Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-09-09

The picture just given represents nynph
making y leap from the platform in the CEN
ter, another flying head first from the steps,
and a third taking a running jumpf from am
other step, while in the water may be seen a
whole school OF bathers. Observe the cos
tune universally worn. 1t is sensible and
beautiful, md destitute of. that horrible APP
pendage, a skirt, which hampers the move
ments.und adds to the ugliness of women who
bathe at seaside resorts. Here the costume is q
snug, sleeveless garment cut to fit the body,
and covering it only from the neck to tbs
knees. Nor is it any more INDIGENOUS than a
skirted costume, for it covers the form
enough to preserve the decencies and even the
deiicacies, and allows perfect freedom of
movement. Imagine a woman learning to
swim in skirts.
After several visits to this bath | made up
my mind that clothes contribute largely not
only to the appearance of age, but to the
feeding of age. Gray-haired and withered
women loulsel ike Young girls in these bath
ing costumes, and disported themselves with
a grace and energy characteristic of youth.
They forgot their years when the garments
that represented them were laid aside. What
q pity they could not be permitted to wear
sutil clothing as would enable them to forget
il all the tifnel How persistently our cos
TUNES and customs enforce nge upon women.
A woman In her forties stepped gayly out of
hei, dressing room in a blue flannel Bath suit
that made a child of her at once. aWshy.I
don't feel u bit more than 10 years old. y she
said, IN a delighted tone, with d face all
aglow at tho precious few moments of free
dom from conventional clothes that was lust
then ahead of her. She didn't look more
than IL, at most. She had u delicnte and ex-
;treincly girlish figure, with dainty, white,
cbildlike; aims, and n face that had something
of tho expression, as we'll as the roundness. of
childhood IN it still. BY and by, when the
bath was over, and she was arrayed in her
long skirt, hustle aud bonnet, and the dig
nifty OF her station, she looked her $40 odd.
years to. a day. Yes, | am sure that dress
is The worst enemy women have to fight,
1t is the most active agent in making them
old. We aie suffering from too much eivili-
cation.
Many good swimmers are among the
bathers. They paddle about quite ut their
ease, cheering and encouraging the tiinidl
ANY one chats with her nearest neighbor II
she feels like 1t, and the neighbor replies un-
hesitatifigly. Here, too, the absence of the
conventional garments has wrought a good
result. 1t has removed the constTaint which
'NSs sAsSy 81 hsoS ItSetueT
IN nm iitosmal way. In the costume Of tile
bath they tct quite lise men, and indulge in
no foolishness i'll the way of drawing lines.
Everybody Is the ngaai Of everybody ase
ssliile IN the water. After they are arrayed
In their street clothes they become prim and
rigid again, looking well to tie lines" as
drawn by the licnd Caste.
The next picture represents tho swimming
teacher with n pupil In tow. Ordinarily the
rope is heid in front Of The swimmer, and is
the main agent, In the early stages OF the art,
OF keeping her head out OF the water. Only
an advanced pupil has the rope fastened at
her back. Then she is truly ut sea, for if she
becomes panic stricken she has nothing to
clutch at but the unsubstantial atmosphere
u the conscnialS aae se--gg tteara..s.s.
herself q natatorial adopt, calls out: Push
out more toEthe sides with POUR feet; puddle
slowly with your arms; feet down: down;
keep your arms under water and other
mandatory Instructions. The pupil s~tsuggles,
claws at theswatcr, gasps. but PERSISTS, and is
frequently graduated with honors.
One yollng girl who swan well told me that
she taught herself this season by hanging
aboht b 2steps, without a teacher. Finally
she gained confidence, launched out, any
foyald that she could swim as wsalsas any ore.
81 H.