% drink a glass Ui ifCSh WI!k every morning he-
3I" hf,., .,kioSi, This glass which un closer aC-
ualn'HNr" proves tu h" a quart lin uItH~urv. ne
lWdy- pEruLasrs from an carly milkmnu whom
@ h'' usiN ut he return t-ip from the hOnCh,
uG n is the rnmbrN own statement that
ever oH'c durpg tho summer OF 1894 did
e. fall ~ pI" tor this tactical HpI,ii.rr ont ~
nr p.o'rcds oI Tho morning Cnmhng. At one
mr lNtN rrmnrSHh.y suy 'cestul brnchcomhrr
lluG uul"g uur ul 10" pHNIlloUs u purse rYh-
urlu2 hyr u.r,t .ot.Uuo dollar notrs. lie adj