The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-15

children were sprawling about, digging.
and the usual little girls, with spectral legs
ana their clothes done up IN bag at tnelr
middles splashed in the edge o9 the sea,
and were not content until they were
soaked
This was one Of the touches that makes
the whole world kin. and another was the
rev OF umbrellas close by the chalk cllI.
! These umbrellas were all held out straight,
and each one showed two pairs OF boots--a
! heavy and a fine pair-sticking out under
the lower rim. / have never seen the sea-
side umbrella anywhere at its universal
effort to conceal it's business, that | did
not sec boots of assorted sexes peeping out
in this same way. Unlike the ostrich which
hides its head and leaves its body out, when
tying TO conceal itself. this other bird, the
seaside umbrella, hides its body and eX-
poses its feet.
l went into a cigar shop off the main
street, where two girls in white were Tie
attendants but each was busy talking
TO a young man that | stepped out again,
unobServed and went to the next shop
round the corner Here were two other
girls ali in black. but the dresses made no
difference, for each of these. also, was
monopoized by a young man. Il beg par
don,' said /: II hate TO interrupt, but /
really need a very mild" oh. it's no
trouble at all, I'm sure" said the girl near
est the door and sold me cigar. am
gratifed at being able to say that | got
out without disturbing the other couple in
the least. Returning to the pier / sat down
to assist the crowd in its grave sport OF
enjoying itself
1t was typicaly quiet English crowd. If
IL WAS saying BOOQ-Dy6 10 the PtopAe vi
the steamers this was done without call,
or a shout, or any of that double-eXpansion
repartee which obtains in other lands-that
saying clever things 10 one fellow for all
the rest to hear. Even the men with their
arms around girls waists. in view of every
body, deserve it said that they Rugged with
solemnity. One man, whom no one looked
at, was fishing; six parties were being Ill
in small boats. and 1900 persons were sit
ting down and thinking. The seaside touch
that most girls gave themselves was
pair of white canvas shoes. All wore them
even with black dresses. What was the
holiday touch for the men | could not dis
cover. unless it was leaving their waist
coats at home.
/ looked southwest and shut my eyes, and
saw COney island at the mouth of New
York harhor on that same Sunday. At It's
cheap end was a crowded wooden village,
all in a hubbub, with brass bands. dance
swings, music halls, pistol galleries, fat
women shows, dance du Ventre shows,
sWtchback roads, it's games of test-your-
strength ring a cane ana take one, hit the
Niger with a ball and you get cigar.
its restaurants, beer gardens-1ts myriad
places for amusement and retreshment.
And on the same island was Manhattan
Beach-there thought to be very sober. l
saw its huge hotel and crowded restaurant,
its handstand with SOusa leading and thou
sands listening. its grass and flowers to the
waters lip and there a vast dressing house
for the bathers. merrily sporting-men and
women toGether-in the surf And night
fell and there were fireworks, blended with
a theatrical spectacle. Then | opened my
eyes, and saw the same sea but at sober
Margate. where no masses OF foreigners
lave imported n continental Sunday. and
where the wicked Frenchmen say the peo-
pie take their pleasures sadly.