Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-07-30
Only the Merry Kind Break on Attain
tic City's Sand.
TEE CHANGES OF TEE CROWDS
Discovery of Importance to the
Fair and Fragile Sex.
MEN AT A MI U NJ
Special From star Correspondent.

AlLAN1lC I'll L, july -, l5UD.
The individual who wrote " By the Sad
Sea Waves never guided his pen any
where in this neighborhood, or he would
have written by the Glad Sea Waves"
They may somewhere out in the dim dis
lance sweep along in mournful monotone
or sound dirges in deep diapason over the
dead multitudes they cover, but when they
reach this Jersey strip of sand they make
melody that is almost rag time In its glee-
fulness. They can't help 1t, for they catch
the Infection Of this resort far out beyond
the breakers lines and vary their voices
from grave to gay without recourse But
the salt sea counts for nothing here save
as 1t serves as the multitude's bath tub.
so far as the multitude itself is concerned.
Some of US, to be sure, sit and watch its
ever-changing lights and shadows, Its rest
less motion and feel its sublime poetry and
appreciate the lesson It tells in ceaseless
rhythm of the mightiness and mercy Of the
omnipotent, but the multitude, the great
masses of men and women who form the
moving picture, that makes Atlantic City
the epitome Of American exuberance. turn
their backs on the sea Of water and devote
themselves to the sea Of humanity, whose
waves roll up and down no less restlessly.
Responsibility Predominant.
To an observer of his fellow mortals
there is no better place to study them than
at this truly remarkable place. Their char
acter changes with the seasons. They are
as different in spring early foliage is
different from that of summer, and in
autumn they change again.
And the summer crowd has changed, too,
with succeeding years l have been a fire.
quent visitor during my limited career. and
what strikes me most this time Is the over
whelming preponderance among the pleas
ure or health-seeker of the class so hard to
define
Not the wealthy. nor again the middle
class, but that just a shade below the lat
ter, which may be termed the "respecta-
BILE" class. 1t dominates as completely as
the Boxers dominate China, and 1t is re-
freshing to see that 1t has nearly blotted
out the riff-ran aggregation that 80 fire.
quently and unfortunately made Atlantic
City vile in the past. 1t enjoys itself. too.
to the utmost, and while it does not patron
lie the Casino. perhaps. It pervades piers
and auditoriums, and is happy, content
and respectable.
There is another element that is showing
advancing independence In seaside life here.
1t Is comprised of the colored brethren.
1t is surprising to even a Washingtonian to
see how free they really are in this neck of
the map 1t inspires thoughts of the future
to go forth, for instance. on Young's pier to
listen to the Royal Marine Band of Italy
and discover that the dark-complexioned
gemman who served your soup and placed
previously is seating himself by your side.
and that he pIunked down by the chocolate
checked lady who will make up your bed
tomorrow morning.
Marvellous Advancement.
So much for the crowd. AS for Atlantic
City itself, where Is 1t going to extend? To
one who remembers 1t well as a struggling
group of cottages and hotels Its present po-
tential proportions are amazing, and it con-
tinues to spread. like oil poured on water,
although more substantially The fragile
structures shot up formerly are giving place
to solid buildings Of strength and character.
1t has advanced in as substantial a manner
in its comforts and conveniences. its enter
tainments and attractions, for the catch
penny has given place to the more-than-
yCur-money S-worth.
In the means of reaching it, too, the i'm
provement has been equally marvellous.
When l first visited Atlantic City, years
ago, it required about eleven hours to make
the trip from Washington. This included
a vexatious and altogether uncomfortable
transfer Of self and baggage across the
Quaker City, ride on a wheeZy ferry boat
to Camden and three-hour torture of
bumpety-bumpety journey across Jersey in
a box-like car, with portfolios for windows
and shteld-like contraptions under the car
to keep the dust from suffocating the oc-
cupants. This time l boarded a Pullman at
the Pennsylvania station at lis o'clock,
came like a shot nearly to Philadelphia,
SSCut"tu Tie love
by circling around it and crossing the Del
aware river by bridge, came flying smooth
as oil through Jersey and was deposited
here at $50 pm.
The obsequious fee simple porter couldn't
find fieck of dust on my coat, and 1 in
voluntarily recalled the appearance Of a
similar garment on my initial arrival in
the dim and dusty past.
An Important Discovery.
Another thing struck me during the bath
ing time this morning. which, 1 believe,
should be made the subject of study by
our medical savants. The American wo-
man, so far as the composite picture of her
that is presented here when she is attired
decollete as regards her neither extremities,
Is tending largely to knees and ankles.
1 have noticed for several years past an
increase in the size of the feminine knee
cap and ankle joint as displayed at sea-
shore resorts. and find, and am speak
ing seriously, that the development Is
more pronounced the more it Is studied.
Young girls and girls not so young unfor-
tunately display an apparently abnormal
condition in the respect considered. 1t
would be indelicate to discuss or even men,
ton any Impressions about development Of
other portions Of fair women's neither sup
ports. but so far as knees and ankles are
concerned they are growing larger. May
be its bicycling; perhaps Its golf; but no
matter the reason the fact remains
Wanted-Men.
But whether thus afflicted or not. the
women here are all as one in suffering ter
rible misfortune. There is an absolute
dearth of men. where the overplus Of the
fair sex Is concerned. Nice fellows never
had such opportunities in their lives to en-
10y a real summer with real summer girls
as are afforded at Atlantic City at this
immediate time. II any such are around
Washington-and know lots In the Chevy
Chase, Columbia Golf Club and other estt-
mable organizations where bachelors pre-
dominate-they will be wise in their genera
ton II they pack grips and speed this way.
who's In the parlor?" inquired a fair
vision with eager anxiety Of chum whose
blonde curls were each q fascination.
Eight women, two children and four
files" snapped the beauty.
OF course there are a few exceptions to
the manless rule, as there are to all kinds,
no matter how ironclad they may be, and
Miss Martha Hichborn, our lovely Washing
ton representative. had three SWANS with
her this morning as she strobe along the
board walk in her enthusiastically inde-
pendent style. She Is the only real young
member Of the capital smart set have
seen.