St. Paul daily globe., 1885-06-28
WOMEN WHO SWIM.
Pretty New Workers Who Enjoy
Themselves in the Water.


Themselves in the Water.
From the New York Sun.
A man of compact physique and healthy
color, who was dressed in bathing suit,
leaned against the rail of small swimming
bath up town recently and carelessly knot
ted bit of rope as he talked of his bathers.
''I'ye been instructor of the better ele-
ments of New York society for many
years. he said, ''and l may say that I've
been satisfactory"
''You do not deal with the humber ele-
ments, then?"
81 never touch anything that is not of the
upper crust" said the instructor, COM
pOsedly. 1.-THE tone is everything. L affect
the upper tone. This is partly because I
like it, as 1t is always pleasallter to meet
ladies and gentlemen than parvenus and
upstairs, and partly because I find that; it
pays to be exclusive. If you let people
know that you cater to the better elements,
they will patronize you"
The place is near Fifth avenue, in one of
the most aristocratic parts of New York.
A liveried attendant opens the door, and a
member of English and French illustrated
newspapers lie about. No American pa
pers are in sight This would indicate that
the ''better element" does not affect native
journals. The bath itself was good-siZed
pool. rallied in handsomely, and nearly
seven feet deep in spots, and spring boards,
swinging rings, swimming gear, and con-
trivanceS for frolicSOme, athletic and daring
swimmers overhIlng various parts of the
pool, while commodiouS dressing rooms
were ranged around the four sides. A
small platform overhung the deep end of
the BATH 1t was at least ten feet above
the water, and was designed for aerial div
ing.
"Have you many pupils of the other
seX?" the professor was asked.
''Oh, yes, a very considerable number.
Their hours are from 9 in the morning till
p. M, and they are the most delightful of
bathers."
'sThey are, eh9"
''Oh, yes," warmly ''the most delight
full. What is more beautiful than beauti-
full woman in bathing suit?"
''What sort of costumes do they wear"
'.The majority of the ladies use their sea-
side costumes, but quite a number of ex-
pert swimmers wear the single garment
that is, without skirt or tunic, you know,
and with the arms and neck bare. No men
are admitted here during ladies' hour; even
the swimming instructors are women, and
so the ladies are perfectly safe from OBJ
servation. I am here occasionally, but,
then, don't count, you know.
s'It would surprise you to see some of ouI
more expert swimmers. We have a dozen
Young women who take headers from that
platform up there, and we have only one
man who attempts it. A ten-foot dive is
not to be sneezed at, you know. Well, the
ladies spring from it, head first, with the
fearlessness and grace of birds. 1t is
usually the case with women that when
they make up their minds to do thing they
60 in for all they are worth. One of my
patrons is as pretty in the water as she is in
a drawing-room. She is great society
woman, and her name appears constantly
in the papers. Her face is as delicate as a
cameo, and she has soft little voice like a
nun. The first time she came here i
supposed she'd be timid, and expected to
send an attendant in with her. While
was thinking of it she came pattering Gown
he walk, ran out, gave a big jump On the
end of the spring-board, and took a dive
that / never saw beaten in my life. Then
she came up, went hand-Over-handt to the
rail, and ran up the steps to that platform
up there. Over she went like swallow.
She comes here regularly, and she is the
queen. They are crack tennis, crbquet and
badmintOn players, expert sailors, runners
| and dancers, and those who can drive any
thing in horsefesh, from mule to four
in-hand, among the ladies of New York,
but when you come to swimming have the
champion. She's as reckless as dock raj
in the water and as proper as Quaker on
the land"