Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1850-10-10
From the New York Spirit OF the Times
A Yankee in 4 Shower Bath.

know how to appreciate the feelings of
my friend, Tom c.. upon the mo-
nentuous occasion Of his first shower bath,
in the city Of Boston, in the month of
March, lS4-.
Tom c.. halls from long way
Down East or as he used to say, he
was brought up as close TO sunrise as he
could get wi,hou, burning, and the woods
were so thick the moon couldn't rise
without help. He stands six feet two
natural, and six feet six when he stretch
es. His breadth is not quite in proper
tion, although his homes were gotten up
for giant. Had they been fairly cover
ed with flesh, he would have been invai-
liable to 'Barnum.' The truth is Tom
was very lean indeed. and this ieanness
annoyed him exceedingly. His clothes
would be open a, the elbows and knees in
half the time of those of his fellows; and
Tom vowed TO get fat, If only for the sake
Of economy.
Some kind friend recommended the
Gymnasium as likely to he beneficial, and
Tom forthwith enrolled himself al Sheri-
dams 1t was there first me, him, and
right good fellow, With plenty OF fun with
in him, he proved to be, despite OF his un-
promising exterior.
Among the gymnastics, DR. W,
was conspicuous, not only for his skill IN
all athletic exercises, but also for his beau
,,ful compact form, and superabundan,
muscle. When he peeled his arms and
chest looked as smooth as a wuman's and
yet as muscular as those of pocket Her
culeS.
How our friend Tom envied the Dr.
Many questions did he pn, him about
regimen. exercises, &c., Sc, and their
etfrc, in producing flesh on the human
frame. The Dr. attributed his redundance
To plenty Of exercise, plenty to eat, and
above all, to the daily use o: the shower
bath.
WAL said Tom one day, with his in
imitahle drawl, I'm sure I've skinned up
and down these ladders and ropes long
enuh as Tor eating, tsi'M 10 he expected
that one man can eat enutf to iaten such
al all fired SKI Teton as mine. ! wish |
may be darned to darnnation il don't t,y
that shower bath, you tell so much about.
As Tom and were as thick as TWO
such thin men could be. voun,eered,o
show him where he could get one in short
order. We accordingly started Tor the
suni,ed States Hotel, then called Texas
In The basement, story oi this house were
large numher OF bathing rooms, tiued up
with hot, and cold shower baths. The
latter were temporary wooden boxes
standing on end, with doors boiling on the
inside. and very capacions showering
apparatus in the top.
! went in to take a warm bath, while
Tom made ready for his cold one in the
mex, room. a. the partitions were very
thin. overheard him soli!oqui>ing some
thing after this fashion,
'Waal. now tha, upright coffin with
holes in the bottom and sieve III the top,
may pass for shower bath here, but
guess if we had it Down East, 'twould'n mt
be long aIore we had il sol for rel>: Blast
the thing wonder how i, works! Here,
you Susan, Sally what, 5 your name?' cal
ling TO the servan, girl, JUS come here
and show me how the cr.ller works.
don't see no shower
oh! III, cried the girl, don't you
know how! Why it's easy enutf. You
pull this here string, and guess you vii
see shower and feel i, too
Tcm, who stood outside, caught hold q
the string and before the girl could inter
iere, gave it tremendous pull, whe,
down came a dr!uge OF water >patterins
them and swimming the carpet.
There now see!' said the girl indig
na,tly. .....-.
Yes see, replied Tom very coolly
All this amused me considerably, but
had presen,imenl that the fun was no
) finished.
Tom adjourned to the room on the othe
side of mine, and the girl to wiping N
the carpet.
Before Tom had got ready to enter hi
bath, was out OF mine and nearly dressed
All had been still in his room for sev.ra
minutes, except an occasional mu,tering q
disconnected sentences, such as
Wonder wha, there is about this I
fatten "a man. Never heard Noah wa
; very tat, aud he took one for forty days.
Mighty small space to stuff my carcas
into. Guess there's no danger Of the wa
ter'> canning up high enuff to drown me
Wonder il i, will feel anything as thg
blasted shower did down to Bath la.
summer SC.
l heard him after stepping into hi
closet, shu, the door, which h. CAREFUL
bolted, aud the mex, minute there came
crashing ISLAM bang on the floor th;
made ,he house shake, followed by tn
most terrific screams and shouts of Oh
Oh! Oh! Oh Lord! Oh! Oh! Thunder
Lightning! Murder! Fire! Water! l.,
me on, I'm drowning! Help! for God
sake help! and ended by calling on IN
vociferously.
In an instan: not only I, but every Sc,
want, and all others within hearing, NAL
and female were in the room. AI,hnug
he had not ceased hollooing strongly, no,l
ing was TO be seen of h,m, hu, in the ce,
: tire of the floor laid the shower bath, doc
= downwards, and the whole affair bsolu,e
ly jumping from Toms superhuman e,
ertions TO relieve himself. He turned
over, the door flew open, and out tu,r
/, bled the most astounding mass OF arm
j, legs, and body ever presented to the a.
r