, 1876-11-26
EUROPEAN GOSSIP.
Bathing at Leukerbad--One OF the
Queerest Of Sights.
A Spiritual Story.

A Spiritual Story.
BATHING AT LEUKERBAD.
A Leukcrbad correspondent of the Boston
Herald says: 'Coming down the Ghcmmi
Pass, on the Rhone side, I found myself in the
beginning Of dirty town, the flth-strewn
streets OF which were only equalcd by the gen
eral dirt on every side. But, luckily, this was
only certain quarter, and, after carefully pick
ing my way to the hotel path, reached what
promised greater cleanliness and more personal
comfort. i was rather astonishcd at this, for
was in Leukerbad, Which even in its name told
Of its being a bathing town, aud one would at
least expect cleanliness In such place.
II had heard OF the Baths Of Leuk, and was
particularly anxious to see them. I was told the
best time to 80 was between .half-past and
half-past 6. So the next morning arose early,
and passing through covered passage-way that
continued the hall OF the stage on which
slept, was shown into the public bathroom,
where saw something certainly shall never
forget. A large, well-shaped room, with several
windows The walls somewhat dirtier than
white. At the side opposite the windows
number OF blue wooden doors. The floor Of
stone, and divided into three tanks, two small
and one large. The tanks we're paved with
stone, and about chest deep, and were filled
with slightly Opaque brownish water. In this
water were every one of the gay individuals who
had peop1cd the salon the evening before. The
bcnevolent-looling lady was sitting on q
wooden seat that ran all round inside the
bath-tank- Ihe face was the same; but,
horrors! ha1f the silver. hair that looked
SO we'll last night was evidently upstairs, and
head. Before her face Hoated (slie was i'm
mer.ed In water I'D to her neck) on piece OF
two-inch plank shaped like lily pad, her break
fast, which she proceeded to eat whenever the
Tue coffee, French rolls and 3 little honey with
m cgg might have looked most appctizip. had
met them outside, but here, BAH! thought
every minute the brown and medicinal smelling
water would run down from. her baggy cotton
sleeve, and, slipping by the diamond ring drop
into tie coffee or darkcn the SNOWY salt, Be-
side her nlate was the morning copv nj the
Times, as vet uncut. Before and around her
were ali tie women and men that had danced
away the evening before. But what a claneeI
deed, nature unadorned. As for dress, each one
wora n sort of hap made of lean. or somethinr
similar. which. fastened round the throat. nos
sesscd sleeves, and came down as lar as the
knees. but It YVES lIncOuttDEu. Some few. in NIL
dition, wore knee-breechcs; but there thcv
were: vet. steaminr, unpaiutcd, unpoYdered
crowd,
"Some were lust finishing their break
fasts, others were reading letters,
others were chatting. Tie gentle
man who had worn the white kid gloyes
the night before was Tipping water in tile fare
of the lady who had bounded the piano, and
choked Off her attempts to sing snatch from
tAImlame Ancot., Ali possessed the lily-pad
=
sort Of swim, by allowing their weight to rest
on the boards aud pushing themselves along
with their feet: which, by the way, as the water
was sufficiently clear, were quite visible, and
were bare, as was also the leg as far as the knee
Walters we're passing to and fro with orders.
While looking at this extraordinary sight a
newcomer entered from behind one OF the
little blue doors, and bowing to all in the
BATH With exquisite French po1iteness, he
seated himself slowly on the bath bench
bNnushing his board under water, the buoy
aney OF the wood forming resisting power
to The Inv OF gravity, and ordered bis break
fast. Turning to look on the other side, the
first tank contained three women (the larger had
the Re red-posed female had seen in the parlor;
she was seated in corner Of the tank. Before
her Hootc1 li1y-nad hoard and On it a rea{}ing-
desk. lie OPEN book before her, sL'Homme
qui Ritz and in the water below her white feet
In fact 1t seemed to be taken for granted. On
tie onnositc side of this tank sat two old cro-
nies h1,siiv gossnnr. and so vehement was their
discussion that EXPECTED every moment to see
oI1 thn breakfast things unset and disaupear be-
neath The wave Onces one old woman5s bread
ami hntter did "a under a. she made a wild ees-
tmre b,1t It seemed to make no difference. for
the sonsed portion was tile next that passed out
If s;1ht hchind her tootbless guma. Inst be-
ron,i The did woman was The third tank. and I
SSaw T. was tcnanfrd by one SOLITARY Individual,
W;th his nrtns nassed he1wecn two lily-pad
nianks he fluatcd! The wave lust ripplipg past
iis chin Nothinp was seen Of him but his bald
and shining head between tho boats, like
chernh's heSd hetweeu his wings. As be turned,
floatinr solemply. md with no apparent effort,
his face comc toward rs: lol and Behold, it was
mr. fIozinr old gentleman. lie t]oatcd 60 gen
tIv. and if such n dipnitied way, that felt sure
his hands must still be softly c1asped below bis
watch chain. or where his watch chain ought to
he. Rnt nsked of an attendant. WHY Is this
good-natured looking gentleman shut 10 all BY
himself. and nnt, allowed to minsle in the Wal
halja Of the Biz Tank: is be Dangerously son.
answered nv o1,;de- he's an incIrahle.'
dan incura6jei Hugh! / beean to creep all
over. md. holding nv breath, left the place
more boldly than / had entered. Il seemed as
if had come from hospital, and to think that
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