Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-08-11

every one for himself might write a
good deal about the moonlight on the
sea, but one is liable to be misunderstood
and called sentimental.
Atlantic City, the greatest pleasure re-
sort in the world, seems to grow in pop
uarity every year. Every now and then
some one predicts that it has reached its
zenith and must soon decline, but these
prophesieS do not hold good. On the
contrary, it is constantly becoming more
attractive and each year draws greater
crowds. When one learns that there are
here some fifteen hundred hotels, each
accommodating from fifty to a thousand
guests or more, it seems as if the hotel
business is overdone. Yet, when you
see the innumerable throng that crowds
the beach and piers by day and fills the
great board walk and the resorts at night,
you wonder how one city can provide
shelter for so vast multitude. This IS
the height of the season, and 81 OF the
hotels are filled TO their greatest capacity.
Unless one has engaged accommodations
in advance, there is apt TO be more or
less trouble in finding comfortable quar-
tiers. You may get board at the hotels at
almost any price that suits your purse
you can get along at the more quiet
houses at $l2a week, or you can find
real swell lodgings at $l2 day. The
story is told OF a man from the country
who desired to Splurge bit, and who
went TO one of the fashionable hotels and
asked for a nice room on the second
floor, facing the ocean, with private bath
and everything first-class. Certainly, 4"
said the clerk. "That will be twenty
dollars a day. How long do you wish to
remain ?" The gentleman from the coun-
try gasped, and then recovering himself,
replied: ooh, about fifteen minutes"
1t would be interesting to figure about
how much money changes hands here in
a day. There are perhaps 10000 stran-
gers in Atlantic City, all bent on having
good time, and as they know beforehand
that il costs money to live here, they nat
urally come we'll provided. They have
little difficulty in getting rid OF the dough,
as rule. There are people here from
all over the United States and the bal
ance of the world. The hotel clerk told
me that he had guests from far-off Hon.
olulu this season. II seems TO me that
there are not as many persons here from
West Virginia as usual. While | have
run across number OF Jefferson county
folks, they are not as numerous as | have
noted in some other years.
The surf bathing at Atlantic City is
splendid. The beach is perfect-no
treacherouS holes or danger SpotS-juSt
a firm, clean bed of sand that slopes al
most imperceptibly seward. The water
is cold, TO be sure, and when you first go
in you are ready to affirm that it is ice
water. But when the shock of the first
plunge is over il becomes eXhilarating,
and the sport OF riding over the pillows
or plunging through the breaking waves
is simply glorious. And then the sur
roundings are so interesting. There are
perhaps ten thousand persons laughing
and shouting and plunging in the water,
while as many more are playing on the
beach or walkingup and down the strand.
The study Of anatomy may be pursued
here quite readily, for the bathing cos
tunes are OF necessity abbreviated. ! had
expected to give detailed account OF the
scenes upon the beach for the benefit OF
my venerable friends, D. F. B. and H. F.
N, but they will have to come and see
for themselves. Mr.. B. had almost made
up his mind to come this year, but at the
last moment weakened because he was
afraid that he would have TO trim his
beard Vandyke style and wear full dress
suit in the evenings. Mr.. N. had better
excuSe-he said that he doubted if he
could find a bathing suit to fit him-he
takes a size $50.
The great attractions of this place are
the piers that have become so famous for
the variety of amusements that they fur
niSh These structures OF iron and con-
crete stretch out into the water third OF
mile or more, and by the payment OF
ten cents or quarter you have access to
all the entertainments they provide. There
are minstrel shows, vaudeville perform
anceS, moving pictures, dancing, roller
skating, animal shows, diagram reports
of baseball games, fun for the children,
etc But best of all is the music. Some
of the finest bands in the country play
here, and morning, afternoon and night
you can hear the most delightful music.
Last night we heard Marines Symphony
Orchestra render programme on the
Steel Pier that was simply beautiful. The
music of Mendelssohn, Donizetti, Mass
enet and other classical composers was
played exquisitely by accomplished ar
fists. The "Sextette from Lucia" was in
heavenly harmony, while constellation
of opratic stars sang the quartette from
"Rigoletto" most brilliantly. Besides the
orchestra and the quartette, there were
solos from artists OF reputation, who
charmed the audience of perhaps tive
thousand persons who filled the music
hall. This splendid hall is at the ocean
end OF the pier, two thousand feet from
shore, and it is an ideal place to enjoy
sweet music. The vast room is softly il
Illuminated from reflected electric lights
that are themselves unseen. The fresh
} sweet sea air blows gently through the
windows. Underneath, the waves muir
muir soothing monotone as an accom-
| paniment to the music up above. With
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