The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-07-10
HIS FIRST VISIT
TO COMFY ISLAND
Young Eng|ishman Insisted on
Seeing the Sights and Got All
That Was Coming to Him.

A young Englishman who came to this
country last month to gather material for
a series of articles on New York and
It's Environs." expressed a desire last
Saturday to go to Coney Island. He had
no idea what Coney Island was like.
but he thought a description of it would
make interesting reading.
The friend TO whom he confided his
wish took him to Brighton Beach to din
ner and after the meal the two sat on
the veranda smoking their cigars and
listening to the music.
AS the time rolled by the Englshma n 3
patience began to wear out and finally
he turned to his companion and said:
Now. say. old chap. is this all there Is
to the blasted place? Can't we get some
action? This is dreadful bore. yknow'
We'll over there where you see all the
lights there's lots of action. but [ didn't
suppose it was the sort Of thing you
cared to mix up in." responded the 9TH
err
Nonsense. old chap. I'm out to sec
it ALL" said the Englishman.
The New York man tried to discourage
his English friend from making the trip
to the Bowery but the man insisted on
going It was plain from his talk that
he had no idea what the West End of
Coney Island was like. but it was quite
clear that he meant to find out. SO about
II O'Clock the two started over, and a
few minutes later they were in the
midst of the Wh1rl.
They met a number of convivial souls
who drank at the Englishman's expense.
TWO rather good looking young women
attached themselves to the Englisnman's
arms.
1t happened that one Of the young wo-
c.en was the personal property of a Coney
Island waiter, and along about l a. NJ
he came up. and without any fuss or
gathers. broke st beer glass on the Eng
lishInan,s head.
The Englishman's friend tried 10 es-
cape from the resort where this occurred
and to- take the Englishman with him.
but the latter couldn't see any glory in
retiring under fire. He didn't know. OF
course that the proper thing TO do at
Coney Island is to run when you see
trouble coming.
A mix-up followed, from which the
E.nclishman scaped. his clothes rather
rsu:sed. but with his girls stiil on his
irlrs Little he cared then for the waiter
or the fight.
lie and his girls and his friend plunged
into the maze outside and soon wound up
at ar entertainment which consisted of
getting in a rowboat ard being carried
along by a stream a,out three feet deep
through a series of pitch dark tunnels.
In the middle of one of these tunnels
a facetous soul in the rear of the boat
tipped it over and the entire party was
Fl, need in the water. Some one applied
language to the facetious person and n
fight ensued.
the dark. the girls screamed and there
was a fine row on. when the manage
ment turned on an electric light and
the Englishman found himself locked in
the arms of his friend. whom he had
been punching vigorously for several
minutes under the impression that he
was an enemy.
Wet and exhausted, the party found
their way out OF the tunnel to a saloon.
where more drinks put them in good
shape again A proposition that they go
home met with reluctant assent from
the Engiishman
On the way home in trolley car
fight started in the front of the car
The conductor went UP to stop it. The
fighters heat him so that ne ran 70 the
rear of the car for safety The lighters
followed him there and another hSht pc
gan right under the noses OF the Eng
lishman and his party:
The Englishman made some meek PRO
test when one of the men accidentally
struck him in the face. so the man nit
him again. this time on purpose Then
The fight became general. and as the car
crossed a Gravesend roadway the En-
q,ishnnan and one of the tTo girls were
suddenly hurled from it TO the ground
the car went on. leaving them there.
Tha girl had a black eye and lay on the
ground grooming. a policeman came out
# the black night and said that the
girl was badly hurt He went away TO
get an ambulance.
Pretty soon he came back and the am
bulance appeared a few moments later.
the girl thought she was all right by
this time and refused TO go TO the hos
nital The policeman said she must go
The Enslishman said she shouldn't go
unless she wanted TO. Then the police
mar. grabbed the EnglishInan by the neck
and famed him vigorously with his
night-stick while the surgeon dumped
the Girl into the ambulance and drove
away with her
Just how the Englishman got back TO
town no one knows but he himself ana
he hasn't chosen to tell the details But
when ne woke up the next day and re-
fected on the variety of things that had
happened to him the night before. ne
made up his mind then and there that
Americans. save in Isolated cases. are
still half savazes-
Those who know him are awaiting
with interest the first nstalme1t OF
New York and its Environs. They
believe that the tale will start with
the environs and the first one will be
Coney Island.-New York sun.