The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-08-26
In a Ladies Bath.

A remarkably animated ana plctur-
esque spectacle was presented at the free
swimming bath at the Battery yester-
day. 1t was "ladies' day" and before
nine o'clock in the evening more than
5000 women and girls had gamboled in
the brine of that marine harem. "Some
DAYS we have fully 1000 bathers," re-
marked Sonora Fernandez, the superin-
rendent in charge. Her assistant, Miss
Harvey, said that much pains were
taken to keep out improper characters,
and the athletic young keeper OF the
Boys Department explained that it was
his refusal to admit disreputable Youths
that caused them to retaliate by making
false charges that fees had been demand
ed. Sonora Fernandez tapped the floor
vigorously with the toe OF her French
boot, and said that necessary rules must
be observed and enforced. The city ex-
pected it. and discipline would be pre-
served. No girl would be allowed in the
water without bathing suit OF some
kind. As she spoke fleshy woman of
generous avoirdupois deposited gold
watch and about $50 worth of jewelry
for safe keeping. "You see we have pat
rons from the best classes They pass
by all the other baths and come down
here The water is purer, but IL costs
them twenty cents to come because of
the Il railway fares, which they could
avoid by bathing nearer home. They
like the water, and the bath is popular.
1t is strange that they bring their jew
elry and knitting and valises. One
would think they were going to the
country to spend the summer.
''But how do you keep the girls from
coming right in again after they have
gone out p
"Oh, that is easy enough. We don't
feel of their noses, as is done when the
boys battle. We try their lips; if they
are cold we know they have been here
within two hours Swimming makes
boys noses and girls lips very cold.
Just then dainty and rosy checked
lass came walking down the gangway
with an unconscious innocence calculated
to deceive Adam and all the serpents in
the garden of Eden.
'Come here, my dear how are you
to-day ~ said Sonora Fernandez, salut-
ing her with kiss that would have de-
stroyed the discipline of man of war.
II am pretty well, thank you, re-
sponded four feet and ten inches of
"sweet sixteen"
well, that is nice; l am glad to hear
it; but your lips are cold and you have
been here before to-day, so run home to
your mamma and come back ton or
row."
What transformation there was in
that profile of girlish loneliness 1t
turned black, red, purple, growing more
beautiful all the time. Then a scowl, a
CULVER and q pre-Raphaelite thunder
bolt tore up the scenery of her lovely
mask, and her classic lips parted only
wide enough for one to hear them say,
with commanding frmness -
"You nasty thing You think you
are smart, don't you, now supposin'
have been in dozen times a day, do
not want to wash and get clean , What
is the bath for, anyway What does
papa pay taxes for Do you knowl !
won't go in now, nohow. You couldn't
hire me to swim in your greasy old tub.
I've got a teller what licked Yonkers
Bill on tue Fourth of July, and III send
him to whale the life out of your Teller
if you've got one. Don't you speak to
me. Don't you dare open your mouth
to me, after heaping insults Oil a poor,
unprotected working girl that has to
Slave for living and has no time to 60
to Newport for wash
These and several other remarks con-
cluded the conversation, and the carna-
ton Tipped maiden from Delaney street
walked up the gangplank with the maj
esty Of an insulted heiresA Sonora
smiled.
I'VE never have any trouble here
no fights, no hair pulling nor dragging
out-only tho hot blooded young misses
express themselves rather freely some
times, but they always get over it She
will come back to morrow in a nice mus,
lin dress, smiling Is sweetly IS June