Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-09-05
GL00MS TAKE COMFY ISLAND
Rainy Labor Day Climax to season Of
Lost Observation-Disclosures Mourn
Their Worst Summer.

bleak gray cloud. From it comes at times
spits of rain to shoot through the steady
drizzle. Men in raincoats are marching
slowly through mud.
Women at their sides with handker-
chiefs over their hats walk as soleinnly.
man with enormous voice Is singing:
Sweetheart I am growing old
Silver threads among the gold"
Everywhere can be heard sohs Of strong
men who weep.
What is this dire. drear place? Are
these persons who move in the gray con-
demned to some punishment? No. this Is
yesterday at Coney Island. This is yes
terday at that carnival place of high holi-
day. that raisin in the yeasty dough of
our drab lives, where seeds Of sunshine
are as thick AS wealthy Young men in
Chambers's stories. And 1t is Coney
Island at the melancholy climax of the
worst summer as far as weather goes
that the oldest islander remembers
There last three days. of old the ban
iler days of the year. when the island used
TO rear up on end every time Brighton
Teach elevated train empticd, have been
20 permedted with gloom that no show
man can discuss them with that nice
choice of words necessary to public pre-
sentation.
tApurSated. the remarks of the Luna
lark officials run something as follows:
'Iositively the worst summer we've
ever had in the weather line And the
most discouraging part of it all is that
ON the three Sundays that you could
really call fair weather we've gone way
over the high water mark of 10000, the
normal Sunday crowd
The average sunday this summer has
started off fine Folks have arisen early
and have appeared with their families and
! just as they got going well. what did it do
out rain and sent them all back as fast as
they could sprint for the r. r. T. These
three holidays, for Saturday was really a
| holiday. have capped the climax to 1.-The
worst season we've known"
| stout man with an expression OF set.
tied sorrow upon his face sits under an
! umbrella, the only occupant OF an aerial
| car ride.
Passed him walked poor. dear papa and
mama and little Barlow. Little Barlow
had been promised these many weeks that
on Labor day poor. dear papa would take
| him to the island and the weather, as
Slimpscd from a Flatbush window YES.
terday morning. had no effect upon his
memory of that promise. SO they haC
started happy family group. and here
they were in mud above their boottops
the cynosure of diffident bankers TO whom
1t was an effort even to shout They're al
| hot at their weary ears.
Through the gloom piped n childish
voice:
When do we go in swimming papa?'
| Papa looked upon his offspring al
though he had become the unexpected
sire OF Il sea lion. OF course as Barlow
pointed out, there We're persons In swim.
ming, but they were representatives OF
those hardy souls who, despairinR o
other fame. cast themselves TO their
eternal glory through holes In the Ice
The most sorrowful sight on the whole
island was the young man with bulr,
muscles who sat in the rain on the side
of the open air baths at Steeplechast
waggling In the Icy water a timorous
toe
The report that the tortoise that weighs
lou pounds and was recently presented
to Luna Park had attempted suicide b,
!
denied yesterday at the park
One thing. though. about the visitors
at the island yesterday. they made the
best OF the weather You could see a ca,
go gallumping along over twists ant
bumps with couple jubilant and oblivi,
Gus In 1t. while over their heads the mar
holds an umbrella.
| The music halls were fairly we'll filleo
with parties who looked at the silver I'm.
ing OF their clouds in the shape of NOV
ing pictures, and two optimists walked
about In the drizzls with red hatbands
announcing that the breed is universal.
| Next week. Monday, Is the beginning OF
carnival week. and II this weather keeps
up 1t will be wei. for you to avoid for the
entire winter the company OF any Coney
Island show man.
There was Just faint remembrance OF
old time Coney merriment In the car go
Ing home, Faces frightened upon behold
Ing an Indifferent car rowdy kick the UNI.
brella OF dear old woman.