The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-06-19
NYMPHs OF THE TANK.


| OPENING OF THE LADIES SWIMMING BATHS,
CORNER OF SEVENTH AVENUE AND FIFTY
NINTH STREET
twenty minutes ride over the Metropolitan Ele-
waited Railway yesterday morning carried HERALD
reporter from Park place TO Central Park, and walk
OF half brought him to the doc. OF the
Misses Benefits school for ladies' on the
corner OF Seventh and Fiy-ni street. Tho
rain was trckling upon the reporters umbrella,
and mud gave pleasant yellow tint 10 his shoes
stray goat there obstructod his path, and
now and again he ran over small hoy washing his
feet in the muddy pools which lay tbicky scattered
along the sidewalk. He not long in nndng the
baths, for they occupy The building for some years
known Theodore Thomas Central Park Garden.
The halls through which the music OF Beethoven, Wag-
ner and Sch umann echoed now resound 10 the
splash OF bathors they merrily dsport in their
tank. As tho reporter entered the main doorway ne
jumped back suddenly as though he mad been shot,
ana held his eyes while hs backed out OF
the passage, blushing aud m utterng his apologies.
The for this uneigned embarrassment was
the appearance in the passage OF lady In state Of
perfect nudity. Her body bent slightly forward
aud her head turned that she did not see the re-
porter sThis terrible" thought he, II have opened
the wrong surprised OF the ladies on her
way 10 tho BATH He heard pattering OF damp
sion was undiscovered, but fearing that some other
and less considerate reporter might that way
he gave manly cough Of warning. Not hearing the
expected scream OF fright ne advanced . lew steps
nearer ana gently pokcd the door with the point OF
his umbrella Still no scream. He advanced yet
further. ana, hearing no sound stepped boldly into
passage. There she stood just nc had her
FIRST her round white limbs gistening IN The hight
reelected from the open door, lie was, OF course,
horrIned but iet somewhat treasured by the
unembarrassed manner OF the lazy. "Madam,
beg thou" but the words were scarcely out
n Whua
he hat taken Tor beautiful uather was ohing more
less than liic-slze copy 10 paser OF Powers we'll
known statue, the Grcek slave, which guards tue on-
trance oil baths AS he approached the build
ing his mind necessarily fined with thoughts Of
the Dianus and Venuses no was about to behold, 50
that when the liie-ike statue upon his he
was tor moment deceived and Of course aaitatcd.
Entering tue Office the reporter was entertained Tor
few moments by Mr. Remsen Appleby, proprietor Of
the Garden, aud was then usnercd by Mr. Appeby
into the bathing ROOM Some seventyhve iad ies ana
children and three IN the room, a OF whose
eyes directed the tank that stretched along
the north wall The reporter noticed that the room
decorated Ia rurco-Russian style, surrounded by
| smaller rooms, each OF which was screened
| from the main room by bright crimson
curtains. The tank which the Misses Bennett and
their picked pupils displayed their aquatic accom-
pllsnments is ninety feet long by twenty wide ana
runs three feet depth 1t Is constantly
| supplied with fresh water which is turned into II
through countless little jets. At the time the HERALD
| representative arrived there twcnty live
ladies' dlsportlng in the tank the choi were
the Misses Bennett, the Misses Clark and Magonige
| These were IN TACT ali expert swimmer ana they
| plunged hoatod and swan around like very lad
poles, wi le they looked ike tue nymphs oil ancient
| story, that those nymphs did wear Turkish
trousers and sailor shirts Tue Misses Bennett car
rIed the PAIN daring and dexterity. They jumped
of OF high places aud Owed down far vi sight
that tho repo thought tor moment that the Frank
lin search party would be obiiged LOOK them up;
but nnaly they came TO the top spiu.lsrins ana
| spouting like baDy whales. Then they lay their
backs aud Qoaed. laughing and talking aud enjoying
| themselves thoroughly. In TACT, every ono IN the
tank laughed, the water seemed 10 have such
hiIaratns effect Any one VINO uses his balhtub iulI
OF water Will recall tho sensation that makes him
gurgic his tub. So impressed tho lockers
win The advantages Of beng able TO SWIM that Class
| oil eleven young ladies was formed tue spot
s.You sec,' said Miss Kate Bennett, s'that | am
much al home IN tho watar upon the land indeed,
more SO, tor here hop, SKIP and jump about, while
she slapped with her right hand, then with
her lett, disappeared, anu in moment came up at
end OF The tank between blonde bathcrs
who gave little shreks Of surprise ana darted out VI
her way.
Onc of the prettiest sights during tho exhibition
tina swimming OF a lour-year.oid little girl whom
they calleu "Birde,n Dut whom they might, with
greater propricty, have called ''Fishys" She could
| SWIM with the best OF them. sCome, Birdie, show
the lauics you dlven said Miss Bennett. and.
without any coaxing, The little thing mounted tho
railing, casped her Tiny hands over her curly head,
| and
In she plunged boldly,
No matter coldly
Tho ieAlen tank looked
Down went tho little head, up went the little heols
then flip tap went the little arms and away swan The
brave enid MS gracefully and US cooliy as swan In
the Central Park Lake. Miss Benaett caught her 10
ner vet arms aud squeezed gallon or Two of Watcr
from dripping clothes as shc pressed her to her
heart III kindly admiration. Again and again the
child repeated tho icat, tmo laughing shout
Misses Bennett gave fancy touches. the twenty
i've nympns came dripping IRON the tank, and tho
day. sport done.