The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-21
IN THE SURF.

e-c--gE
N THE SURF.
Perhaps not all OF my readers are IA
miliar with ocean bathing. SO let me tell
you all about IT, You leave your hotel or
boarding house about 1890 in the morning,
presumably two hours after your breakfast.
and make for the beach At this hour every
one else IS making for the beach, and you
therefore find a crowd at the lighthouses.
These lighthouses are so named because
YOU do not battle in them or near them.
They are little cells with one small win
dow each. a dusty mirror and a number Of
hooks and pegs on which TO hang your
clothing
There are hundreds of these little cells.
each one numbered, and they must have
cost eight or ten dollars apiece. The owner
charges you twenty-five cents for the use
Of one of them for the day, or ne will rent
you one by the week and mark the door
Private" for as or s.. 1t is considered
''sweu" TO have a private room. The
charge of twenty-five cents is very reason
able, for that includes a bathing suit.
When you walk up 70 the Office of the
bathhouse the man in charge sizes you
up physically with a sweeping glance Of
bis experienced eye, and then fishes out a
suit which fits you like a tailor made
gown. How be does it is more than l can
understand, but be does it.
The women who give out suits TO WON
en- customers are not so successful in
hitting fits first strike l cannot believe
the women attendants have eyes less acute
or Judgment less perfect than their male CO.
workers. / do think the women customers
are physically mighty deceivin." If you
want evidence of this, watch some of the
ladies Of your acquaintance at the strand.
The odds are you won't know your own
daughters and sisters in their bath robes.
Well. having procured a suit and given
the man all your money, your watch and
jewelry for safe keeping-he puts these
things away in box or bag with your
name thereon and ia exchange gives you
abe key-you walk back into the wet and
dripping alley which runs with moist
perspective between two long rows of dis
fobing cells. Wet suits, fabby stockings,
rubber caps lie all about Through the
half open doors women's heads peep out.
Children are 80 thick you pick your way
among them. Young ladies and old ladies
are coming and going-gOing with pretty
suits, hair nicely up" springy step shape
ilness in garment, hosiery, everything; re-
turning limp hair "strubbly, " skirts loaded
with specific gravity and therefore no
longer graceful. peculiar colorlessness in
cheek and blueness in nose and lip, walk
awkward because tired; and shufiling I'M
der weight Of water.
The history OF seaside resorts shows no
instance Of man falling in love with wom-
an on coming out OF the surf. The romance
Of surf bathing is like the romance Of GER
tain patent medicine advertisements-be-
fore and after taking See your wet, wan,
wabbly woman Of the bathhouse at dinner
an hour or two later If you love her or
want to love her See her when her toilet
has been made; when her clothes are on
woman shares divinity with her clothes
when the reaction of the bath has come in
the shape OF returning blood in all the tine
veins OF the skin; when the glow OF wind,
water and sun is on the cheek, like the tlnts
OF an apple at sunrise after a night OF
storm; when even corpOreai shape has been
nodded anew and clammy hair has given
place TO light and airy curls or bangs.
Then
But we must 20 in bathing. How funny
you feel as you first step out with but one
garment on; with feet, legs and arms bare
TO the rays OF the sun and the gaze Of the
world How hot the sands Of the shore
and how eager and sharp the eyes of the
women, who In great numbers thrOng the
gtrandl Never mind. There IS relief near
by. Old ocean, who is ever young, awaits
you. There is On impulse 70 run and /
Jump. You are a boy again. The feet are /
feathers; TIE limbs Of steel. You think /
you could run a mile with hound. You /
want 70 turn sudsprings and somersaults I
- you did when a boy, 10 yell, 20 play leap /
frog even with strangers. Buta twlnge or I
pout or rheumatic reminder sobers you and /
lou walk sedately toward the water
Now will tell you how the inexperi-
.pced bather takes his first plunge IN the
yrinv He dips his toes in the foam at the
doe OF the strand. finds it warm and pleas
mt and smiles. Then be walks In boldly
,opefunv, tn the water is about his
,nees. At this point a saucy wave comes
,olling iD, bearing the cold water OF ocean
tself II engulfs the lower limbs oil our
amateur, sends a cold chill up ms splhe'
.ausea his teeth 70 chatter. hesuit-re-
reat. Now ensues period Of indecision.
makes the first shock OF cold
water seem colder than IL really IS.
For a time il is an open question whether
up tyro Will 20 ia again or not. lie lies
.own in the hot sand, which is exceedingly
comfortable, and breads the water. But
10 length pride and courage together force
i'm ia. Out OF sheer desperation he runs
"a TIL the lower part OF his body IS i'm
nersed and there he stands and sprays
Iimself with his hands, hoping thereby 10
Mitigate the colds discomfort. Finally a
In the calmest seas there
viii once IA awhile be q genuine "comber"
takes him unawares and does for him by
ccident what he should have had tho
GOD sense 70 do for himself at the outset.
)nce wet, the sense Of cold troubles him
10 more. He sozzles and paddles around
o his hearts content.
Your inexperienced bather has heard Of
ne dangers OF the surf and he discreetly
oes 10 farther out than where the water
sSahss hts waist. ThiA Is a mistAkA IL