Joys of Margate.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIIC, Issue 13727, 17 October 1908, Page 2 (Supplement)

Joys of Margate.

AMUSING SCENES. . "When I (writes ;i contributor to a Loudon paper), arrived, at Margate and su-p- : ped out, of the railway station on to the esplanadeT" was a neat,'respectable-looking person, with well-brushed hair under ti lour-shilliiig-and-sixpenny felt hat, , with my tie nicely arranged," fore and uft, amj with a calm, composed demeanour. 1 was walking steadily, being of temperate habit«, and I was wearing, among other things, an amiable smile. These personal details may appear unnecessary and uuiiiteresting, but 1 state them "for the sake of contrast-.

Before I had been in Margate ten minutes a remarkable change had taken place in my personal appearance and moral bearing. My felt hat was no longer on my head. I grasped it tightly in a clenched fist, and it was a crushed and shapeless object. My Jiair was not well brush, ed. It waved backwards like the feathers of a Red Indian. My tie was not- round my collar—it was trying to clamber over my ears. I was not walking steadily. I was, I regret to say, staggering like a drunken man, lurching into unexpected lamp-posts, colliding with ladies whom. 1 had never seen before, clinging to railing-? with an affection which surprised rne. 'he amiable smile had disappeared, and I was wearing n fierce, relentless frown. This '"sea-change," as Shakespeare would have called it, was due entirely to Margate air. At all times it is invigorating; even a little intoxicating, -so that people do mad. merry thing.* at Margate which they would not dream of doing in the Old Kent-road, for instance: but when it blows-big guns at Margate one's physical and inor.il equilibrium i-* entirely unbalanced. AGAINST ODDS. f was not ihe onlv on-' who. wa>* lighting against uneqw.il odd*. The wind was having a great game. It w.i.» in a wild, wanion mood, and was playing all kinds of pranks with pretty girls and respectable old ladies and gentlemen who when not holiday-making are something in the City. Tlior.- was a crowd of penple--all of conditions of holidav folk—trying to look as if thev were behavin-j; in qtii'» a umal wav. between Margate Pier and the High Cliff of Clifionville. But the wind roared, ns thnugh with laughter. It came bounding along the parade like an invisible monner, lniwled <.ff the hat of a hahl headed jienilemnii, who van '• r it for twenty yard*, tossed and fluttered, and flounced the skins of pirN who strove vainly In cumin i.e si."in villi one hand, while th-y held on tin ir hat with ihe other, and with swift, invisible fingers it pim-kod out the Imirniii* from jie.v coils and treses until 'he ladies' Inir waet streaming in long wisps about th-ir faces.

A niirwHmi'l with lung slr":ini'-r< !n lic-r hi.nii'-i mill a lose r;ijv- w;i. having ;i difficult linio with n iiCraniinil.il nr mitl ihro,. li.il»it?s who iifri' -li'iutiiii; with i»h»-. The wiiul ifi.«<'il up ''"" r *lr-.-'in«->-<: hiir'i into ihi- ;iir. i( mvi>o|>--'I tunl- ! hj« r rap ailil IiUC-.l it :.l.ove h<r h.-u!. Aini.l U\ limvc y" •,! ihe Pi'Mmlmlainr. lc-t it *hr>uM hi- hlmvn off tit- clifT. lli.« liun-n w:i* helpless .-i-.iiint in r .-tniajj.niivf uniil a yi>U!!!J ni.tn wiih t!>- rhiv:t!tv '!r>: fmin lirixinn rn-.!i<<! fnnrrtnl -ml fteiii-at--«1 In-!- {.'..»! |n>r <irili:in-.i^'.mi-i>!. It w.t. i.'iiinik:ihle in w r<-<i••-•«-th!i> 41 1.-iilirs rla.spitur tin- hiiiini'tn ri'n.v.- ihf-r thin h.T'r ninl <'i>inir :> Liml " f sra-ifap,---ihxvii ih.- js:ira«li\ niOi n r-il'iii-. thrc sli.---tv in-tli-win,! t>iii.l of «.-,ii. It «.iv (jtiitf- .i-liirhtfitl t-> -•• '.-ill vfi»n» :>,rU with th.' .l.u!: 4>v- ti.l fit" ! it- iiji* „f ih* .l-wMi t.iii-. lii.l.in- ,r<ti- ami ..ulriin.r f.,rwar.l, a-vm-' >h.- w H h r:,.i,.,-. wtih liillr -hri.!... „f !.ir-),t .- v. n ;iin,ih- -,ii.L.-l m-i.-!. r .-,m- l.ufT-•!..- -;,ili>! -I :.-! n-vv -iiM- - v-ul, wi'h 1111 w.-arh- 1,--- fnil.-.! i,.,.-1.. 5 ..1 v - . .■ ~r ~ " r. WK rn Tti' - «.'ri'ri:. u- M,i.,v ;h- .--'fiii'ni.' ..' ..." f-li<-.vr* it w.t <lri;jhtfu!lv IHIIIV.i<-tl« !..

