The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-10-03


Etiquette of the Drawing Room Vanish
collaborating Features.
Those who have been fortunate enough
70 glide from Italy's picturesque shores
into the warm blue waters OF the Medi-
tcrraneau and float luxuriously i'll the
salty sea among a perfect school OF hap
by bathers viii never forget it. Never!
Venice. Naples. Capri. Amalf! 1t makes
one's eyes glisten at the very thought of
it. To Italy's splendid title, THE Land
of Poetry and Song" might also be add
ell THE Land of Baths were it not that
the second name to some fastidious
minds would detract from the beauty of
the first. |
The ancient Romans, borrowing as
they did all the worthily imitable GUS
toms from their Greek and Egyptian
peighbors. found the baths especially
suited to their luxurious tastes and car
ried them to a degree Of excellence which
had never been attained, making tk"m
not only of immense benefit in a AM,
a way, but establishing them as q
favorite rendezvous for people of culture
and talent as we'll as for the poorer class
es, who also enjoyed the privilege of
their own compartments. Look at the
baths of Diocletian, which are estimated
to have accommodated no less than 49,
600 people at one time. And those OF
Caracallar at Rome. What wonderful
ruins of a still more wonderful str,lc-
ture! In these walls bathing became a
science. Cold baths, tepid baths, hot
baths, oil baths, sun ~baths-every kind
of bath! Why simply to visit the place
was a rest and recreation. Statuary and
paintings lent beauty on all sides. Music
charmed. Orators and poets entertained.
What beauty in the remaining walls OF
the Pompeiian baths! The frescoes are
as bright and beautiful as if they We're
done but yesterday, and the marble
carvings and payements which escaped
the fury of the burning mountain have
softened il. color almost to an ivory.
Then the baths of Nero. Around the
coast on the charming picturesque road
leading from Pozzuoli to BaiR OLE
alights from the little carozzella ard
Chambers up to "a cave C in the side -
the mountain, wherein is spring heat /
to a high temperature in its subtnrrs-
mean channels by veins of volcanic lie
which abound near Nesuvius. This -
suited well the comfort loving ! Eo,
who made Of it a ~favOrite - aLi
caused the rough stone cuucle> " 80
placed there, which still remain.
One reads little of sea bathing il tl.ozs
days. Every Roman colony thought ~
construct its baths rs it thought OF ra,s.
ing its temples. But now all Italy turns
its face to its natural advantages. and
with one accord cries as early as May,
"Let us to the seal Not all the estab'
lishments are as convenient and as well
constructed as the Lido at Venice and
those of Posilipo at Naples. but they are
all on the same general plan. Every
place open to the use of the public is Pre-
vided with a pavilion where people con
gregate to discuss the latest topics. OK &c
devour with eager ears the lates: gossip
ing till night. if only one Of those harass'
ing ..organettes" or portable pianos.
which grind necessarily and scent al
ways to be playing Santa Lucia o.
bella Napoli" and vary sometimes will
the ''Trovatore."
On either side of the pavilion are tht
.camerini," or dressing rooms-one sidt
reserved for ladies. the other for gentle
men. These ''camerini" are the rough
est kind of little wooden boxes. carpetet
with a mat of braided straw and fur
nished with four rude chairs for thu
four persons each is supposed to accom-
- Ill.,, %loro moo x1n .@n,oe 1a,l
ing to the water. The fee for the use o
each room is one franc fifty Tor 30 cents)
including the linen sheets. the pric'
never varying whether there be one o.
four persons together.
Once in the water and presto! change
all the reserved etiquette Of the Italian
drawing room vanishes. Then and thel
only does liberty exist, and the prett.
little signorinas, as well as the handsom
signoras. in the very simplest kind o
bathing costume. generally dark blu
with a little white braid. TRANSFORMED
/, into veritable water nymphs, swim OF
with all the grace and ~alacrity of a fish
never fearing, never firing, just as j
they had been born t it. And there !
no end to romance. Fancy a boat full
~ handsome young officers towing a trai
Of pretty. bright eyed girls to some quie,
picturesque spot, where all indulge in
Jolly little luncheon. It doesn't seem s
very much. does it? And yet q recall
that these same young officers may neve
have dared address the young ladies O
land. or if they have had the good fol-
tune to do so it was only under tn
watchful eye of the omnipresent chape'
, on. Their we realize what it really mean
Then there are the quieter places, lk
the placid blue waters OF Sorrento, ava
: down under the high walls Of rocl
where one may float and gaze up at tn
beautiful villas and fragrant orang
!. gardens. And Capri. where the wonder
full blue grotto is free to all who ca
? swim there, while the hurried travele
inevitably falls a victim to the merciles
boatmen who shake their hands in one
face and demand ia tariffa." whic