The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-05-16

Ohe A1senonntstpod a. my head, holding
my gold-embroidered bathing apparatus.
one lathered me with perfnmed soap till 7
began 70 imagine myself gigantic rose,
and all these beautiful beings laughing and
singing and gliding around me but other
specimens Of flowers Another attendant
rubbed me with gloves made ofsponee and,
another poured wrm water over me inces-
sanity, not dashing It nor letting ittrickle,
bat just empting the beautifully chased
silver ever over me with the gentIest mo
tons, till il seemed Ikea caress. Then
soap Of bitter almonds was rubbed on my
face, and another kind was rubbed In my
hair, all done in that caressing way that
made i positive ecstacy then more per-
fumed water ill | felt drowning IN a sea
Of all delights, in which could distinguish
perfumes, flowers, sweet singing voices, and
forms Of heavenly beauty Time and the
outer world were lost in this delightful
trance, and I desired nothing. nothing else
in the world to make my life content for
ever.
To lie there on the marble and dreamily
watch the glorious white Of the living
statues, with the long black hair and the
rich, dark, eyes /; to see the soit, undulating
motions Of those swimming in the warm,
delicious water TO look at the lovely forms
stretched at full length on the dirans and
On the edge Of the fountain; and others
laughing, sporting, singing, n,ingling with
afectionate glances and wrestling ii the
water or upon the marble hoor, dripping
from every limb the perfumed water that
glistened on their bodies, and the trickling
Of the fountains, and the rosy, subdued
light that stole in through the jealously-
guarded windows, were enough to send
one Of an imagination like mine Of into
the realms Of fancy, and make one believe
it the promised land, and caase the whole
soul to be satisfied with the enchanting
picture, which needed no Imagination to
embellish. For after all what is the heaven
we have been taught to believe in but
place where all is light and perfume and
love and beauty where every sense shall
be satisfied, and every desire filed with q
pure and exquisite fullness2 II Is true
that in this heaven Of mine there were not
any men, but ! did NOT miss them III my
supreme content, nor, ! think, did any Of
the women who were lying about clasped
lovingly in each others arms, or laughing
and sporting in the water, and think
now, as have before, / had just as lief
have my paradise one where no men could
/ come
| Just as arrived at this very sensible
conclusion my attendant aroused INC from
my dreams Of perfect peace BY pointing 70
the fountain and signifying that / was
} also 70 get in Ny four friends then made
, their appearance with the seryauts and car
luncheon, and nobody can tell Of the
comical look Of us Eve sitting round the
baskets eating, and without any clothes on.
| have seen 50 many sights in my life, but
: We women around those baskets, with
chicken legs in our hands, and glasses Of
wine and other things, were too perfectly
ludicrous for anything, and | lasghei till
I I eOuldn't eat. If had only napkin to
cover my face think should have laid
down and died on the spot.
All my dreams Of luxurious, sleepy,
sensuous paradise, filed with undnlatinr
figures Of transcendaDt beauty, were gone,
and was fully possessed Of the demon Of
mirth, and I provoked the others into my
own state Of mind-a capacity which has
never deserted me at any time or place, or
without any person, iu my lifc--and We
were soon the maddest Of the crowd il the
perfumed waters. / would DO afraid to
tell all the freaks we performed and antics
and pranks we cut Although il did not
in the least startle the natives, il might
some who have imagined me to be- the
model Of perfection 10 department.
But then you must remember that Mrs.
Grundy does not live 10 constantinople,
81 IL. L.. - -. = n - Z.