Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-15
Nymplls in the Tank.


city, which occupies the building for
some years known as Theodore Thomas,s
Central Park Garden. AS the Reporter
entered the main doorway he iumped
back as suddenly as though he had been
shot, and held his hat over his eyes while
he backed out of the passage, blushing
ana mutterlng his apologies. The cause
for this unfeigned embarrassment was
the appearance in the passage of a lady
IN state of perfect nudity. Her body
was bent slightly forward and her head
turned SO that she could not see the re-
porter. "This is terrible" thought he.
u have opened the wrong door and sur
prlsed one of the ladies on her way to
the bath" He heard no pattering of
damp feet along the passage, SO he con-
GUIDED that his intrusion was undiscoy-
cred, but fearing that some other and less
conslderate reporter might come that
way ne gave manly cough of warning.
Not hearing the expected scream of
fright he advanced few steps nearer and
gently poked the door with his umbrella.
otlll no scream. He advanced still
further, and, hearing no sound, stepped
boldly in the passage. There she stood
just as he had seen her at first, her round,
white limbs glistening in the light re-
Elected from the open door. He was. of
course, Mortified, but felt somewhat reas-
sured by the unembarrassed manner of
the lady. madam, beg ten thou"
but the words were scarcely out of his
mouth before he discovered his mistake
What he had taken for beautiful bather
was nothing more nor less than life
sized copy in plaster Of Powers we'll
known statue, the Greek Slave, which
guards the entrance doors of the baths.
AS he approached the building his mind
was necessarily filled with Diana, and
Venuses he was about to behold, so that
when the life-like statue burst upon his
view he was for moment deceived and
of course agitated.
Entering the Office the reporter was en-
tertaincd for few moments by Mr.. Rem
sen Appleby, proprietor of the Garden,
and then was ushered by Mr.. Appleby
into the bathing room. Some seventy
! five ladies and children and three men
were in the room, all OF whose eyes were
directed on the tank that stretched along
the north wall. The reporter noticed.
that the rooms were decorated in the Tur-
co-Russian style, surrounded by smaller
rooms, each of which were screened from
the main room by bright crimson cur
tain. The tank in which the Misses Ben
nett and their picked pupils displayed
their aquatic accomplishments is ninety
feet long by twenty wide, and runs from
three to nine feet in depth. 1t is con-
stantly supplied with fresh water, which
is turned into it through countless little
Jets At tie time the Herald representa-
tive arrived there were some twenty-five
ladies disporting in the tank, the chic
of whom were the Misses Bennett, til
Misses Clark and MagonigIe. These
were, in fact, all expert swimmers, and
they plunged and foated and swan
around like very tadpoles, while they
looked like Nymphs of ancient story,
save that those nymphs did not wear
Turkish trousers and sallor-shlrts. The
Misses Bennett carried the palm for dex.
terity and daring.
They jumped off of high places and
dived down SO far out of sight that the
reporter thought for moment that the
Franklin search party would be obliged
to look them up; but finally they came to
the top spulttering and spouting like
baby whales. Then they lay on their
backs and foated, laughing and talking
and enjoying themselves thoroughly. In
fact, every one in the tank laughed, the
water seemed to have such an exhilarat-
ing effect. Any one who uses his bath
tub full of water will recall the sensation
that makes him gurgle In his tub. So
impressed were the lockers on with the
advantages of being able to swim that a
class OF eleven young ladies was formed
on the spot. 'You see," said Miss Kate
Bennett, "that am as much at home in
the water as upon the land; indeed, more
SO, for here I hop, skip, and jump about
while l simply walk quietly along on
land, ''and with that she slapped the water
with her right hand, and then with her left,
disappeared. and in moment came up
at the other end Of the tank between two
blonde bathers, who gave little shrieks of
surprise and darted out Of her way.
One OF the prettiest sights during the
exhibition was the swimmg of the three
year-old little girl whom they called
Birdie but whom they might with
greater propriety, have called "Fishy"
She could swim with the best of them.
Come, Birdie, show the ladies how you
can dive" said Miss Bennett, and, without
coaxing, the little thing mounted the rail
ing, clasped her tiny hands over her curly
head, and
in she plunges boldly
No matter how coldly
The leaden tank looked''
Down went the little head, up with the
little heels, then flip flap went the little
arms, and away swan the brave child as
gracefully and as coollY as swan in the
Central Park lake. Miss Bennett caught
her in her wet arms and squeezed a gallon
or two of water from her dripping clothes
as she pressed her to her heart in kindly
admiration. Again and again the child
repeated the feat each time laughing and
shouting in the greatness of her enjoy
ment. Then the Misses Bennett gave a
few fancy touches, the twenty five
nymphs came dripping FROG the tank
1 tho Il orys1 - L.