The St. Johns herald., 1896-02-01
JERSEY WASH DAY.
A Salt Water Festival on the
 Coast at Seq Girt.
It Is Held the Second Saturday in August and Snlaclzs Pleasantly of Old-Time Rustic Reyelry-Some DroH
 Sights and Incidents.

and Snlac,ss Pleasantly of Old-Time
 Rustic Revelry-some Dron
 Sights and Incidents.
 Hrs. Burton Harrison, in an article on American Rural Festivals" in the Century. writes as follows:
 Of those which l have seen, and those Of which l have been able to gather accounts, the one s1nacking most pleasantly of old-time rustic rev. elry, and therefore to be offered honor able precedence in this recital, is the Salt Water Day, or Wash Day, ; of the New Jersey farmers, that since time out of mind has been celebrated on the second Saturday in August, upon the coast at Sea Girt.
 To make this Jersey holiday, as- semble thousand baclc-country ve- hicles, CT all sorts, from the hooded farm wagon, which has not greatly altered its pattern for centuries, to the rude blackboard and the pert sullzy. The horses are withdrawn from shafts or pole to be tethered behind the wagons or picketed at little distance in the rear Around the inpromptu camp gather people enough to blacken mile of the sandy shore-people who for months have been looking forward to the occasion as the chief holiday of the year. Cedar chest and camphor trunk and lowered bandbox have been called upon to disgorge their treasures; bat there is no other attempt at cos.uming than the assumption of mere Sunday best. An odd feature Of the great con- course is the seriousness with which 1t takes its pleasure. 4 solemn, even strained, expression of determination to reyel or die sits upon the majority of faces During the unharnessing Of the wagons, which have been arriving upon the scene since early dawn-camping over night being not infrequent-the good wives unpacl1 their luncheon bas- l1ets, take tally Of their pies, and, if need be, while away the time by me- thodically administering punishment of the good old-fashioned variety to their impatient youngsters.
 Around the outskirts of the concourse are seen the booths ana rostru.ns of the falzirs attracted from New York by the promise of rich harvest from the farm CTS wallets. There are also Q riae-range, nerry-go-round, and doll target at which balls are thrown for prizes. Many another cheap diversion offers itself during the explorations of the farmer and his wife and claInoring progeny, and more than ore pinch of dire experience falls to the lot of tho paying member of the party. The nasal cries of the Yankee Autolycus offering his inllles, caddises and lawns are con- tinually heard above tie swelling mur- murs of Jersey joviality.
 Pairing over, there is a general re- treat to the tent drcssing-rooms, i'm proviscd with slawls and canvas cur tains in connection with the vehicles. The great annual bath of the pilgrims is next in order, and down to the shin ing reach of ocean, where the crisping pillows hurry in, presently troop the queerest processions of bathers ever seen out of caricaturc. Many of the men and boys, disdaining change of dress, go into the water in their ordi- nary clothes. stunning themselves after ward in tho hot sand until toasted dry dEGiAl OoliClS o14AA So II CiIl VI lAtNAL sleeves have been removed, and trousers cut of at the knee. Tine bathing outfit of the women reveals droll misccLanics of bygone fashion in cut and texture, some of the more coy among the ma trons including pantalcts, sunbonnets and gloves. With sober Inirth, deaurc smiles, suppressed cries of excitement, the phalanx moves into the surf, taking hands to jump discrcetly up and down in long lines, safe within the danger line. To the great number this vent ture into the sea is actually no more than an annual experience.
 After the bath, noontime turns all thoughts dinnerward, and the camp settles down into one vast picnic. Pies of all kinds suggest the litany-chant- ed without taking breath-of the fem mine hotel waiter in the car of the summer boarder: "Apple-pic, nince- pie, custard pie, lemon pie, squash pie and pieplant pie" Doughauts (called nuts" in the vernacular), cheese in liberal wedges, ham sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, and pickles, supply the favorite menu; and lemonade and root beer-perehance a stronger beverage 1 are produced in bottles cacL confess ing by label to different intention in ! it's earlier career.
 Then, while the summer sun slarts in the cloudless heaven. the merriment ! goes on to iGs climax, more dips in the | ocean are taken, more money changes hands, more solid food is consumed. till at last the shades of evening close upon the scene. and a general "hitching up" of teams betokens the end of Salt Wa ] ter day at Sea Girt.
 A Useless Fish.
 4 Maine fishing schooner had the odd