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crowds rather boisterous and unruly； and many years ago； when I lived in
Italy； I celebrated the greater amiability and self…control of the
Italian crowds。 But we have certainly changed all that within a
generation； and if what I saw the other day was a typical New York crowd；
then the popular joy of our poorer classes is no longer the terror it
once was to the peaceful observer。 The tough was not visibly present；
nor the toughness； either of the pure native East Side stock or of the
Celtic extraction； yet there were large numbers of Americans with rather
fewer recognizable Irish among the masses； who were mainly Germans；
Russians； Poles； and the Jews of these several nationalities。
There was eating and drinking without limit； on every hand and in every
kind； at the booths abounding in fried seafood； and at the tables under
all the wide…spreading verandas of the hotels and restaurants； yet I saw
not one drunken man； and of course not any drunken women。 No one that I
saw was even affected by drink； and no one was guilty of any rude or
unseemly behavior。 The crowd was； in short； a monument to the democratic
ideal of life in that very important expression of life； personal
conduct； I have not any notion who or what the people were； or how
virtuous or vicious they privately might be； but I am sure that no
society assemblage could be of a goodlier outside； and to be of a goodly
outside is all that the mere spectator has a right to ask of any crowd。
I fancied； however； that great numbers of this crowd； or at least all the
Americans in it； were Long…Islanders from the inland farms and villages
within easy distance of the beach。 They had probably the hereditary
habit of coming to it； for it was a favorite resort in the time of their
fathers and grandfathers； who had
〃many an hour whiled away
Listening to the breakers' roar
That washed the beach at Rockaway。〃
But the clothing store and the paper pattern have equalized the cheaper
dress of the people so that you can no longer know citizen and countryman
apart by their clothes； still less citizeness and countrywoman； and I can
only conjecture that the foreign…looking folk I saw were from New York
and Brooklyn。 They came by boat； and came and went by the continually
arriving and departing trains； and last but not least by bicycles； both
sexes。 A few came in the public carriages and omnibuses of the
neighborhood； but by far the vaster number whom neither the boats nor the
trains had brought had their own vehicles； the all…pervading bicycles；
which no one seemed so poor as not to be able to keep。 The bicyclers
stormed into the frantic village of the beach the whole afternoon； in the
proportion of one woman to five men； and most of these must have ridden
down on their wheels from the great cities。 Boys ran about in the
roadway with bunches of brasses； to check the wheels； and put them for
safekeeping in what had once been the stable…yards of the hotels； the
restaurants had racks for them； where you could see them in solid masses；
side by side； for a hundred feet； and no shop was without its door…side
rack； which the wheelman might slide his wheel into when he stopped for a
soda； a cigar； or a sandwich。 All along the road the gay bicycler and
bicycless swarmed upon the piazzas of the inns； munching； lunching； while
their wheels formed a fantastic decoration for the underpinning of the
house and a novel balustering for the steps。
II。
The amusements provided for these throngs of people were not different
from those provided for throngs of people everywhere； who must be of much
the same mind and taste the world over。 I had fine moments when I moved
in an illusion of the Midway Plaisance； again I was at the Fete de
Neuilly； with all of Paris but the accent about me； yet again the county
agricultural fairs of my youth spread their spectral joys before me。 At
none of these places； however； was there a sounding sea or a mountainous
chute； and I made haste to experience the variety these afforded；
beginning with the chute； since the sea was always there； and the chute
might be closed for the day if I waited to view it last。 I meant only to
enjoy the pleasure of others in it； and I confined my own participation
to the ascent of the height from which the boat plunges down the watery
steep into the oblong pool below。 When I bought my ticket for the car
that carried passengers up； they gave me also a pasteboard medal；
certifying for me； 〃You have shot the chute；〃 and I resolved to keep this
and show it to doubting friends as a proof of my daring； but it is a
curious evidence of my unfitness for such deceptions that I afterwards
could not find the medal。 So I will frankly own that for me it was quite
enough to see others shoot the chute； and that I came tamely down myself
in the car。 There is a very charming view from the top； of the sea with
its ships； and all the mad gayety of the shore； but of course my main
object was to exult in the wild absurdity of those who shot the chute。
There was always a lady among the people in the clumsy flat…boat that
flew down the long track； and she tried usually to be a pretty girl； who
clutched her friends and lovers and shrieked aloud in her flight； but
sometimes it was a sober mother of a family； with her brood about her；
who was probably meditating； all the way； the inculpation of their father
for any harm that came of it。 Apparently no harm came of it in any case。
The boat struck the water with the impetus gained from a half…
perpendicular slide of a hundred feet； bounded high into the air； struck
again and again； and so flounced awkwardly across the pond to the farther
shore； where the passengers debarked and went away to commune with their
viscera； and to get their breath as they could。 I did not ask any of
them what their emotions or sensations were； but； so far as I could
conjecture； the experience of shooting the chute must comprise the rare
transport of a fall from a ten…story building and the delight of a
tempestuous passage of the Atlantic； powerfully condensed。
The mere sight was so athletic that it took away any appetite I might
have had to witness the feats of strength performed by Madame La Noire at
the nearest booth on my coming out； though madame herself was at the
door…to testify； in her own living picture； how much muscular force may
be masked in vast masses of adipose。 She had a weary； bored look； and
was not without her pathos； poor soul； as few of those are who amuse the
public； but I could not find her quite justifiable as a Sunday
entertainment。 One forgot； however； what day it was； and for the time I
did not pretend to be so much better than my neighbors that I would not
compromise upon a visit to； an animal show a little farther on。 It was a
pretty fair collection of beasts that had once been wild； perhaps； and in
the cage of the lions there was a slight； sad…looking； long…haired young
man； exciting them to madness by blows of a whip and pistol…shots whom I
was extremely glad to have get away without being torn in pieces； or at
least bitten in t