Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1885-08-29
Swimming Clubs of Ladies and Gentlemen
in Montgomery County.
Nashville American.

in Montgomery County.
Nashville American.
Under the leadership of DR.. John w.
Ross, of the navy, the young people OF
District No. l, in Montgomery County
have instituted swimming club, COM
posed of both ladies and gentlemen.
The young ladies have provided them
selves with elegant bathing costumes,
consisting of sailor waists and short
plated skirts, with full, loose trousers,
ornamented with various colored
braids. The sleeves are short, the
stockings are coIored, and rubber SAN
dals are worn, strapped on with braid
matching the costumes. The gentle
men have conventional bathing suits
of coiored flannel, trimmed with braid.
The club consists of dozen or more
members and is gaining fresh Access
sions every day. They have provided
themselves with boat, from which
they make their salatory leaps into
the water. Some of the young ladies
have become very expert divers, and
can turn summersault In the water
with as much grace as an acrobat No
sport has been introduced heretofore
that is so thoroughly enjoyed by the
young people. Indeed so rapidly has
it. grown in interest and popularity
that there is some talk of building
hotel on the banks OF the Red River
for the accommodation of the bathers.
They come now from many miles
around and many ladies who at first
are terrified at the idea OF going in
swimming come the next time pre-
pared to enjoy the sport. The pleas
ure is greatly enhanced by the shady
banks of the stream and for hours the
young people disport themselves in
the waters, making the air melodious
with their ripping laughter and mer-
ry prattle. A few of the young ladies
are beginning to learn the art OF SWIM
ming and glide through the waters
with the agility and grace of water
nymps.
The leader, who has spent many
summers at Long Branch, Ocean View
and Coney Island thinks that bathing
in our streams may be made much
more enjoyable than even at the cele-
brated watering places on the ocean
beach. The comparative freedom from
danger, the freshness of the water and
the GOODNESS of the banks of the stream
contrast very favorably with the tor
rid sands and shadeless banks of the
celebrated Eastern watering places.
Enclosures or rooms are provided
where the bathers dof their ordinary
al ia e.
utes arrayed in their becoming and
highly ornamental bathing suits, and
then hand-ln-hand they plunge into
the water. At first the ladies' are very
timid, but after the first trial they
plunge in with all the courage of old
swimmers.
Everything is conducted with the
utmost decorum. A celebrated divine
OF Nashville, who is visiting the neigh
borhood, could not resist the tempta-
ton, and last Saturday evening was
one of the jolliest of the party.
There is no reason why our pure
streams, whose banks are EMPOWERED
in the finest OF forests, and which sup
ply deep bathing pools every few hum
dred yards, should not furnish as much
real pleasure as any other place in the
country. There is a feeling with some
that it is not exactly proper for the
two sexes to go in bathing together,
but there isno more improperly, real
ly, in this than in taking walk to-
gether. In both cases, they are dec
orously clad, and the only difference
is that when in water they are in a
denser element than when taking
walk. Nothing is more healthful than
bathing, and we should like to see that
practice grow in every part Of the in
terror of our country. It, is hardly
fair or just that such healthful sport
as swimming should be practically linn
tied to one sex and denied to the other.
Let the ladies have their full share.
They will be the better and the hap
pier for acquiring this accomplishment