The Washington herald., 1908-08-23
FAT ROARDER ANGRY
Says Old Women Are Crowd
ing Out DebutanteS.
TALKS OF SEASIDE RESORTS
Asserts that when He Was Young
blooming Maids Reigned Supreme,
but Now the Beach Is Pre-empted
by the Women Who Are Falling
Into the Sere and Yellow.

The fat bOarder who had not left the
hotel summer or winter for ten years
came back TO town after an unusual alb
sence that upset all the coterie accus-
toned 10 find him every night at 10
O'Clock at his undispUted table in the
cafe He came back looking a shade
less fat. and the rosy glow that settled
generally at the Zip Of his. nose was dis
tributed more equally over his cheerful
countenance.
Went away for a little change. doctor
prescribed il: didn't want 70. but had to-"
he explained when the usual group was
gathered about him. 7 hadn't done Il
for ten years. and won't again If I live
that long. In way. It was a good thing
for me, apart from the sea air and the
bathing. I saw some things about sum
meF hotel life that were new 10 ne.
They have changed a number Of their
ways since 7 used 10 sit on their piazzas-
When I used 10 go 10 summer hotels
twenty years ago they used 70 be talking
all the time about the girls who spent
the summer months in such places The
decentralization Of rearing a young girl
with hotel piazza points Of view on many
subjects the miscellaneous kinds Of
people she might meet there. and the
damage 10 her manners used 10 be the
theme OF those who found so much TO
deplore in our summer seaside life
Were "A Forward Lot.
We'll they were rather a forward lot.
pacing the piazzas with boys. romping
around and making themselves entirely
too conspicuous for oId-fashIoned ideas
Of what young girls should be They are
not an issue. however. IN hotel life to-day
in the summer months.
The old women have them stung 10 q
finish They are the overwhelming per
sonalities OF hotel life row. They sit al
over the piazzas, play bridge in corners.
rush over the place Orlamelted with auto
mobile wells. parade around the dining
rOcrrs dressed within an inch Of their lives
and otherwise deport themselves in a man
ner totally at variance with the accepted
ideas Of the dignity and gentleness and
sweetness that are supposed 20 he ass0-
ciated with Old age. Old age. indeed
They're only seveaty-five or seveuty-three.
and they've no idea Of being put on the
shelf just because there are a few women
about younger than they are
Aged Women Are Frivolous.
I saw parties Of four or five women
who were al lowering about the seventies
riding Of IN automobiles. wrapped up in
wells and other toys that gave them a
hideous sembIance OF the skeletons Of
young women who might have met their
faJes in those same garments and dressed
in that same way That was the awful
idea that suggested itself 70 me every
time I saw those crones gather. for such
an outing"
There were other details of Sumner
hotel life that had impressed the visitor.
Sometimes when went down 10 break
fast he went on. 7 felt as Z were in
truding on a very domestic and Intimate
scene which I had no night 10 witness.
That wezIid happen when the wife Of rhe
man who had gone downstairs beforehand
70 order breakfast came 70 join her spouse
and gave him a demure. coquettish bow
Of the kind which had never before been
revealed outside Of her own diniaz-ro5n
= she had stopped over the table and
kissed him her manner could not have
been more intimate I got so after sew
erai mornings that looked away when
ever I saw her enter the dizirg-room- II
was q domestic sacrament never meant
for the eye OF the outside world
Old Men Get Gay.
Il never minded watching another DO
mestic incident that was usually 10 be
seen at its best on Saturdays and Sun
days This was the decoration OF the old
men They had 70 set into their Tuxedo
coats at those times. and an unhappy lot
they were over il. The old ladies did all
the dressing during the rest Of the week
and let the old men alone But when
they came 70 adding few extra frus
for the benefit OF the over-Sunday crowd
the old men had 10 go along with EN- 10
the extent of putting on evening dress for
those two nights II they had been made
to put on cOrsets the old chaps could
have not have looked more uncomfortable.
II was a positive relief 70 see those old
men on Monday They knew they would
not have TO put on those togs for another
week and their relieved manner showed