»ee a nice girl suddenly * abandon, the druggie and cling to f the railings of-1 he band-tand on the' High Cliff* G*ird«fe>. k-tnng the -wind hrftiak irs'spiw against her uncoiling-'her hair, fluttering her "pec hcoii«, tov«ing twn iorfie iihhnu md hit of )ice

■'" The -.children ha'd^thei-fet ; of it' ,-'? CM:' to 'them ■M\ii■■■ it "'matter ". ! haw their little 'skirts were. *bloWn.' - r nbr - .-how; their hah' was ! rumpled. -They -*k-t ihemselvfs be: blown'along the promenade like autumn leaves in a . gale. On the greens which-are laid orriS along:'the''cliW they seemed to- • be blown -hither . arid thither-utvfairy.' d&nces. r -They chased. each. ; other's fluttering >f rocks, "iliey went seamperirig wildly .afrer-new%Vaps*vi whMi were lifted up on ihi>, wings "of ih'e> wind, some,of rtheni liad: kif<s widely'went "soaringrnjjf like wild .hhjis..->tr;riuii»g.;md struggling; against- the string., *% .-.-.■. ~ < Brit' w.oma'n '.also .is an * adaptable croa'tur?V'fl'nil .those of, the sex .who Iliave ; h?en tovirajcgate'jon more",'than:.oiw windy.-<iny soon cfssity isjf be /mother nf '.new 'jashiflins. -Itis quite ;tiie : . mode in ' ~S rar"ga te -to g<K w i thout hats. altogether.: arid"; to wear instead silk scarves of .green .or. pale blue,'tied tightly, over the hair arid \»nder»the chini A Terr sensible and , pretty "fasjiipn, 'and with such a headgar a wpmhn.''may,;still be economical of hairpinf?.' Then the woman—though T.suspect they owe a wrinkle- or two to the men in thie—have little tricks to circumvent the wind. A very "favourite'epot -'-in ".the afternoon is ail enclosure'.-ori'the -High Cliffe opposite.the:band sfahd.' where.7 there are many dozen'of deck chninv:in which the ladies like to-recline, readinglnbveletteu in pfnk paper 'covers /andenjoying .-.-love-in-' idUthess. .- The \Fin'd -'is also fond of Vhe place, ! and comes--howling; npiin. the rudest way. - < •■: •What <io the ladies ! do?-. They nuike r a barrier 'of .-'-the deck chairs/against. - the wind, turning- their. backs Ho it....'/ They blockade ih-ouc with ■.. serried.'.-. -rn\\w. of ebairo,,and. in order to- keep.their .-skirts down—which is-the'; secret, of ?• all. their trouble—4heypull doWii '.the, awnings .with which'the .chairs are;>prbv t ided';foiYsh?lUi* from the;6un, and-put'them.acrn?s . ihfir knees, so that-they,.look ;as{if;they were .shut'.up;in..'a,kuid-ipf;'matise-'t-rap".".H, Tt is ingenious apd effectived ;•.-.'' • . -EAST: EXD.VMERMXII)S, . \vTien;the,:Wind'-bl6wsyDig;guc3''at Margat?. and, : w'hen .passengers come, off" the X«w VPalaie steamers *on ; 'to ■ the,pier," with the weather-beaten.; "hefoje; air ..of ■ advori-turc-rs from •'thf''other "the;.world, the-.'breakers'c6me , 'inslikeVs'ea'-libns. You will se?^^ v a';"mpt)ste'r the deep.: ;Tou will- Ree> bis.-wh'ite : . maiie. fj-psitig'".-.as /.he eonVt; .-bounding in.';' Yon will;hear hi'srlow dull grpwl>ai> f he:pliVugeK 'foHvard"\vltli i a..'dfevburing rago 1 ,; ami 'Mvfiu ■'just •riS'tlie'nervous C'bekriey.springs- back a'little-snor.t,;'t he.inions'tJr-Iw/ka'Tini't like.a/gkW of - gingerbeer, and:ißjwt- ; at> harmless. > ,'■' .-•.; '■:•.■ ■'- ■\< ■*< •»...-<..'■;■.-■

