The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-10-04

ONE uu0 OuuUdy h'IHiAS |
towards the end of June of |
last year, we found ourselves
in the Courtland Street Sta
tion of the Pennsylvania.
''Give me two tickets for Asbury
Parkv
Cant do it. Trains are not allowed
to stop there on Sundays. You can
have tickets to North Asbury, where
you will find buses for the parkp'
do not like to swallow overdoses of
the Old Blue Laws; nor, for that mat
ter, of any other laws. And did not
fancy making the trip anyway. But
then, the National Teachers Conven-
tion was to be held in Ocean Grove
that week and l might find something
interesting to write about. Besides.
my better half expected to meet
friends there, and-that settled the
question. We went. am very glad
we did; for we enjoyed ourselves i'm
mensely in that large, jolly, respectable
crowd.
Ocean Grove and Asbury Park is
practically one place-a great temper
ance resort, frequented much by educa-
tiOnal and religious societies. The only
difference is, that Ocean Grove is right
next door to Heaven, while Asbury
is half a block Off. Excepting the
stores, every house is either hotel, or
"a large boarding house, called hotels
also, or a private cottage. In Ocean
Grove not drop of intoxicants can be
had for either love or money. The be-
nevolent testator, who left the property
for certain purposes, has stocked his
will with ironclad clauses, which
would make the carrying of beer, etc.,
to Ocean Grove very hazardous un-
dertaking. In Asbury Park they are
also strict in such matters, and no bar
lis allowed within its limits. But
most of the Inhabitants have large
heart for the failings of their weak
fellowmen, and there is hardly land.
Iord or landlady who will not furnish
you beer in your own room, and In the
hotels special Out-Of-the-way rooms
are set aside for very thirsty people
i stopped in Asbury Park. When We
arrived, there were fully one hundred
thousand people in the two little places
and even this large number was
augmented by 10000 more on the
Fourth of July, and on the day Presi
dent Roosevelt came to Ocean Grove
to address the teachers. l had much
trouble 20 secure accommodations; but
finally managed to obtain a small
plainly furnished room in what wa
called family hotel. We paid $26.0'
per week for the room and board to-
us two. That would not have beer
~ex ,rbitant under the circumstances
but our meal portions were of sucl
very dimiputive size, that l had t.
take extra meals in restaurants.
The schoolteachers from all state
of the Union had come to the conven
stion 10000 strong. Best of all, the
were almost exclusively of the femi
nine sex; there were, judge, not 30
men amongst them, and most of ther
had never seen the ocean before. HOY
these nice, refined schoolma'ams di
enjoy themselves! 1t was refreshin
to watch them-an actual treat! Di
they 60 bathing? l should say the
did! Not only did they take sunbath
in the sand on the beach, but most Q
them went into the water also-nC
very deep--and not very often. Whe
breaker came, all few to get hold {
"a rope, so that sometimes cluster {
thirty and more of both sexes wei
pressed closely into one spot. Fema
newcomers at first feel all the hesit'
.tion and trepidatien customary
those who don bathing costume Il
the first time, and pretend beir
shocked to expose their fair forms
thousands of onlookers. But they g
over that very quickly when they fir
that single individual Is absolute
lost in the big crowd. II they won
90 direct into the water, and to the
dressing room when they come out,
rthink it would be nicer. But that do