The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-11-29
A GELS FIRST sWIm.
Tho Queer Feeling That Thrills Her at
the Initial Dip.
Neg in The ST. Louis Republic.

-deg IN ne 81. Louis Republic.
With chattering tech, a blue nose covered
with goose flesh. and not much of anything
else. 1 stood in position which, when
translated, means with arms extended for
ward In straight line, hands with palms
together, fingers close, thumbs down. Then
begins the monOtOnous count one, t-w-o
t-h-r-e-e-just as If you were receiving a
lesson in music Zone, separate the hands
by opening from the under side; make a
circle or half circle by bringing the arms
out TO straight line at the side from the
shoulder. Two, draw the elbows to the
side and hands TO the chest. Three, shoot
them from the chest TO position again.
Next was told TO be seated and to extend
my legs forward, heels together, toes out.
While the arms are sweeping the circle at
one" the legs remain in position. At two"
while the elbows and hands 20 to the sides
ana ehest, the heels, sticking close together.
are drawn up TO the body. At "threen the
arms shoot forward to position. The legs
must be Strengthened out sideways with a
vigorous kick and cut circle back to posi-
tlon. The knees are kept straight and the
force OF the movement all comes from the
hips. By the time had finished this move
ment lesson there was not a muscle in my
BODY that had not been used. and the strain
equally distributed, 80 you at once see why
swimming develops muscular forces. gives
agility and suppleness to the limbs, opens
the chest, increases lung capacity, equalizes
the circulation and creates and preserves
beauty of form and grace of outline and
rhythmic movements-but il you think it Is
easy" just try it,
1t was assured the movements would
come more naturally in the water, so to the
water we went, and the harness or belt at
tached TO the pulley rope was adjusted
around my body just under the arms, and
l confess to you privately that if it had
been a hangman's moose and the kindly in
structor duty-bound sheriff, could not
have been more terrified. | thought l
never had seen so much dependence placed
on SO slender a rope, or such an untrust-
worthy life-saving continuance. realized
fully that this uncertain thing, which
would not be still long enough for me to
catch my lost breath. was all that stood
between me and that historical country
from which no one but a theosophist ever
returns.
How can describe my horrible sensations
when first swung off into that dark water 2
1t could have held no greater terror for me
If it had been bottomless. For further en-
couragement was permitted to hold to one
end of a pole, the other end being held by
my instructor Gasplng and huttering
held on for dear life, until the wise one,
seeing there was nothing to be accomplished
by encouraging my timidity, gently forced
me to give up the pole. aud l was left lying
face downward upon the water. At this
junction tried between gasps to inquire IL
any one had ever been drowned here, but |
could not make myself understood, and it
didn'6 matter, for l felt sure some one would
be drowned now.
The.next instruction was to take position
instead / took header" and my feet
took to the skies. OF course IL was only
momentary, for the puliy brought me back
to a level, and after much and desperate
struggling to combine the arm and leg
movement, as taught on the carpet, | was
more or less successful rather less than
morel, and began to have dim idea of the
fascination there must be in swimming
when there was no fear of an untimely in-
PRODUCTION to the hereafter.
was not thinking Of my curtailed cos
tune now; nor of the fit OF it; nor Of bangs
that were no more; nor of powder washed
off. individuality was gone Water has
such wonderfully equalizing effect. II
there is any one who still believes in that
pretty axiom: Beauty unadorned is
adorned the most,n l wish he or she would
make visit to a natatorium. No cause for
jealousy here. We are all ugly alike. But
obviously and more enviously l watched
the rest jumping fearlessly OFF springing
boards. sliding down shoots, swinging out
over the dark depths from gymnasium
rings or diving to come up on the opposite
side Of the tank. Right well now under
stood the moral courage and intellectual
confidence developed by the practice that
led TO such proficiency, and that a new and
keen pleasure In existence had come with
the attainment, and my teeth closed upon
| the resolve to learn to swim or drown in the
| attempt.