Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-10
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRAcEWELL.

those rare city days when just the right
combination of GOODNESS and wetness
gives the atmosphere something OF the
Seasllore feel. Perhaps 1t is the moisture
as much as any one quality. It is not
the true breeze; the salt is lacking.
The tang Of it is not there, only a kind
Is imitation, which is yet good enough
- set memory working overtime.
u The beach Is childhoods rtghtful
their feet's content, without harming
any ones lawn, or spelling neighbor's
shrubs. They can dig in the sand all
day long without disturbing the sleep,
reading or work of earnest men and
women. The beach is made for digging
children.
what wonderful castles one constructs
on beaches! The best place is Just at
the edge of the breaker overflow,
where the sand is. firm and wet, but
not too firm nor too soppy. It must
be just right for the construction of
the proper battlements to keep the up
rushing water In its place.
Usually it Is advisable to permit a
portion Of the water to flow through
the town by way of viaduct, or tunnel,
which must be placed directly through
and beneath the main wall facing the
great sea.
Such little castle, after all, facing
such O big sea! But childhood's affairs
are great, gigantic, to childhood. Their
sorrows are the greatest sorrows In the
world, far exceeding their joys. Let no
one smile at the catastrophes of the
little ones. Unfortunately there is
something in human nature which
causes the ills of life to be remembered
far longer than the good. Many child
will in later life recall how Fido burst
through the perfect castle, utterly ruin
ing 1t, in his mad chase after a long
legged, prong-eyed fiddler crab.
! So it is well to recall the sunshine,
the rolling waves, the salt air, the beau
tiful, restless, blowing salt breeze which
brought health to so many and which
is still bringing 1t to fortunate people
who live there or who are able to go
there.
The beauty Of the sea breeze is that
1t never stops except for those rare Pc
RODS when the harsh land breeze sets
In. These, however, are exceptional.
Mostly the ocean breeze is so constant
that one forgetS about it, simply accept
ing 1t as a part of life. In the old days
planned because the seaside air made
their hair so wet, but now that bobbed
hair Is the happy fashion the ocean
breeze can be charged with no such
crime.
Nor Is there any favored spot along
the sandy stretch, so long as one keeps
upon 1t; the wind blows steadily from
its direction, far up toward the half
way house as well as down by the busy
hotels and cottages. The halfway
house" on many a beach is not an eat
ing and drinking place catering to way
farers, but rather shack placed for
the convenience of the beach patrol. It
is located halfway between life-saving
stations and affords shelter to the two
men who tramp from opposite direc-
lions, giving them a breathing spell
on blustery nights before they plunge
out in the stiff wind ~
Yes, our seashore breeze can be
wrecker as well as helper of humanity,
but it is not with the sad phrase that
we have concerned ourself but solely
with the happy side of it. II one were
inclined to statistics he could show that
the ocean breeze has built up far more
health than 1t has destroyed in ship
wreck. Even the memory Of 1t is
vitalizing.