, 1874-09-27

her person I'll winter in London society, with her
decollete dresses. such an exhibition OF her
limbs all summer at the tcaEide, that her u1ascu-
line acquaintance must hayo as intimate kno"l-
edge OF her 0eshiv contours Is OF tue marble
outline OF the Medlccan Venus. And she her
eelf mus: almost cease to remember where mod
csty ceases and immodcsty begins.
THE ENGLISH FASHION OF pATu1yG
has one great advantage over ours: The bather
does not wade into tho sea, the cold water rising
higher and higher BY degrees about his body,
aud driving the breath almost out Of the
lungs by tho continued shock. Hero the
bather takes plunge into deep natcr; no shock
is percoptible and tho diver comes to the sur
face Wonted to the echill-tcmpcrarure, az happy
and buoynnt in tho briny element, aa if 8 whale
nero lls father, and all the 6sLcs OF the sca
eaid, Is Hail, brother!'' In England, bathing
houses upon tho shore are unknown. 4 curious
concern, called 4 bathiug~machne,- which is o
small house on wheels, t1tted with seats. a stnan
mirror, few pln-cushione. and uaultltudinou6
hooks for discarded garmentB,--is used instead
This machine is drawn into the water By horses.
and, standing with it's floor feet from the
ground, is rhcn it is drawn out as far as is
safe, deep enough in tho water to give
the bather opportunity for deep plunge. The
short, bottomless bag i'll which the uympas dis
port. aud the nondescript garment in 1hleh tho
mcrmen splash and spatter, are donncd in tho
machine; then the bathcr unlocks tho rear door
OF tha ark, and, if bold enough, Az are nearly
all Of the Broadstairs habitucs, male aud female,
Jumps - once into the sea. IT, however,
T1M1D BATnEE-
as regret to say is one OF the partT OF those
who thrill at sight of tho Stars and Stripes, and
who swear By St. Christopher columbus--conlcs
to the sea with insufficient nerve for dive, 4
strong ropo is provided. and fastened securely
to the top of the machine. The tulld one grasps
this rope firmly, with terror on her pala face and
desperation playing tho anvil chorus With all her
pulses, and dcscends steep steps Of the machine
into the water; inch by inch. with Ill Of the
rnock to tue system, all the heavy inspirations,
the deep signing, tho sarill shrIeks, and tho
litter repentance Tar having been such fool as
to go bathing, that are concomitan:s OF our
American practice. When the bath il COM
pleted, the sgcal is given to tho driver. who
waits upon tho shore. He 4: once rides Into tLo
water on horseback, and fastcus his horsa to
the numbering vehicle, which, with much effort
aud spashius Of briny foam, il drawn ashore,
and the bather comes forth. clothed and IN his
right mind. to pay bis sixpcuce to the bathing
woman, aud then to daily on the beach, content
to heap sand, one handful over another, an hour
at q tilne,-so quietly do the vital tides flow in
lotuseating life at the seaside, till ainne1-timo
On til. summit Of ona of these snowy cliffs,
where the slope to the eea makes the emerald
yerdure to have the soft sheen OF velvet ln the
sunlight; on lofty. helSut, exposed to every
wind tn..1 blows, stands
/ SOLITARY STONE HOUSE.
This house has biossomcd Over with bay-Nin-
dous; balconies run to and fro about it, ~ if
the cid house were sone massive trce-trunk
on. which agricultural parasites must grow;
noas:rous chimncys riso from the roof like
grim scntincis keeping watch on pa1apcts; while
dense m:ss Of Ivy ureathes it, as the ldcahzlng &
ivy hides all uucusneliness heze in England.
Tns house il let every summer to visitors IRON
London or elsewhere; eo, for two months OF the
year, the windows are al.me With cheerful light
each evening; the bay-N!uGors and balconies are
radiant with tue simmer aud CLEAN Of woman i
dainty ralmens; the hal1s res3uud with merry
Voices and tue lawn shows falr women and
brave men at croquet, bowls, aad i'll the pretty
psstinle Of coluetrs: irom morn ~
eye. But. Wien the days have lost their
summer rpleuJor; vixen tlus sea groSs gray. the
vistas sombre, aud tie atmosphere chill, the
house is left alone. Then tho Windows. nte
boarded up; the garden-s:utnes arc corercd :;
the ruetic chairH are removed. Gheu the blcaa
and bitter wind walls anl aL1lcEs about its many
angles, sighs down. its deep eAlmueys. aud
zuoats, with the Fad lament Of the wlutrJ sea,
i'll every creysce and corner. Then tue gray
s,one house looks woruily melancholy and smlt-
ten a. if with blight; then it is impossible to
tiud 4 tcuant who rlll occupy 1t even reat free,
for the searching wind cannot 10 Kept
out with ever 60 lavish use Of coal. Then
the few strangers whose business b1lngs them
to B,oadataiIs look over to tho desolatc. Winu-
swept spot xiih interest, but seldom Wend their
stems thithcr, but the angry Winds buffet them
and the fierce sca-air s;ir:, tLcu tor their oYer-
boldneas.
Ii tuls Loase
CHARLES DICKENS
once shut himself up from the world through
the wild viuter-tnpuths t4at one OF his lnsor
stories might ripen from Lis fancy iuto fruit
for the world to pluck. From these windows
ore may fauce that Esther r1ay have gazea with
solemn eye upon the mystery Of ljio and ctcr-
nifty synbolilad by tho Yeafnirg, restless, en-
treating sea- In this house m1lst yet be tho
Growlcry, for the hand of change has not
touched il since O.clcns i.nnortaiizei !: as
Bleak IIou.e." BERTHA DASSE.