Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-09-05

There thcy stInd kicking sand with their
fest, and chatting together about things quite
remote from the business of bathing They
do this partly to seem Indifferent To the near
ness Of peril, and partly to keep their minds
Off the ordeal ahead of them as long as posi-
bic. Yet they are the same women, who,
two hours ago, were wild with impdtience to
go into the water and talked boaStfuily of
how much they liked tremendous surf
A giant wave rolls in and hurls itself on
the beach with crash like the end of all
things It sends the tide out further than
ever. The wavcring edge of it laps the toes
Of one Of the group Of prospective hathers,
whereupon she screams out an astouished
''Ohr' and in concert with her companions
jumps landward. There they all look at each
other with q 'Did-you-ever" expression on
their faces, which soon changes to a Mol
never one.
The bol1est one then calls to an acquaint-
ance in the surf and asks il the water is very
cold. A chorus OF voices from the depths re-
spends that it is delightful The still per.
fectly dry bathers again look at each other
and say without words, Shall we risk it =
They pool their courage by keeping close to-
gether and move slowly seaward As the
more than is consistent with courage and
sometimes step high in the involuntary effort
20 escape the inevitable
They draw near the rope 1t is their
strength and support Getting wet all over
is a slow process, and Is only finally accom-
plished by aid from each other One, trifla
bolder than the rest, scoops up water with
her hands and throws it over her companions
l. l.. ~.
fairly launched in the work in hand. They
roll around on the sand, away from all but
the merest edge Of the tide, with a great as
sumption of indifference TO danger. They
cling to the rope when the water scarcely
reaches their knees, and streak it for the dry
land at sight of every inrOlling wave. Much
emphatic description is indulged in. The one
who ventures fartheSt out into the water tells
the others in the most fearless tones how
a m0nstrOus wave went right over her and
she didn't mind it a bit Then they all chat
and giggle and make noise enough TO com
pletely conceal their defects as bathers.
II they have any male aCguaintaEces out
in deep water they will surrender themselves
to be taken far out by said acquaintance
provided they are not married To them
heard the husband of one lady try his best to
persuade her to 60 into deep water with him.
She wouldn't venture a step. ~Oh, know
you she said at last quite seriously; you
want to get rid of me. | know whom YOU
have in mind to marry when Pm gone; but
I'm not going just yet, if you please. No.
take no risks with you" The husbands face
flushed, and away he splashed into the surf,
cutting an extraordinary pigeon wing to con-
ceal his embarrassment. Yet this pair had
distinguished themselves at the hotel for their
affectiOnate bearing toward each other. The
air was full of smiles, '-dears' and "darlings-
when they were around have heard it said
that dear is often but woman's way of
spelling "detestabIe" Yet the same woman
COurageously went into the waves one day
holding the hand Of North Carolina gallant
whom she had only met the day before.
suppose she concluded that be could have no
earthly reason for wanting to put her out of
the way. On the contrary, it would be to
his credit to bring her safely out of the jaws
of death. The husband wasn't present that
day.
Much of the sea bathing Of women is done
largely out of the water. The picture given
above does not exaggerate their timidity.
There are exceptions, of course-graduates
from swimming schools and a few other
courageous sorlS-but for the most part wo-
men bathe as here represented. After they
return to their hotel and are fortified by find
ing themselves in dry clothes and i'll sight Of
plenty of solid land, they talk about the
pleasures Of the hath with considerable swag-
ger. The one who maintains a horizontal
positioE. on tie sand boasts the most when
away from tis sea. GERTRUDE GARRISON.