■. So •iharmleFK,- ,indeed,-thnfc.ivjien. "i h longVleaiue ; trbller./: coniesjthnndei-ing '."n u ■the.'reef-" 'you: a'rsc'ore fof j pluck i women; baUiing(in,; theivety r :ja\rs;of.' warjnonsters,.yquite;tinafraid."{ .have-..probably . conif "-'Troth ;..Sh - atford■■/• m Bromley lor-';Boir.'. ; Tn privateilife; tlie*prnbhbjj: wear t'oathors inv'thejr lints Sind 'eat " ; the" nierry - ivitijile: on • a Saturday night after 'an entertainhKiit- -at i But - at.Mdrgiite % wlien* they <fo' into sea'.- arid', play tirith'ftheiirhite -i main -o£ they # ave••-'transioiuifu To? lonk" :it vliem 'yon 'would "t hi/ik "t h n weir- inernbjite••.lvho '• have• left- their, tads

At'- home'.'.- 'As, they run""frtnvanl-into' Hie wave* with -ihi'ir ahjTy/'mitr.h'oli'lieil • ydu laiig-htor ..rinjjinjr ;Wiif: :'- Tlxy j«'n hands;;rncl"(U-nitW.taf»*Oieiv;in' the warm se.a-:\v(it*r—warm, -though, fbe-'wind is liiU'i and noisy., - ; • And. in.- tbo mhisi of; thr-m is a w'elpknown character,of Margate. .Ho j.yin charge'of ia numlK-r ,nf ':nl.|- • stablished," .halihi.ng maAine.s, and; has taiijrht■; many ladies from London to lako a dip '•gracefully and , gleefully. ' ijli> 's. a fme figun\ of .a" man, of Fnlstaffian srirtb. rotund, and vtiy gon*:il in ap|>enmj>i:e. Hgive.; hj« hand hi any ; iimiil l.idy and loud.?'her out. into the wav/s.. while", those who an-' not so timid'splash thV spray over him. Surrounded by jlhosn watorladies he looks like 'old ; Faiiior .Neptune in the midst of his sea-nymphs. Titer*, aiv many." in Margate for fhosV Ayho hayt» forspend "eleven and- a 'half months of the year. c n London (-.'lmp*, offices and'fili-pets, "lmi; for all its .wild andwaii'trm ways, the wind of Margat.- ' what gives joy to jaded"hearts. '• ' Wluii the wind liiow.s-as H is always blowing—it whisks the (obwebs ont "( the ejvs, and th<» megrims ottt of the brain, and hlowi, the pack of o.w off people", backs. • One walk to the further, end of Cliftonville gives.'one'.in onormotta and a n< sv' vx-at' of \[L: Afr*r a fortnight at Marg.itf the holid'tv folk go back to town with new strength and may looic forward io another.jvnt of work with cheerful hearts and fatei their little worries as thx-y fae/d the-wmrt.datigh-ing when it blows." ; - i