The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-26
SUMMER LIFE IN VENICE.
Merry Parties of Bathers Swim around
Passing Gondoes
from the Nep YORK Tribune

From the New York Tribune
There is one great enjoyment "hicf
claims attention in the day, the one grea'
popular enjoyment, l might say OF sum
mer life IN Venice, says letter from tha'
city. That is the bath. Every one oatnes'
There ia no place in the world, perhaps
where there is such general taking to the
water on every summer day; and not day
only either. but all night as we'll 1t is so
cor1enient 10 walk b the door Of ones own
house and plunge from the very
threshold into the clear, cooI water.
So at almost aay hour, ghdlng
in vour gondOla along the smaller
canals, you pass among merry PaItieS VI
! batbers. who swim about your BOAT IKE
sea uyrnphs and tritons about old Neptnnes
car. They chatter at YOU gleefully, perhaps
splash water al you, or swim up and insist
! on shaking hands with dripping fingers over
the gunwale Of the boat. These swimmers
IN the canals are mostly children. but some
times they include whole family party,
young and Old. In the great harbor tie
street ooys plunge by hundreds. Such
swimmers as they are too They turn somer-
saults as they leap from the quays, and
perform almost countless tricks in the water
until one fancies them a school of dolphins
at play.
These are the people, with the accent on
people" The people, with the accent on
the" 60 elsewhere TO bethe, and chiefly to
Lido. Indeed, all kinds of people go there,
too. 1t only costs one Ira. That pays for
your railroad ride and boat ride. your en-
trance to the bathing establishment, your
use of the bath house. your seat at the per-
formance in the opera house, and your boat
ride and railroad ride home again. And a
great establishment it is. There are glori-
GUS saCds, aud the water is perfection,
despite the absence of surf. The big bath
ing house is well arranged, and con-
tains an opera house, where admirable per-
formances are given in the evening, an
open air and an indoor restaurant and a
bandstand, where fine orchestral concerts
are given in the afternoons And such
a scene as it is on the sands any fine day
Hundreds OF thousands OF bathers, laying
or sitting on the sand, strolling about,
plunging into the water, swimming like
mermen and mermaidens. In the centre,
close to the bathing establishment, are
gathered the fashionable people; at each
side OF them, extending far along the coast
are the humber multitude. But all are
alike animal ed and happy.
A barrier Of rope, by no means impass-
able, divided the woman bathers from the
men. The numbers on the two sides of it
are about equal, and the skill displayed
is also equal, if not more so-with
acknowledgements to the Emerald isle.
Women, as a rule are fine swimmers after
they have learned. They are capable Of being
fully as good swimmers as men and often
are better. To this rule Italian women hand
somely conform. Nowhere can one find
more accomplished swimmers or more grace
full than on the women's side of the rope at
Lido. As rule, too, their bathing suits
are handsome, modest and well designed to
give freedom to the muscles and offer as
little resistance as possible to their wearers'
passage through the water. For head-gear,
broad brimmed straw hats are worn,
though generally half of them are left
floating on the water while their
owners dive and swim. Italian women are
not afraid Of getting their hair wet. Is
there any esoteric significance in that facts
At any rae, it is fact One sees no oiled
silk caps at the Lido nor any women fear
ing to 20 far into the sea lest they should
wet their hair. On the contrary, they all
get their hair soaking wet, and when they
come out they loosen it and let it dry hang
ing over their shoulders. The men are fine,
strong swimmers, too-the equal | think,
of any in the world.
Swimming. indeed ia an important part
Of an Italians life. People here do not con.
tent Themselves with quarter-hour's frolic
in the waves. They go in for good, long
bath, Of an hour or two, or even three. And
this is not only IA daily practice, but often
occurs two or three times day. They will
begin the day with plunge and an hours
swim in the canal early in the morning, be-
fore much traffic is ahoat. In the afternoon
or evening, or both, they are at the Lido,
spending an hour or two in the water.
After the opera they return home. 1t is
midnight or later. But the night is fine.
the water in the canal flows clear and cool
and smooth and inviting underneath their
windows. Young and old yield to the
and the wee, small hours be-
hold them revealing in the waves once more
So that one might imagine the refrain of
the Venetian serenader's song to be not
Come into the Garden Maud" but rather
Come into the water, Maud"