Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-07-22
SWEET SWIMMERS.
Fair Females In the ChIcsgO .Nata.
tOrlum.
Chicago Inter Ocean

sex may be seen dlSportlng them
selves in the soft green water of
Lake Michigan. Forty fair women,
of all ages, and fair under difficult
ties.
The world at large has sort of
visionary idea that in the sad sea
waves woman is a lovely thing, a
sort of conglomeration of cleaning
white limbs, floating tresses, and
coral lips. The mythical notions
that rise from fairy lore suggest
beautiful mermaids combing their
hair with golden combs, or com
pairing their piscatory appendages
in graceful abandon; sweet naiads
Turing with silvery song the sailor
down to their palaces under the sea,
or witching, mischievous mixes,
who make a whirlpool for some un-
lucky mariner.
Artists and poets vie with each
other in pencil and pen pictures of
lovely young maidens laying their
white limbs in some secluded, leafy
spot, with only the sun and the
butterflies for spectators, or to note
the wealth of golden locks that
invariably cover them like a veil.
This is romance; reality is what?
Forty females clad in flannel, Of
such diverse hues that it suggests
the cutting up of JoSeph's historic
coat for the purpose. A wealth or
deficiency Of hair, alike concealed
under a cap of oiled silk, that con-
yeys rather ghastly effect, and
nothing is left of the ideal save bare
limbs shining in the sunlight, that
CLEANS through the Skylight above.
There is not much scope for
beauty in the dress cut after Mrs.
Swisshelm's favorite pattern it is
only sensible, modest and comfort
able; but what with its severe SIM
plicity, aud the action of the water
upon pearl powder and rouge, with
the total extinction of capillary at
fractions, one is inclined to think
old Ben Johnson would not, were
he here, indulge in a repetition Of
his sentiment:
Give me look, give me face
That makes simplicity grace;
Robes loosely flowing, half as free;
such sweet neglect more taketh me
Than all tn adulteries OF art
They strike mine eyes, but not my
heart.
People nowadays would call a
woman Of such a toilet a sloven.
So much for looks, now for the
lesson.
The presiding spirit of the scene
is Dr. Jansen, who, by the way,
taught the Misses Bennett, oil
New York. The doctor presides
over the tank like Neptune Ger the
briny waves, and, clad in a suit oil
white linen and straw hat, reminds
one, as he guides with a long pole
some awkward beginner, Of an
anxious fisherman, ,summoning spir
its from the vastly deep. His assis.
tants' are two'bright little brunettes
Misses Annie and Bertha Kad.
ish, who dressed in jaunty suits o.
blue flannel, show inexhaustiblC
patience over the fears and efforts
Of newcomers, and some of them
are comical enough. Take, for in
stanc, "one young lady who is very
very plump, weight $50 pounds
After being taught the motion, s
life-preserver is clasped around heI
ample waist, and she is hidden tC
strike OUT"
She tries, but in vain; preservel
and adipose tissue are against it
: and, struggle as she will, feet ant
arms refuse to go down.
"You will have to shove he
down with a stick" laughs he
long, lean sister, who is beginning
2 to swim like a fish.
"But," says the earnest propri
= etor, :" fat people may have a hare
/ time to learn, but afterward their
! is the advantage"
: just then is heard a tremendou
1 splash, nothing is to be seen, bu
| in a moment up crops through tn,
5 waves, looking, with her colder
, hair and white skin, like a grea
water lily, a handsome blonde. Sh
has Jumped a distance'of thirty fee
plumb into tho water, and now sh
t swims back like q duCk, runs u
. the ladder, and dives down heGl
first; up again in second, flop
over on her back, and floats abou
= for a rest.
S Starting from the steps, cuttini
G the water with long and graceful
q strokes, comes a young marrie
t lady, a scholar of last summer
i pair of beautiful arms, white an
}, hard with muscle. and perlec
i limbs, carry her TO the center {
: the tank, where q swing is su'
G pended from the ceiling. Sh
d climbs into it, and starting it j