Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-08-28
ON THE JERSEY COAST
The Quiet and Unconventional Reigns at Bay
Head.
Bicycling Holds Its Own With Bath
ing and Washington People
Enjoy Both.
Correspondence OF The Evening Star.

BAY HEAD, n. J., August o. 1896.
To the north of the Jersey coast lies this
little resort, which is not so well known as
1t might be, but whose primitive charms
and distinct advantages are appreciated by
many Washingtonians who are summering
here. There are but three hotels-all, how
ever, excellent in their way-and a great
many attractive cottages, forming a little
community. in which there is a conspicuous
absence of the common and vulgar or SNOWY
and sensational element. Social life. indeed,
among the cottagers is almost as exclusive
jas among the more heralded aristocracy of
Newport, and at the hotels many of the
best-known people from all parts of the
country may be met Washington is notably
represented, both among the cottagers ard
notels, ana in a morning stroll along the
board walk at the' bathing hour one may
meet Secretary Harmon and his family, the
Marcellus Bailevs DIR. and Mrs Mcclure
Mrs. Runlett, Mrs. Winlock and her daugh-
ter, Miss Monroe: Mrs. W. J. Acker with
her Two boys; Mrs. and Miss Fogle. Mr. and
MIS-. j. h. Gultck and Dr. and Mrs. Sprigg.
BAY Head ought TO be famous for its pretty
girls, none of whom are more attractive
IMAM the Attorney Generals daughters. who
nave spent several seasons here, and are
great bellies. Miss Helen Monroe is also
extremely popular. and an enthusiastic hi
cycllst And at the bathing hour there are
no end of pretty figures and costumes 10
gladden. the eyes of the over-Sunday Young
men-eNen TO veritable two little girls in
blue, who come tripping along the sands
with their arms intertwined and take a
simultaneous header into the first foaming
breaker
Satisfactory Spot.
10 all those who enjoy quiet and uncon-
Ventionality with easy access to neighbor-
ing gaiety, Bay Head is a most satisfying
spot, for here the most delightful freedom
from social trammels abounds, yet held in
check by the lines of refinement and de-
corum which are the keynote of the lit
Tie resorts charm. one may wear a shirt
waist or an outing shirt (Which ever il is
one does wear from Sunday n1oraing till
Saturday night if feels more com
Portable that way: or if che is more am
bltlous he and she may put on their patent
feathers and lace frils and HE them 20
the semi-weekly hops. And. 10y the way,
they have peculiar style of dancing here,
Imported no one seems to know whence.
and which may be purely local. Certainly
II is unique. The man encircles the girl
firmly with his arm round about her
shoulder blades at such a height that her
shoulders are raised several inches: next.
she tucks her left hand snugly over his
arm, and, having thus brought her elbow
on a lire with her ear. confidingly neStles
her head down upon the more or less dim
Piled pillow and turns her eyes To heaven
doubtless giving thanks that There is one
resort where girls don't have TO two-S;ep
with each other: he then gently seizCs her
right wrist with his thumb and third fin
ger, and as they wait for a moment TO
catch the time of one of Sousa's inspiring
strains he counts her pulse. and finally,
when music and pulse. and. no doubt.
hearts as well, are throbbing in unison.
they briskly whirl away. This method no
doubt has hyRienic advantages, for with a
finger on girls pulse the probably
gauges the physical effects of the dance.
But ii looks queer.
Bicycles Arc supreme.
All the world seems TO have come to Jer-
sey on wheels, and ii is safe to assert that
trains deposit more bicycles than trunks
at every station; for the summer girl Of
'?6 is a creature OF short skirts and few
furbelows. The roads along the coast are
| fine, and within twelve miles OF Bay Head
are any number OF objective points, such as
Point Pleasant, B-lmar, Spring Lake, As
bury Park and back through the pine
woods to Lakewood. There are morning
parties and afternoon parties, and now,
best OF all, moonlight parties spinning in
and out of the villages: and A favoFite
scheme is to ride until tired, have a jolly
supper and then take a train back. An
other use to which the bike has lent itself
IS that of hair dyeing device. II may lie
peculiar to Bay Head. hut here al leas:.
with an independence sanctioned by a
community which VIII not permit electric
lights, the deadly trolley or the festive
merry go-round within its limits lest TIE
vulgar horde should be attracted thereby.
Women, old and young. spinster or wife.
lean or stout, come forth from the bath
with unbound tresses. and mounting their
wheels. and, sticking their hair pms in
their mouths or belts. whirl up and down
the roads with their hair flying in joyous
abandon. while run and wind dry each
strand and add anoth her blister to the nose
Then they braid ii in a .'pig-tail." like
their little daughters and sisters and 20
d. murely in 10 dinner.
Ont the Dancing Waves.
Then, when tired of wheeling there is
Barnegat bay. with sailing that is a Joy
forever, and fish that may lac pulled out as
fast line is cast. And for the young
sters there is the upper end Of the bay.
where they could scarcely drown if they
stood their heads in the middle hut
can paddle about in row boats and catch
little fish that look 10 them lig as
whales and plant the seeds of hopeless
prevarication. Bay Head is the childrpn's
paradise, anyway. for absolutely no harm
can come to them-and they need have
| their faces washed but once a day.
1t is also the harvest field OF the naughty
wash lady" she proclaims herself.
And while the humble tourist its on the
veranda and wishes he had six dollars TO
blow in at the livery. the wash lady"
| dashes up i'm stylish surrey behind her
spirited pair and, iiinging a bundle down,
announces that she will do no more wash
| ing unless more handkerchicfs and stock
| ings are used and all starched pieces oi m
| mated. But the wash lady is Only AN
| incident and makes but a fleetiag impress
sion upon the idlers who SO gayly wheel
over the smooth reads. sail under glorious
harvest moon. wander through fra c-Int
pine woods and dream fair dreams in the
sands beside an August sea.