The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1884-07-12
A BEAUTY TAUGHT TO

"Oh, I'm afraid!"
81 don't care to!'
"Come on, you silly goose, there's nc
danger!"
Such were the EXPLANATIONS which
greeted Journal reporter as he ap
preached the pretty strip of bathing
beach at Glen Island yesterday.
A gentle wind beat the waters into
small breakers that rolled lazily upor
the shore. Several bathers splasheC
dancing like corks upon the waves
Two pretty girls attired in the latest
styles of bathing suits, wondrous COM
binations of colors and texture, stood
upon the sand gazing timidly upon the
bathers. They we're evidently afraid
to venture into the cooling water, and
their escort, hobby young man with
the build of champion oarsman, was
endeavoring to coax them to brave the
miniature pillows.
"It's no use," exclaimed the tallest
of the beautiful girls. "You know /
can't swim a stroke and 1 don't want
to crawl along the sand like mud
turtle"
"But will teach you," persisted the
young man. ats the easiest thing in
the world. Come now, take my
hand"
The young lady at last mustered
courage, and stepped daintily into the
water.
"Strike out boldly!" cried her es-
cort.
She kicked and splashed and was
about to sink when he put one hand
under her chin and held her firmly
above the waves. The effect was sur
prising. The fair student foated east
1y along, used her arms and feet like
an automaton, and in half an hour
could swim twenty feet without assist
ance. She was delighted at her new
accomplishment, and soon prevailed on
her companion to follow her example.
The effect was equally as successful,
and the young man gazed proudly upon
his two fair pupils rivaling a mermaid
In their aquatic skill.
Show is it you are so successful in
teaching the art in such short timer"
asked the reporter.
'The principal point for the learner
is to have confidence in herself" he
answered. "Any person by holding
their breath and exerting themselves
with their arms can float like cork. 1
simply hold their chm up for few
minutes, and they acquire confidence
in themselves and soon learn to strike
out with hands and feet. The great
and useful accomplishment of SWIM
ming is then learned, and, with few
days practice, most ladies become ex-
callent swimmers
"Isn't it hard to make some of them
hold their own chimp"
The young man smiled and said that
he found no difficulty in that respect.
At a free bath on the East river
around in the big Enclosure and per-
formed many amusing and difficult |
feats. Little girls hardly ten years old
swan around with a clean strong
stroke and scorned the use of any as
sistance. Thoy formed pyramids,
jumped off of spring boards, dived
deeply under water and came up ten
feet away, going on like circus aero
bats in their antics.
"They enjoy it wonderfully" said
the lady attendant to the reporter.
"Some Of these girls come here five
times day when il is practicable, and
we have hard work to get them out of
the water. We have ropes suspended
around the bathing house, on which
they hang when first learning, but they
soon discard the assistance. One Of
the best ways to learn to swim is by
the use of two bladders, OF life preserv-
ers, which are fastened under the arms
and which render it impossible to sink.
A stou. German woman who came here
the other day was supplied with the
life preservers, and left her to attend
to some children who had come in, sup
posing she knew how to use them. She
them on her feet and her head
sank below the water. The children
and she was rescued. not
much the worse for her experience.
She won't do it again, though"