Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-05-22
THE COWNSMAN
A NICHTMARE

| m Paramount Park and other public
| pleasure grounds will probably he asked
| by the Philadelphia Sabbath Observance
| Association according TO statements mace
| by its officers yesterday.-The Public
| Ledger
| LIE DID not look like a malefactor,
IL though he was hustled along between
| two huge guardians of the peace either one
| of whom could have laid him across his
| knee for purposes of administrative justice.
| He was a bright faced little fellow, now
| worried and anxious. The Gownsman had
| seen him couple of hours earlier, flushed
and happy this fair May morning, pass
ing with a group of his own years. and their
high treble voices had made music in his ears,
for he was unused to such unwontcd cheer
fulness and almost mistook the day for
school day and not the sacred Sabbath which
1t was. 1t appears that the youthful mis-
creant had been caught red handed playing
ball in n public park on Sunday. His pals
had escaped; he alone had been cornered.
1t seems, too. that he was n hardened sin
ncr. for he had slyly risen early and induced
his companions to do the same. He had had
the impcrtinence to get up earlier than any
of the religious folk of the ncighborhood,
who, holding the mass in adherence. lie late
abcd each Sabbath morning TO record their
picty aud dissent
i station. where tho magistrate was sitting
TO keep pace with the many cases of Sab
bath breaking which crowded the docket.
This being work of necessity, the magis-
trate was much praised for his zeal. 1t was
said that he had remarked with n gcam in
his eye that his arduous laborS in this sort
had kept him out Of church for more
than year. 1t is extraordinary what sacri-
fees some men will make TO public duty. The
boy soon disposed of; ball and bat were
put in evidence; besides, he had disturbed
tho Sabbath peace of the community by in-
dccorous and intocrablc chccrfulncss. The
next prisoner was of II different type,
golf player; or rather. to be accurate. an
elderly man who. furnishing himself out in
n miscellaneous paruphernalia of sticks. bags
and the like and logging himself in an out
landish costume. had fallen into the habit
of seeking green. field each Sunday morn
ing and thereon behaving - well. as such
doddcrers behave. II was shown in the evi-
dcncc that the prisoner had broken the laws
repeatedly in compelling his chauffeur 10
drive him to the links when the said chuuf-
four was eager to attend public worship;
and again in employing ''caddie." which.
it was explained to tho court. was cant
term for a small boy who. contrary to the
laws concerning child labor in this COM
monwcalth. was kept at work and was,
moreover. submitted to the shocking asso-
Citations with persons who, it was alleged,
were not unaddicted to the use Of profanity.
TT WAS argued for the prisoner that he was
dyspeptc and needed golf as an exercise:
that he could not play on weekdays because
he had to earn his wife's living. and that
besides all this the doctor had ordered that
he play golf. "Send for that doctor" thun-
lprp1 thn or 70 sha ybnlI ha do
example. Dyspepsia is a visitation upon
you. How dare you interfere with the ways
of providence? Who knows that it was in
tended that you should be alive at this mo-
ment to break the laws of the land? Were
it not for the mitigating circumstance that
you are compelled to make living for your
wife you should no more golf fields"
And now the prisoners came in thick and
fast. There was Il picnic party which had
feloniously attempted to play copcnhagcn---
Il kissing game and blindman's buff. There
were six little girls who had taken hands
and. dancing around in circle, had dis
turbod n ncighboring congregation with a
profane song about ring around q rosy.
Two young women and youth, whom they
had beguilcd, had tried to play tennis behind
a high wall and been caught.
ALI. these things happened in a very ad-
"A vanced state of the worlds progress.
Public libraries were open daily only during
| factory hours. that the unlettorcd should
| not mcddIe with books. The parks were
| available TO children only during school
| hours so that the grass might be preserved.
| Popular concerts were held chiefly on Mon
| day. which is washday. so that the unwashed
might not become too vocal. For the safety
of the public. dancing had been long since
dining from much of its cheer: for there was
| only soft drinking. and soft drinking turncth
| away wrath. 1t had been now many years
| since the last cup which cheers and likewise
| inpbriates had been drained to the very dregs.
| Men looked not wine when it is red nor
| on beer when it is amber; nor did the beaded
| .'bubblc' of sunny France sparkle to the
| brim." Alcohol was otherwise administered
in these other wise times-but the Gowns
man will not betray the secrets of the future
| and tell how. In short, for the sometime
| lords Of creation this was the suffer age ;
| and the goddess Nicotina had gone up into
| the mythology-or rather the smoke-of the
past with that forgotten old boche Gam
brnus.
THOSE lovely Sabbath mornings, disturbed
l. only by the twitter of sparrows, which,
unhappily, the law cannot control. No rum
| bling of the milk wagon, not even the clink Of
bottles of milk, reminiscent of other clinks
and other bottles in dim remembered past.
No familiar pounding of the fiat wheeled
car. no footing of the horns of autos; telling
! of Joyous pleasures abroad in the country; no
thump of that wicked thing, the Sunday
newspaper against the door, admonshing
the lazy sleeper that he may turn for an
other nap. No breakfast hot and appetiz-
ing - shall we break the Sabbath in the
kitchen and keep it in the hall? Funeral
baked meats and cold for dinner. Not a
man. not child on the streets, save in
stately progress to and from worship. Nc
telephone bringing n cheerful, neighborly
message. The laughter of children hastily
stilled by admonishing maternity austerity
decorum, dignity, sanctimoniousness, a Sa