The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-08-22

bank or in the pavilion. She clutches the life
line ncrvously and edges carefully out. as II
she was descending n flight OF strange stairs
in the dark. She feels friendship for the sea
Just 80 far as il hides from the gaze Of specta
tors her feet legs. and unbecomlng bathing
gown-for all modest bathing gowns are un
becoming, er necesSitdte rel When a seventh
wave strands her she flops back into the shell
tcring element with moro haste than grace
and when her fifteen minutes are up she shakes
her pink heels free Of the brine and sides of
to her bathing house as IL she had done some
thing to be ashamed Of. II II were in my power
to do these young women the great service. |
think should annhilate for quarter of an
hour daily their sense of proprety-that Is. their
artificial sense OF propriety-so that they might
reycl unrestrancd In the waves whenever
Heaven blessed them with the mood undis-
turbed by the stare of Mrs. Grundy on the
shore. or OF young Grundy In white flannel
coat and trousers
Now. then. the further down the beach you 90
the more marked does this dilettante style OF
sea bathing become. In front Of Howland's
and the West End Hotel / was led TO wonder
why the ladies did not employ servant to bring
up salt water in tin dppers and sprinkle 1t over
their pretty CATERS they stood upon the piazza
or elise stand in n tub in their own rooms. where
ment.
Beyond the West End Hotel begins the region
Of private cottages. The fences Of these estab-
lishments extend quito to the edge of the bank.
The sands. below high water mark. are riparian
territory. and. believe the property Of the
Commonwealth. Therefore might walk them.
even TO Barnegat. There were bathers here. too.
from the cottages overhead. They had private
life lines and all the ocean before them. but they
splashcd in their preserves In such IA solemn.
perfunctory fashion that did not venture TO
intrude with my gaze upon the privacy Of the
ceremonial. walked on trailing my umbrella
behind me. and leaving ON the beach zigzag
record of my wanderings.
1t was at the furthest point south which
reached that morning. and as was sitting on II
sizEaaaUd sisA asaxIx eaaGsiie ~ Gseiaash2lx
| residue of the wrecked Husband. that l wit
| messed sad tragedy in the surf.
| There came down from a pretentious cottage
n short, fat person in bathing costume-a more
| than usually modest dowager TO all appear
anccs. for she glanced timidly up and down the
| beach to satisfy herself that no one was near
| Her recommending eyes overlooked me. sitting
| in n nook Of the ovcrhanging bank. She then
| proceeded to waddlc cautiously into the foam
and when about ankle deep deliberately sat
down with her face to the shore and began to
| splash water ali over herself. As she still
seemed shy and suspicious Of surveillance.
remembered the fate Of ActGon and was very
| careful not 10 stir
The face OF this elderly Diana was round and
rosy. could see but little Of H. for she wore an
| old fashioned Shaker sunbonnct OF straw. tied
| close under her chin with broad black ribbon.
| and for further security the bonnet was bound
| on 10 the head 10y a red silk handkerchief. The
| sleeves Of her bathing dress came quite down
| 10 her stumpy fingers. and the lower limbs
| were protected with care that seemed almost
| prudsh. Ny respectful eyes noted the fact
that the Diana was very. very fat. When an
unexpected wave laid her fiat on her back and
the waters surged over her limbs and head
there yet doomed above the surface Of the tide
an insular mountain Of solid adipose tissue
assuring me in the strongest possible manner
that she had not been carried out by the under
tow.
The first concern Of my fair friend, when the
roceding wave had ef, her safe. bu, spluttcring
seemed to be with her sunbonnct She pulled il
well forward. hagered the ribbon knot under
her chin. and carefully readlusted the red silk
handkerchief that gave stability to tn whole
| said to myself. This is IA ease either OF uncer-
tain tenure Of hair or Of no hair at all
Gaining her feet with some dim ulty. and
grasping the rope. the hathor advanced with
great caution into deeper water. She lifted q
foot and looked at it anNiously. then unNiously
AZ the water. and then anXiously toward tn,
eastern horizon. whence u brisk breeze was
blowing. The same proceeding accompanied
the advance of the other foot My attention wus
called away for moment by the appearance OF
an Aspnwal steamer. inward bound. 1t was
speedily recalled by piteous scream from tn
fair fat one in the surf. She had gone il
|
her person made it difficult for her To keep hcl
feet. \ roaring wave caught her 10 its chast,
bosom. and simultaneously n gust Of wind tor,
the sunhonnot from her head. | saw Il strug
Cling form, two short arms wildly extended IA
If pleading for succor. and bobhing up an,
down in the white foam a still winter object
round and gistening like a billiard ball. Tn
suspense was soon oyer, Az | Jumped NJ an,
was pulling of coat and shoes. the Same WAY
that had raVishcd the woman OF her hal
brought her To- the shore and deposited he
t"ndcry almost at my feet. | gave a hand an
helped her up. She gave mo not n word or
look in return. With an Intellectual attempt {
cover the nakcdncss Of her dospoilcd seal
with her two palms. she fled with astonshin
celebrity and disappeared on the steps that led I
the cottage whence she came.
The 1rst wave tlat rolled in after she ha
gone brought also its burden. With the por
of my umbrella rescued the sunbOnnet Tra
ing after it, attached TO the straw by n singl
hair pin. was wig of silky-soit short brow
hair, soaked, sand-b"dragged, but still show
ing traces Of its former great beauty.
Il examined this relic of my vanished Dian
with tender interest, and while | examined
there came TO me in great haste q spruce mar
r servant III livery. He uttered cry OF peasuI
when he saw what held in my hand.
Beg pardon, sir" he said touching hl, hn
Mr., g. Washington Childs presents his con
plimeuts and would like his hair"
The Losses by the Pittsburgh Riot.