Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-08-22
FOUR GIRLS co GRABBING"
How They Caught the Grabs and How the
Grabs Caught Them.
New YORK Herald.l

Grabbing" ie fine sport. Some people
think IL rather tame. bur four Young ladies
who tried IT mp the Hudson the other day
have discovered that 10 is capable. under
certain circumstances, OF ahordihE con-
siderable excitement.
The four madeus IN question embarked
in boat by themselves, not because they
were averse 90 masculine compromising
but because there happened tobeno young
man around 90 take them ont. Soon after
starting they found that their boat leaked
little. Then they took OF their shoes ana
stockings and slowed them away D ch ana
dry on The thwarts, and dabbled with their
-lapelv little " tootsny wootseys ~ the
wutcr m the bottom of the boat. ana
agreed that they were "awfuily glad ~ that
they hadn't brought any hOrud man along,
because then their little tOOtsey wOOt-
sev~" would have had o. stay IN their shoes
and stockings, which would consequently
have gotten wet.
THE CRABS CAUGHT.
Itisa singular fact. or, perhaps not sin
guar az all. bu merely illustrative OF the
peculiar ijl0syUcrasies OF feminine nature,
that girl BIO au abbreviated batbins-cos-
tune. which displays pretty near as much
GIRL rs costume will make no bones about
exposing her feet especially If they are
~ltprlv feet and even something more
NiNl 20 LfIIf'l nt'. .IN4i va NV or
masculine scrutiny; but when she isn't
clad M abbreviated and close-tittlng gar
mcnt. the mere accidental exposure OF one
little pink toe causes her 10 blush.
In requires more luck than skill 10 catch
crabs and as the girls had plenty of luck
they caught a goodly lot and deposited
them IN q blg basket, and had q tp.top
good time an round. But IN trsNng
about one OF the girls accidentally knock
ed over the basket, though none Oh them
noticed the accident at the time.
THE CRABS LOOSE.
The first intimation that three of the
girls had that tine crabs were loose was a
prolonged blood-curdling veil. The owner
of that sell Wa The fourth girl, and the
cause Of the yell was a crab which had
grabbed her by the little toe. She kicked
So vigorously that the crab was sent flying
the full length of the boat and IN conse--
ouence was doubtless more frightened
and a,touudel than the girl had been.
Ihe three other girls shrieked, too,
when they discovered the cause of the
sudden connection, and dropping their
lines III iidy they took refuge ON the
thwarts. where they gradually ceased
screaming when they perceived that the
crabs could not get at Them Luckily the
boat was % bcamy craft, built on tine scow
Milan. or she certainly would have capslZed.
and then the comedy would have been
turned into a trae edy with vengeance.
THF CpTORs CAUGHT.
But the tables were completely turned,
and instead of four girls catching crabs IT
was "a case of crabs catching four girls. The
crabs held uud sputed possession OF the
boat. which foated along the calm bosom
az tho Hudson. The girls mean time held
a council Of war and decided they would do
what Girls generally DO when confronted
by the semblauce of dangeT-keep on
screaming.
In due time the screaming attracted at-
tention. and a boat shot out from the shore,
in which were two young men from Now
York. When the rescung party of two
drew near one of the girls suddenly re-
mcmbered something and communIcated
n To her companions. Then they all
shouted out in chorus t. the young men III
the boat IN pcremptory tones;
RESCUED.
Don't come any nearer"
What's the matter?n howled one of the
vouup men, as they stopped rowing.
We've been grabbing, and the crabs are
an loose IN the bottom Of the boat.
"Wel. why can't We come any nearer y
II was some little time before one Of the
plrls answered. in tones hardly audible;
" Because we've got our shoes and-and-
stockings OF, ...
..Well. what are We 20 do about II Z" was
the abrupt but pertinent masculine IN
quiry. -,
The girls held another conference. They
finally decided that the young men must
thrnw them "A rope and tow their boat 10
tbe shore. When this was done and the
boat with the girls had struck bottom they
directed the two young men TO retire be-
hind point and made them promise not
TO peep for five minutes. At the expira-
ton Of that time the girls were all ashore,
and INSTEAD of tOotsey-wootseys dainty
little shoes poeped forth from beneath
their dresses.
am able to tell this story because was
one OF the two rescuers.