Morning journal and courier., 1881-09-26
Bathing A La Mode.

ttrom the London World.l
 The subject of bathing is one of absorbing interest to the seaside idler. Not only is your own dip a joyful event in whatever fashion you take it, but when that is over, other peoples bathing will serve an amusement for you for great part of the day. It is wonderful how people crowd round the little bathing huts at the fashiona-
 ble French watering places and strive to get seat as near as may be to the plank along which the performers trip from their dress ing rooms. The strange and divers modes of dressing which are adopted by these bath CTS as interesting the promenade toilets, and often as elaborate Here is a lady whose bathing dress is hidden by the big cloak which is wrapped round her, and sun hat half hides her face. But when she reaches the waters edge and throws off her cloak it is very evident that her marine cos tune is of the simplest sort. She walks away into the deep water, and presently throws herself upon it, finging out her gleaming arms. She swim; she rev. farther at last the boat rows after her; she climbs into it. Is she tired, then? Not bit of 1t She stands up drip ping in the sunshine, laughing with enjoy ment, while the boatman rows further out. She is going to have plunge! Presently she comes swimming back to the shore and stands moment to get her breath before she wraps her cloak round her. Her hair is streaming with wet down her back; her skin looks dazzling white with the sea-water; her face is bright and burned. She is as bright as the sunshine, as fresh as the morn ing. This woman knows what it is to get some real good out of life. But she is all by herself here, at a fashionable watering-place and what merry child of nature she looks among the women who delicately duck them selves at the water's edge, with terrific air, as if they might come to pieces under larger wave than usual
 The lady who has been out swimming ap- pears untidy and undressed among the ele- gant beauties; she may harmonize well with the sea and sky, but not with these others. They preserve a perfection of ap- pearance even when they have been under the water. True, they keep their heads dry; the clusters of curls must not be disarranged. And they look very nice, although there is certain stiffness and artificial elegance about them. The beauties are beauties still they do not swim, and do not look as if they could but still they are very pretty, and their lovers sit gazing upon them with con- tented admiration. The men who are not omnipotent in knowledge fancy that now they may be satisfied of the reality of the charms which have captivated them. Could anything be more trying than @ dripping blue bathing dress Yet Amorets lovely contour is just as perfect as when she is in full toilet with all the arts of the
 
 satisfied, charmed, delighted, the lover who, like Viola, may yet swear .'by innocence and by my youth," watches Amoret trip up the plank. He has no idea how much trouble the little lady has taken to please him. He would be surprised if he could guess how necessarily she labors that his eye may be gratifed. It is wonderful how kind women are in this respect-how they devote themselves to the task of pleas ing their admirers. The task is an arduous one, when once 8 woman has fairly set her self to it. A painted face must be painted always, and ever with equal skill, or disillu- sionment is the result. False curls, dyed hair, must be guarded and kept out of the water; must be worn, and worn with care even in the sea. A perfect figure is a very charming thing and the lady who gets great corset-maker to add just little to her charms is happy woman when she is dressed and finds herself the centre of admiration But once put on, this figure pursues her always; it is like secret-she must carry it with her everywhere, until at last the grave becomes her refuge from this incessant com panionship. Certainly it is impossible for her to leave 1t in her bathing-hut and go down into the water to stand dripping, with all her defects revealed, before the curious eyes of half dozen admirers who have se- cured posts at the very verge of the waves in order to gaze upon her
 This is an evident impossibility, and so the IdSuIOuaDt0 beauty WnO VlS1CS the SeaSid0 goes provided for all emergencies Her cor set-maker has fitted her for the sea as we'll as for the promenade. She braves the ocean safely, knowing that she will look as we'll in the water as out of 1t. Of course, 1t is quite impossible that she can swim or intrust her self in any reckless manner to the waves She may be graceful and show herself to ad- vantage, but she must treat the sea as dan gerous acquaintance, apt to take liberties if not kept at a distance. Her curls, her rouge, her powder and her waist are all matters which must ever be kept in mind. So she forms one of that elegant crowd in elaborate bathing dresses which keeps bobbing up and down at the water's edge in what seems to real swimmers and lovers of the sea very funny and rather inane fashion. Whether she gets all she might out of her dip is question best not discussed. Nothing would induce her to sacrifice her appearance to her health or comfort. And after all it would be great loss to other people if she were less careful of herself and elaborate in her toilet She is very interesting to the others who have taken their own dip early, and have got plenty of time to look on at this bandbox beauty, taking her habits of London or Paris into the very sea with her-she looks'so odd ly out of place under the open sky, in the rough water, which, when it gives beauty, gives beauty of such 8 different type from hers She is 8 part of the everlasting come- dy of life, and without her the seashore would lose one of it's most entertaining fea- lures.