The herald., 1897-08-15
special Correspondence to The Herald.

upool2A Correspondence 10 Inc l1erdiu'
AVALON, Catalina Island, Aug. IA
Catalina has well earned the title of
the most popular summer resort OF
Southern California, and with its annu-
ally increasing advantages continues TO
grow still more popular. 1t is not only
a perfect paradise for theyoung people,
the shirt-waisted and sweet summer
girl and the duck-panted and energetic
youth, but 1t is an ideal-resting place for
the brain-fagged, an unsurpassed re-
treat from business cares-no telephone,
no telegraph. no bank and no bills, and 1t
also presents unrivaled charms for the
sportsman.
The last two years have seen some
striking strides in the development OF
Avalon. It's natural charms must al
ways remain; many devices have been
contrived to make them still more charm
ing; but In the progressive march' there
are naturally some changes which In the
ewes of many do not improve the condi-
tions.
Two years ago Avalon was delightfully."-
and distinctively "go as you please
Now Dame Fashion has begun to assert
herself, and the majority OF campers
regard the covenances in stricter style.
A year or two ago nobody much cared
how anybody looked, or rather was
dressed. I was very much impressed or
my arrival here last Sunday by the fact
that all the summer girls had their
smartest frocks and were walking down
Crescent avenue with as much style as
they would assume on Washington or
Figueroa streets. What was good
form" two years ago is no longer consid-
cred quite correct. The. old idea that
bathing suit was quite sufficient costume
for the main thoroughfare OF Avalon
Is rapidly dying out. And of course
the summer boy must be match for the
goddess Of the beach. l am told thal
the necessary equipment for summer
bow Is at least half dozen pairs of duck
pants, which means good business for
the laundries. Even the older folk
take on more careful habits than OF
wore. I was astonished to find over here
a very well known Bohemian of Los
Angeles who Is generally conspicuous
on Spring street by his somewhat shag-
formed into one of the greatest swells
on the parade. The barber had removed
beard and whiskers, cut the long locks
and actually trimmed and waxed his
mustache.
But there are some innovations III
charming Avalon which cannot be COM
mended even as the change in my friend
appearance.
As was perhaps to be expected, some
of the city vices have crept into the
fair life of the city of tents and threaten
to spoil its legitimate sport. Gambling
made it's first appearance in Avalon two
yeo-e> III fn of q Al lAiT> Az
sdiamoned Israelite, who. however, did
not make success of the venture an6
left the island-as I then understood
at the injunction Of the authorities, and
4 have been told left his diamonds also.
(which was still more satisfactory. Last
year, however, gambling got a foothold
on the island, and this year it has taken
firm root, and threatens, if not eradicat-
ed with strong hand to disturb mucn
of the wholesomeness of the resort Hith-
erto the atmosphere at Catalina has
been remarkably and quite unusually
wholesome in every way. There was al
ways, and still is, for that matter, plenty
and great variety OF legitimate sport
so that the young people never found
time hang heavily on their hands Boat
Ing, bathing, fishing, filtration and dane
ing occupied all the time of the boys
and the girls were quite content Now
the latter are beginning to grumb BILE, and
1t would appear that their cause of COM
plant is really to be traced to the rou-
lette table, the crap game, and other
(advisedly)-devices by
which the gambler makes 100 per cent
and the boys have only the satisfaction
of imagining that they have been sporty
after being completely cleaned out. [
am perfectly aware that the youngsters
have got to learn by experience, and have
in mind Kipling's excellent philosophy
when he wrote in one of the "Plain Tales
from the Hills:'
To rear a boy under what parents call
the Sheltered life system" is, If the bow
must go into the world and fend for him
self not wise. Unless he be one in a
thousand he has certainly to pass through
many unnecessary troubles and NAV, DOS
sibly, come to extreme grief simply from
ignorance OF the proper proportions of
things.
Let puppy eat the soap in the hath
room or chew q newly BACKED boot. lie
chews and chuckles until, by and bv he
nnds out that backing and old Brown
Windsor make him very sick; so he argues
That soap and boots are not wholesome.
But these same youngsters WouId
learn all in good time and it is more than
pity that they should have these on
portunitieS thrust under their noses AT
catalina, which hitherto has been as
wholesome and healthful morally as IT
mas been physically. If men of age choose
20 gamble it is exceedingly difficult to
prevent them, and t. they have fancy
10 run against cinch game and b
s"lndled out of their money, it is their
own funeral, and no one very much re
srees their financial corpses
In tne chlef gambling resort in Avalon
.nere Is posted up the following legend
MINORS not allowed in this room" The
o'her night L counted at least a dozen
poss ol irom l5 to Is years of age hang
:" @iouhu the den and either iudrlsinc
~ the entlcing games themselves or else
watening their friends do so. There has
areaoy been rich harvest to tho oa,,
piers and very miserable vacation fo.
a NUMBER of lads in their teens Tb,ya
personally been Informed of at 1e,s+ bo,f
a dozen cases in which boys have come
over here to spend couple of uoal,e,
well earned vacation and have hro,,.ht |