The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1884-12-13
"A Sun Bath.


Mr.. Washington Glare is an ardent
admirer of Walt Whitman, the poet,
and one day, when he read the follow
ing, he put the paper aside with the
determination to initiate the example:
"Walt Whitman, the poet, when the
weather permits, goes out into the
woods, strips naked, and takes what he
termsa sun bath" .ser "a
The next day the sun shone warmly
when Mr.. Glare went into the woods
to mediate on forthcoming poem to
be rejected by the local newspaper.
The air was soft, and the birds hopped
around rs though to welcome the ap-
proach of spring.
"That little paragraph" mused Mr..
Washington Glare, LETS me into the
| secret OF Whitman's curious inspiration.
Sun bath. Why it is perfectly natural
that the great orb of all light should
inspire. / shall remove my clothes
! and stretch my limbs in this golden
bath Of nature All, it's genial warmth
| stirs up and quickcns the pulses of my
muse, AS he pulled off his shirt. "Th;s
| ambient flood pours on me like the dew
of soft music, extracted by spirit OF
pnrest Light. and he folded his trou-
sers and placed them beside his coat.
He could not help casting an admiring
glance ut his raiment. for the clothes
were new, and, i'll truth, the only suit
to which Mr. Washington Glare had
title Just at that particular time. He
walked around for time, musing in
broken measure. A low growl arrested
his attention. Looking around in alarm,
he saw an enormous dog, which he at
once recognized as the property of an
old negro who lived in the neighbor-
hood.
~What's the matter with you, Ring?"
/ The dog growled and showed his
teeth.
You, Ring! Go away from here,
you scoundrel"
The dog barked furiously, and made
o break for Mr.. Glare. The unfortu-
nate gentleman took to his heels. The
dog set up howl and followed, gaining
ground so rapidly that Mr.. Glare every
moment expected to feel his teeth.
The poet, realizing how ridiculous Il
would be to leave the woods, sprang up
o small tree just As the dog was in the
act of nabbing him. Here, seated in o
fork Of refuge, he was safe, but hang
it, the dog began to gnaw the tree and
growl b..
~"Go away, you scoundrel," breaking
of dead prong and throwing it at the
animal. The dog caught the piece Of
wood and ground it to fragments. Sew
eral hours passed. and the air grew less
balmy. A cloud shut of tho sun bath
and cold wind sprang up. "Confound
Whitman and his peculiarities," ex-
claimed Mr.. Glare. Go away from
there you ugly brute, or I'll come down
and kick the liver out Of you.
The dog seemed to smile at the
Darkness came on. The wind blew
fearfully cold, and the poet slapped
himself in o vain effort to keep hims9ll
warm. The owner of the dog, hearing
the noise, came with his Ak.
~Git him down, old boy; git him
down. Bet he's coon.
! "Say, ALI" called Mr.. Glare.
"Whut's dats"
Don't Won know me? Drive the dog
away"
Good, Lawd, de dogs dun treed de
devil" and the old negro run away.
Mr.. Glare called after him, but the su-
perstitious old man ran. not daring to
look back until he fell over his yard
fence. Mr.. Glare began to descend
from the tree, but a low growl drove
him back. Again in his fork he sat
with lcllattering teeth and benmbed
joints. q. Daylight slowly came. The
dog was still at the root of the tree
Mr.. Glare shouted until the old ne
Good Iawd, man. whut yer Coin up
dat tree?" ..-...s. s.-.g
7"Drive that dog away 'H
"'Splain yerse'f fust. boss. Yer mont
be crazy, for no man O sense ain't
ew ne strip naked an climb roun' dat
way. Doan b1ebe I'll hsb nuthin' ter
do wild yer, boss."s s=<sssos -sa. :.
I'm not crazy, man. Twas taking q
sun, bath snd=--" ASJg4
"Sun bath! Crazy ez bed bug. Uh.
huh, kahn fool me-" and the old man
went away. Fortunately the dog fol-
lowed him, giving Mr.. Glare an oppor-
tuhity which he speedily improved. "A
sore shock awaited him, for, feaching
the place where he had left his clothes,
he found them torn to shreds. The
poor gentleman sent the following to
Anthony Comstock: go ahead and
suppress old Whitman. I am with
you +ArkG,asatC Trareler.
| : Sss