Wilmington journal., 1873-08-08
BATHING AT LONG BRANCH.
Bitter Experiences OF a CorPuiens
Congressman--His struggles with
the Break akers..S.ubbOrn OpPOsi-
ton to the waves and the Etesult--
Ungraceful Attitldes--The Best
Swimmer at the Branch, Etc.
Hong Branch (July 29) Correspondence OF the
New York Tribune.)

New York Tribune.)
This is a sight that pleases my Con
gresham immensely. He had never
seen ladies and gentlemen bathing to-
cether before He did not shrink and
turn his shoulders as he ought to have
done when the waves sent the drapery
close to free, round, grace
full figure, and he only laughed at the
girls embarrassment when she some
what impatiently tore it from the out
lines of her form. Unlucky man! He
did not know how soon the tables
would be turned against him. So he
enioyed the fun exceedingly. He SEW
the fair-haired Miss Nelson, the act
ress, the best female swimmer that
was ever at the Branch, swim round
her attendant, and in an sInlooEed-fGr
moment, douse his head beneath the
waves, and then dash iaughingly away:
and he saw much that charmed nina
and his companions They could not
resist the temptation, and SO in half an |
hour, dressed in their bathing cos
tunes, hired of Sam Holmes, they |
presented themselves to Ben. Wooiley, /
blushing as if they were listening to
their first proposal of marriage. They |
had charming time, but OF course
swallowed more sea water than was
good for them. When they came out,
my Sawyer, of course Che has been
doing that for twenty years or more),
told them they had done we'll, but yet
they ought to have done this OF that,
and ought not to have done something
else. He assumed, as all heads OF
families do, believe, whether male or
female, to know more about everything
than any other member of the
family, and so of course he knew
all about bathing, although he had
not, he said, ''been i'll swimming
for ten or fifteen years" After the
bath, the family went to lunch, as they
ought, and the remainder of the day
was passed as usual. The sun which
rose the next morning ushered IN the
day when my friend Sawyer (an as
sumed name, remember, taken from
his occupation) took his first ocean
bath. And this is what L have been
coming at for the last half hour. Well,
nv friend the Congressman had some
| difficulty in getting bathing-suit
large enough for him. Woolley, the
bathing-master, did his best for my
friend, which seemed really little.
When ready for his plunge, [ must
say that Sawyer looked more like a
bag stuffed with hay than like a states
man. He stood on the hot sand of the
beach for some time, dreading to step
in the water, which some mischievous
10y had told him was cold as ice. The
sun he compared to hot gridule, and
its rays soon made his bald head as
red as a flannel shirt, and his face and
hands were the same. The longer he
stayed the warmer he became, and the
colder the water would seem. The
summer houses were filed with ladies,
and the shore was lined with them, and
pretty soon they began to giggle at
our fat friend. whose jacket had to be
worn outside his bathing drawers, be
cause it was too short to button in.
Stung by the merriment of the ladies,
he made heroic effort. and, sooner
thai, it takes to tell it, he was encir.
cled By the buOyant arms Of ocean
He made a rather bad start; for, III
stead of diving through the breaker
that was before him, he threw himsel
on it. The result will be guessed by
any experienced bather. The wave
broke with Il crash, and sent Mr.. Saw
! yer (which, you understand, Is not IN:
real name) turning somersaults III The
foam The force of the water sent hi:
, jacket up under his arms and over hi
: head, and when he got up, halt
: strangled, the salt water running from
, his nose, his mouth. his eyes and hi
i ears, and trickling down from his bal'
head, he presented laughable ii no
4 statesmanlike appearance. The Ia
Z dies on the beach We're shouting viii
= = laughter, while my Congressman wa
F. frantically tugging at his wet jacket
which chung to him almost as close !.
his skin, trying to pull it down. II
u was thus engaged, much embarrassed
L and feeling a good deal strained ID
Il his rough usage, when another hi,
l wave took him. ana again he WIS sen
heels over head through the foam an
= sand. This time the grade of his bath
ing suit was still further inteTiere
with, and when the wearer emerge,
u u he could scarcely get his breath. IL
u had been SO much engaged in arrane
, , ing his jacket, SO as to escape tn
u laughter of Miss Nelson and the o.he
y ladies, that he did not notice the al
d proach of another wave His secon
experience was little better, except i
. his last round with the breakers Ii
was too much exhausted TO regain hi
g feet. The waves had rolled linn owe
dii'l 'NtI lihC II up -
u the beach, and he did what he ougl
to have done at first-remained seate
and arranged his clothes.at his leisure
IL without attracting the attention of any
Il body. To see this Statesman fightin
. the ocean was, / think, the funniaS
- sight [ ever beheld. He thought h
u could resist those immense waves, an
- - he braced himself accordingly. Agains
Ii them he was but as little chip. T
. go with them was easy enough, Il chill
might do it with safety, but to figl
- them, to resist them, never. I'll
10 Congressman back was broken, HI
II u physical strength had given ont, h
u wind was gone, but his manly spir
e was not subdued he would still b
I victor. So he went so one of the life
II ropes. He grasped it hard and brace
g himself effectually. He knew he ha
q great power in his hands and arm
n and why should he not have in h
e legs, which had borne that body wit
. all its weight so safely? Yes, he coul
~ ~ resist a wave, and he would sho
II those sneering women that he coult
IL Do not ask me to rehearse the particl
g lars. Be satisfied when I tell you, {
& simply as [ can, that the next breakt
. sent my Statesman spinning along ii
g rope, which almost smoked with tt
~ ~ friction from the grasp of my sawyer
II hands. He was ready to go out thel
IL His head ached, his back was lame, h
legs had been SO badly wrenched th:
y he could scarcely stand on them, an
r his hands had been blistered an
u skinned from the fingers to the wrist
% He was also so full of salt water tn;
) he could scarcely hold his breakfas
5. and altogether his condition was pi
< iful. He never gave any more advie
to his daughters, and never took p 70
'e in the surf again. He always wonde
e ed how Miss Nelson, with her sligl
figure, could resist those big wave
and seem SO happy in the surf.
Life's Comforts VS.. it's NeceSSitIe
0 onrrocnorIar& of 4I,o