Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-08-27
Mermaids Sporting with Neptune.
What n Reporter Saw in the New York
Free Swimming Baths.

Free Swimming Baths.
A remarkably animated and pic
turesque spectacle is presented at
the free swimming bath at the Bat
terry. 1t is "ladies' day." and be.
fore 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," remarked Sonora
Fernandez, the superintendent in
charge. Her assistant, Miss Harney,
said that much care was taken to keep
out improper chaeacters, 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 demanded. Sonora Fern
andez tapped the floor vigorously
with the toe of her French boot,
and said that necessary rules must
be observed and enforced. The city
expected it, ana discipline would be
preserved. No girl would be al
lowed in the water without Il bathing
suit of some kind. As she spoke a
tleshy woman of generous avoirdu-
pois deposited a gold watch and
about $50 worth of jewellery for safe
keeping. " You see we have patrons
from the best classes. They pass
by all the other baths and come
down here. The water is purer,
but ii costs them twenty cents to
come because of the L 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 jewelry and
knitting and valises. One would
think they were going to the coun-
try to spend the summer"
"But how do You keep the girls
from coming right in again after
they have gone out?'
ooh. that is easy enough. We
don't feel of their noses, as is done
when the boys bathe. 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 on unconscious innocence calcu-
lated to deceive Adam and all the
serpents in the garden of Eden.
Come here, my dear; how are
you to-day?" said Sonora Fernandez.
saluting her with kiss that would
have destroyed the discipline of q
man -of-war.
"I am pretty well, thank you,"
responded four feet ten inches of
" sweet sixteen"
"Well, that is nice; I 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 tomorrow.
What n transformation there was
in that profile of girlish loveliness!
1t turned black, red, purple, grow
ing more beautiful all the time.
Then q scowl. culver and a pre-
Raphaelite thunderbolt tore up the
scenery of her lovely mask, and her
classic lips parted only wide enough
for one to hear them say, with COM
manding t;rmness:-
"You nasty thing! You think
YOU are smart, don't you, now
Supposin' l have been in dozen
times day, do not 1 want to wash
and be clean? What is the bath for
anyway? What does papa pay taxes
tor? Do you know? l won't go in
now, nohow. You couldn't hire me
to swim in your greasy old tub. I've
got feller what licked Yonkers
Bill on the Fourth of July, and I'll
send him to whale the life out of
your feller if you've got one. Don't
you speak to me. Don't you dare
open your mouth to me, after heap
ing insults on poor, unprotected
working girl that has to slave for a
living and has no time to go to New
port for wash"
There are several other remarks
concluding the conversation, and the
carnation Tipped maiden from De-
lancey street walked up the gang
plank with the majesy of an insulted
heiress. Sonora smiled.
We never have any trouble here
no fights, no hair pulling nor
dragging out--only the hot blooded
young misses express themselves
rather freely sometimes, but they
always get over it. She will come
back tomorrow in nice muslin
dress, smiling as sweetly US June
morning"
The fashionable hour had now ar
rived and bathers came swarming in
by the dozens. The reporter took
several sly peeps, and others that
were not so sly at the panorama in
the bath. The entire area of water
wnsalive with youth, beauty, old age,
gray hairs, 300 pound women, little