The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-05-21

into trouble Seeing that it was OF NJ
avail to try and convince them on this
basis, he suggested that they sneak IN
whereupon they became more favoraplS
inclined toward him and crept inside
with extreme caution, the supposed ne
cessity of which doubtless added great
ly to their enjoyment of the proceed
ings. Later on they became strikingly
emboldened and were heard inquiring OF
one of the officials when the ice cream
was coming on.
Many kinds of apparatus for amuse-
ment and exercise had been put up;
swings, teeters, a sloped ladder up ano
down which an endless chain Of urchins
pranced ON all tours, which wasn't IN
the least what it was put there FOR
rings, bars both horizontal and perpen-
dicular, ropes, vaultng horses, a bas-
ketball layout, and a ball on the end OF
a string which climbed a pole spirally
when the operating boy whacked 1t with
tennis racket, constituting pastime
that seemed to enjoy vast popularity,
although the average observer might
watch for long time without finding
out Just why. From Seward park lot
come up to show the neighborhood boys
of the new playground how to use the
apparatus and play the games. They
played a game of basketball amid loud
and popular encouragement to soak
him in de eye" and to "kick de stuffin'
out of dat bag" from such as had con-
stituted themselves partisans of one
team or the other. On the parallel bars
little red-headed gymnast paraded
proudly back and forth walking upon
his hands, and five minutes after he had
finished several dozen sincere but un-
wise imitators were being logged away
for capital repairs. Already there is a
series of dents in the ground under those
bars, but the heads of that neighbour
hood are hard. Still, so is the ground
for that matter.
A gymnastic Instructor was in attend
ance, but he couldn't see on all sides at
once and the list of minor accidents
probably averaged one minute. Every
time some one plunged headforemost to
terra firma an appreciative audience
howled its approval and the sound was
echoed from the abutting windows of
the tenements which were filled with
the elders. A small representation of
the saloon-haunting element, whose I'M
derjaws project beyond the stoop line,
staggered into the place with the obvi-
Gus intention OF jeering at it, along in
the middle of the afternoon, but after
one or two Of them had mingled with
the basketball practice and been
slammed harshly to earth by the mus
cular youngsters who composed the
Seward park corps they concluded to
take more respectful view Of the af-
fair and even condescend to hint that
they would come around and play some
day themselves.
This is what the league wants, as the
place is not intended for children alone
but for anyone who chooses to make
proper use of it. Furthermore, one of
the committeeman remarked yesterday,
1t doesn't make any difference whether
the people are of good character or bad
racter, or no character at all, so long
as they behave themselves within the
limits of the playground. The police
man present had to work only once dur
ing the afternoon, and that was when
young woman sat down at the piano
which had been brought and set in the
middle of the yard. All the little girls
on sight made. a rush for her and she
would have been overwhelmed had not
the policeman formed bulwark. After
she had played a little all the children
were invited to step up and join in
America" which they did with will.
New York Sun.