The Van Buren press., 1859-08-31
Love and Bathing.

While sojourning at H Beach, few
days since in company with an old friend
whom we had not seen for some years, he
told us the following story. which we con-
slider too good to be lost
Speaking of bathing" said he, puts me
in mind of an adventure / once had, and if
you'll go up to Old Toms I'll tell it to
you over bottle of ale.'
| OF course we went dieectly to /" Old
| TOMS for we knew that the story would
be both good and true, but we cannot claim
that our version of it will be as interesting,
for we cannot put his voice and expression
on paper But here's the story:
"You know that when l lived in B,
was considered the champion among swim
fmers there, and there was some smart ones
J in the crowd-Bill H especially Bill
always gave in to me, but said was the
only one he couldn't tire, any time.
| +" Well, one day went down to the
swimming cove all alone stripped to the
buff, hid my clothes in an alder bush, and
went in for a regular time of it the water
was at the right temperature, and was en-
joying myself hugely, when who should
appear ON the bank but four young ladies',
all rugged out in their loose trowsers and
what d ye- callems for bathe. Now, I'd
seen girls in bathing and it's pretty sight
| assure YOU, to see 'em churning up and
down in the water, with their dry goods
sticking to them, showing their pretty
forms, especially when they don't know
that party of fellows are watching 'em
from the bushes but, now the boot was on
the other leg-I was in the water, without
so much as fig leaf to hide my nakedness,
and there on the bank, between me and my
clothing sat four females apparently as un-
concerned as though no one was near"
"What to do, L hardly knew, but hop
cd that they would soon clear out, for had
been in the water about an hour. and began
to feel rather tired at last one of 'em
shouted Little boy, come out, we want
to go in
Thinks /, young ladies', I'm not such
n little boy as you imagine, and as for COM
ing out, as long as l can swim or keep on
top of water, I'll see you kissed first.
"Pretty soon another one of 'em sung
out, Come, boy. you've been in long
enough, now do come out, and let us go in. ,
81 tell you, old fellow, if ever L came
near drowning it was Just at that moment,
for that was my Ann Maria's voice, and we
were engaged to be married within fort
night and had already been published two
Sundays. / did sink, but rallied, and came
up blowing like porpoise, but SO exhaust
cd that l could hardly keep myself ahoat
| could stand it no longer, so | made slow
| ly towards the shore. expecting they would
see who | was and have sense enough to re-
tire. / swan into where the water was
not more than knee deep, and then slowly
raised myself up, side towards them, and
that locomotive whistle we Just heard
was whisper compared to the shrek that
those four females gave. 1 thought they
must have tainted, and forgetting that
was sans calottes, l rushed forward to rem
der assistance, but was mistaken, and the
way they clambered up that bank and made
tracks through the alders was a caution to
slow goers.
81 dressed myself and went home, but
did not dare call on Ann Maria, that week,
but the next Sabbath 1 vcnturcd out to
church; she was not there, and [ noticed
that the document with the Town Clerk g
signature on it, had been removed. didn't
wait for any explanation, but the next
morning settled with my employee, and the
following evening l stood on the deck of
the brig Phantom, standing down the har-
Dor before good breeze, bound for Valpa-
raiso."
Here he paused to breathe and wet his
lips, and we took the opportunity to en-
quire if he never heard from Ann Maria
Well, no." resumed he, ." not direct
ly. l remained in Valparaiso over a year,
when the gold fever broke out and l took
passage in the first vessel bound for Cali
fornia l had been in the mines some six
months, when l met an old acquaintance,
one day, who informed me that about three
months after left, she married journey
man tailor, and it afterwards turned ont
that he had wife and two children living
in New York-he cleared out, and left her
disconsolate widow
+" One more question:" said we, GO have
you ever been swimming since %
Not without clothing was the reply.