The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1880-08-06
SEASIDE SIGHTS.

II. Il. Spencer.
SEASIDE SIGHTS.
sPLASuING BEAUTIES AND sCANTY TOLL
ErTES AT CAPE MAY.
Bathing in the surf here at Cape May
has become science. The bathing hour
is the most interesting part Of the day. n
society belle, if she hasn't form to boast
OF, never ventures into the water, but stands
on the beach and watches her more fortu-
nate sistcr and makes iun Of her. Cape
May is different from other Watering places
along the coast. At Concy Island every
body tumblcs into the surf, aud there is no
particular attempt to attract attention in
the way of bathing dresses. Atlantic City
is much like Concy. The place is too near
the city aud the fare is too cheap, and SO
at Atlantic there is always an indiscrimi
nate crowd Here at Cape May it is diff
fcrcnt. Here we look for style. The tluc
bloods from Philadelphia arc here The
Baltmorcans swear by Cape May and r.
coSnizc no other Watering place. The
Southern people arc beginning to come
again as they did before the war. Very
few New Workers comparatively get as far
South as this, but the hotel registers show
fair sprinkling of names from Chicago
end Cincinnati aud Pittsburg From II
o'clock till and even later, everybody is
upon the beach or in the water, and then
the fun begins. There is the greatest ri
valry between the bellies i'll the way Of bath
ing dresses.
There is every difference in the world
between a Walnut street mansion and
Cape May hotel At home the young girl
would think it sin to show to the vulgar
eyes even the tips Of her tiny toes Here
her chief object is to get herself up for the
bath in manner which shall set off her
rounded ankles aud limbs and her entire
form to the best advantage But, bless
you {! nobody thinks anything OF that 1t
is quite the thing. Everybody expects it
and everybody looks for it. 1t is amusing
to witness the mctamorphosis which every
Slrl Is bound to 90 through if she stays
here any length Of time. At first she will
come on to the beach in very modest man.
ncr. hurry into the surf and hurry back to
the bath house, afraid that some one will
see her. Her bathing dress of dark blue,
tastlly trimmed with white, is buttoncd up
close about her pcarly neck, and the sleeves
reach to her wrists. Her blouse, buck led
ab'ut her waist, falls below her knees while
the pantalcts, or pantaoons, or whatever they
are tcrm-d, tol! from under the blouse away
down to her ankles where they arc closely
tied But this don't last long; the sleeves
gradually get shorter the pantacts lose an
inch of their length every day, until they fall
no further than the knee. Then comes
the rivalry between the girls for beautiful
and costly stockings. Beautifully. worked
fabrics which cling closely to the limb are
sought for The girl now spends the entire
morning in preparing for the bath, and
when this stage is reached the mctumor-
phoSiS is complete. She cannot bear that
any other girl shall display more style in
the water than she can, and her life is made
miserable in consequence. The bathing
hour comes and the beautiful sea nymphs
parade up and down the beach in their
bathing attire, aud Of course they attract
attention, but that is just what they are
aiming at Their white arms .listcn in
the sun. They step into the water and
start back with a MY. it's So cold :" But
it isn't That is onl yuSc Their first
object is gained. The incoming breaker
has moiatcncd the beautiful stocking until
1t almost becomes part Of the limb. itself,
so close does it cling. Then the girl pa
radcs up anl down the beach with her lover
who holds Il tri.colorcd sun umbrella over
her head, and enjoys the sensation she is
making 1t may seem lmmoic"t away from
the scashorc, but no one thinks it is here
1t is nothing for a girl to spend the entire
bathing -Four on the beach. 1t was only
yesterday that Baltimore belle attracted
considerable attention by her beautiful dress
4