Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-08-20
A LETTER FROM The SEAsHoRE.
ArLANrro Cry. August II, 100

ATLANTIC OITY. august IL, 10oo.
DEAR REGIsTER-It is said that
Atlantic City is the greatest resort In
the world. and this can be very read
lily believed by any one who has been
here the past week. When one sees
the vast multitude Of people who are
here or pleasure Dent, one wonders IT
there is anybody left in the rest OF
the country. Hundreds of thousands
of persons yesterday paraded up and
down the board walk-that wonder
full promenade that stretches along the
ocean front for four or Eve miles and
varies in width from twenty to forty
feet. You never get there 80 early
in the morning that you find it de-
serted, and no one that | have seen
has been there late enough to see it
without it's crowd. At night, how.
ever, the great thorough, fare presents
it's most remarkable appearance. My.
riads of electric lights stretch along
either side and hang in festooDs above,
while glittering pictures in changing
colors advertise places and goods In
brilliant fashion.
Besides, stretching far out into the
ocean, are the piers with their lovely
Examinations, the lights outlining
with celestial beauty the handsome
architecture and rejecting their bril-
liancy in the surgiug waters beneath.
Adding to the ever-changing scene is
the unending procession of women in
beautiful costumes and with bright
faces, accompanied by their escorts
or in groups together. 1t is living
Kaleidoscope that is one of the mod srn
wonders Of the world-especially to
those of US who see it through country
eyes.
No less interesting is the bathing
hour. The popular time is from
eleven to one o'clock. Yesterday
there must have been fifty thousand
persons in the surf. The ocean is no
small body of water, but it was
crowded with men, women, and chill
dren, and such merry, laughing.
shouting throng you never saw.
Surf bathing is a most exhilarating
sport, and the waves that come roll
ing in upon you in ceaseless procession
and the pillows that sweep 80 inces-
sanity prevent you from having dull
moment while you are among them.
There's nothing sad about the sea
waves here-on the contrary, it is
Just impossible to tell how gay they
are.
There's no lack of amusement here
by day or by night. The piers pro-
vide constant musical and vaudeville
entertainment, with circuses and con-
certs and dancing and novelties that
are always interesting. and there are
also several good theatres. But if
you want to see real iveliness and
gayety you must go to some of the
cafes or hotel gardens, where from ten
o'clock at night until any old hour in
the morning you will see thousands
upon thousands of men and women
devoting themselves to eating and
drinking, and merry making in gen.
eral. know if some of the pious
folks in our neighborhood could wit.
ness these sights that they would be
ready to believe that the limit of the
worldliness had been reached and
that the end of all things was near at
hand. There's no doubt about Allan
tic City being an ungodly place at
the height of the summer season, and
those who want to see strange sights
may find them with little trouble.
You cannot but wonder where all
the money comes from. 1t is said
that there are quarter of million
visitors here this week, and this means
that there are anywhere from one mil.
lion to two million dollars being
spent each day upon pleasure. The
hotels are not what you would call
elymosYnsry institutions-you pay
well for everything you get-and all
the amusements and side issues cost
money as well. There are attractions
to suit every taste and all people.
You can have quiet if you wish it
or you can plunge into gayety such
as may be found in few places in this
country, and it is this variety that
draws so many persons from every
section. 1t seems to me, however,
that comparatively few come here for
quiet-it's liveliness that they seem
to want.
One meets folks here from all over
the world. We have run across per-
sons we have not seen for years and
renewed many pleasant acquaintance.
1t is singular how the name of Shep-
herdstown is known. You can be
sure that almost any person you meet
will have heard Of it or has known
some one from there. 1t is a pleas.
ure to realize that its fame isso wide.
ly known, and everybody who speaks
Of it has a good word for the dear old
town on the Potomac. Atlantic City
reminds me very strongly of Shop
observation-disclosures it is so different.
II. L. s.