The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-11-08
AVfRNE'S SEA SERPENT.
SPE4TICLE BHOtGHT
NM mon TIDE.
The scrp.nt Had Burning Eyes and shin
ing scales, ana II Hiss 81 and Sh""e"
In he Water.


ious persons until from many sources OF
supply IT lengthcns its ill-attested form
through Il newspaper column. rus Is
native sea serpent. observed by the sun
reporter who writes this on the evening
OF Tuesday. the 3rd day Of this mohlh, III
the waters OF the ocean AT ArNeThe-py-
the-Sca which the same istefntoit' Al
verne IS, to be included IN Greater Ne"
York.
This. then. Is the story: Tuesday even
Ing there was AN unusually hish tlde
along the south shore of Long Island.
4 great southorly gale. a bit OF which
swept over these parts Saturday and sun
day started the waters OF the Atlantic
flowing northward from some point near
the south pole. and the first intercepting
land. as everybody knows. between West
chester county and the south pole Is
Long Island. That caused the high tide,
and was also the cause of the sea SER
pent.
Now. AT Arverne the guests Of Averys
| cottages-the hotel Is closed. 50 this is
| not a hotel serpent story-are quiet
sort. given TO lcisurely gOssiping on the
verandas. TO coaching. and to wheeling;
| and TO men. Of whom the sun man Is one,
an unusually high tide Is "a matter 10 be
| treated with respect and great considera-
ton. II is a break i'm the eminently re-
/ spectacle routine of gossip coach ana
wheel The reports. therefore, brought
up from the beach by the nurses and the
| children. that the tide was rising until
| even the sacred board walk itself was
threatened with immersion. startled the
sedate cottaccrs To the Avcryltes the
invasion OF the board walk by anything
but themselves was as If Boston should
hear OF danger threatening Fancuil Han.
They would go and see about IT. But
they ate their dinners first for thev are
orderly. as well as leisurcly and sedate.
That brought on darkness before the
trip TO the beach. else this story-but that
is anticipating. II was dark. an except
the faint light Of tho stars and tho fainter
CLEANS Of malsc-belicvc light timidly put
ting forth from the gasoline lamps along
the board walk.
Through the darkness the twin lights
Of the Navasinis shone like cigars IN the
lips Of two distant giants, and altogether
It was an ideal night FOR wcll-conducted
boardwalk Irritation. or almost anything
pertaining to seaside life. except seeing
a sea serpent The sun man strollod along
the board walk marvclling nj the au-
dacity Of the waves which were rolling
across the broad stretch Of beach usual
" dry enough for children's playground
and sending impudcnt little wavclcts up
10 and in places actually over the board
wandered
dered Bankers left their cottages. went
down 10 the walk. and said BLESS my
soul" They even stopped talking about
the coinage. Their wives and their young
left off their after-duncr Veranda oc-
equations and went to the walk I'm crowds
and said, Isn't it jolly?" and Aren't
you afraid?'
It was quite exciting but nothing TO
what the Sun man experienced later. lie
continued his stroll 10 the end of tho
walk. where there is nothing beyond but
the life-guard boat and the Hcrmits
Cabin. Suddenly right I'm the water. hc
discovered what seemed at first 10 bee two
very live Goals Of fire. That was odd.
and when he recalled that 10 would be
more than odd for two live Goals of fire
TO exist in the water he paused 20 con-
slider and study Naturally. the first eX-
PLANTATION suggested was that some bright
object was rejecting some light. 4 glance
at the nearest gasoline lamp settled that.
a mirror at close range would not reflect
that light
The two lights seemed TO be resting on
the nigh ridge Of sand little inside the
breakers a ridge which has been high
and dry all the season. and a favorito site
for sand forts. Looking long and closely
and accustomng his eyes 10 the darkness.
the Sun man made another discovery
which caused a slight nervous shock The
two red things. which We're cleaning bale
fully, and blinking nj times. seemed 10
be located I'm "a dark. ugly-looking head.
An instant later two horns took shape in
the darkness. rising above the twilight.
II was probably just AZ that instant
that the first fanciful thought OF a sea
serpent entered the Sun mans mind. and
just at that instant. also. something else
developed on his sense not only Of sight.
but also that of sound of n really re-
markable If not frightful nature
At this point the story should be inter
rupted 10 make statement Of fact. At
his dinner. just before this adventure. tho
Sun man had drunk n bottle Of very de-
cent clarct. That has been his daily GUS
tom for years. but II Is only fair 10 Cali
fornia to say that he never before saw
sea serpent. and that there was probably
nothing I'm the bottle 20 discrodit the
reality Of the serpent before him then
This then. was what followed the
thought that the Goals might De ewes and
the branching dark objects above the
eyes horns. The surf had eaten pas
sageway through that ridge of sand. and
in that passagcway there appeared a
writing. plunging form hundred feet
long and as big around as a barrel There
could be no doubt about IT, Even the
starlight revealed &c. and. more revealed
glittcring scales along tho body.
The worst. dear readers j 20 come
Suddenly there issued from the head OF
the serpent long and angry Misses pro-
duced by visible breath Yes. smoke and
steam were coming from that awful hiss
ing. horned head, Now. II the reporter
had followed his inclination and retreatcd
there, and thereafter proved a good char
acter for truth and sobriety there would
be no future doubt about the Long Island
sea serpent. But reportorial training
makes a strong habit of persistent seek
ing after truth. so the reporter only re-
treated 10 the safe precincts Of the board
walk. which ne was certain even q sea
serpent would not invade. ana further OBJ
served.
When the undertow drained the chan
mel through tho cut I'm the ridge the ser
pent. after a Few awful. convulsivc strrg-
gles would lie quiet When the wave
filed the channel the serpents struggle
would be resumed. and when the crest
OF the breakers would strike IT'S head thor
only would IL hiss and spout breath OF
steam and smoke.
The tide and waves and wind cast uT
many strange things on the west shore
OF Long Island. Some time ago there was
cast up on the Arverue beach a curved
rib of a ship and il was half buried I'm
that ridge of sand. its two ends exposed
The recent south wind has piled up on
the beach bars of small drftwood. on
Tuesday before the high tide. children
set fire to the driftwood. The fire crepf
along until il caught that old oak rib and