The Portland daily press., 1893-04-29
Especial Correspondenoe1

bian bath! twas one of those languiG
spring days that seem to make ones vi
taiity ooze through the finger tips. Ever
In thin spring gown felt uncomfort
ably warm while walking up Broadway
In the morning sun, but that was moth
ing to the hot, dry draft which blew
against my face as entered the hallway
OF the substantial mansion on a spacious
hide street, luxuriously fitted up with
Russian, Turkish. Roman, electric and
sulphur baths. After receiving my check
from the clerk in the hall went down a
quaint, carved staircase to the Russian
baths on the lower floor.
AS ! fingered in the rug strewn pas
sage way taking in this first glimpse !
saw a girl coming toward me. She was
one of the bath attendants. and except
for the pile of towels hanging on her
arm looked veritable nymph. Her
clothing consisted of two ordinary sized
rough towels. One was fastened about
her waist; the other was crossed slant
wise from right shoulder to left hip
This scant drapery, the effect of the light
on her smooth, shapely shoulders and
arms; her light, untrammeled step; the
damp, natural rings of hair cluster
ing around forehead and neck, made a
charming ensemble. Alas, when saw
the same young woman after bath hours
she was ordinary in the extreme. ANY
one skeptical about natures triumph
over art should see bath attendant in
working gear and then with the addi-
ton Of high heeled shoes, tied back
skirts, bang and tip tilted hat. The diff
ference is pathetic.
She took my check, gave me sheet
and led the way to one Of the compart-
ments lining the hall These ssrooms,"
30 called by way Of courtesy, are little
more than closets, each furnished with
roomy, elder down couch, Turkish ta-
BILE and q mirror. Curtains on brass rods
divide them. For this reason, as I soon
discovered, conversation between init
mates from room to room, unless car
ried on in a very low tone, can be heard
by nearly everybody else. Before left
the bath had overheard SO many bits of
toothsome gossip, SO many characters
torn to bits, SO many fads discussed, that
] was q bowling success at a 5 o'clock
tea afterward
The place was very hot, and it was de-
ightful to lay aside the fripperies which
our modern civilization has decreed that
no properly dressed woman can do.with-
out, and wrapped only in cool, laven-
der scented sheet hurry down the hall
TO penetrate the mystery of the steam
room. AS / opened the glass door,
Blurred with mist, a medley Of sounds
reached my ear. There was a terrific
kissing of steam, pouringof water, femi.
nine voices Of many qualities and ac-
cents, ordinations, laughter, groans
and admonitions.
l could see scarcely anything and
stood irresolute near the door until an
attendent bore down upon me with a
folded towel and an earthen bowl filed
with W ater.
Gust soak your head" she said hur-
riedly and led me to seat on marble
slab where the steam eddied in thick
circles. Women were all about me, but
! could not see them distinctly. They
were half defined like SO many phan-
toms. Suddenly felt light but dis
tinct1y Aeshy touch upon my shoulder.
No one was sitting beside me, 80 what
could it bef Il came again and again.
Well, if it was nothing mortal it must
come from above, SO looked up. The
explanation was SO purely physical that
my embryo spiritualistic tfrob van
ished. On the slab above me made out
o reclining, girlish form Her foot was
Idly dangling, and as she swayed it to
and fro her big toe came in contact with
my shoulder. A very pretty foot it was,
too, belonging, as found out afterward,
TO a little soubrette whose trills in an
opera bouffe had listened to only the
preceding night.
This gives some idea Of the democracy
prevailing at a Russian bath. Before
had been an hour in the place languid
blond was chatting about the baths she
had taken the preceding summer at Ba-
den Baden, another had conided to me
Chat she had heart trouble, and a stout
woman with a coy, apologetic manner
had borrowed one of my hairpins.
At length, with great spluttering.
the steam was turned off, and I saw the
place clearly 1t was large room, with
marble walls and ceilings. Through
large. half opened skylight the sunlight
struggled with the steam. Broad shelves
IN three tiers were built all around the
room. A great ruHied pool lay in the
center, reached by flights of steps and
fed continually with fresh water from
two massive dogs heads made of glisten-
ing silver and fastened on either side.
Half dozen shower baths were pouring
aaadly at the farther end of the room.
Just before me stood a quartet Of
pretty women leaning idly on the silver
rod surrounding the pool, their damp,
clinging sheets afording feeting
glirnpses of white ankles while they ex-
changed laughing comments with COM
rades splashing and swimming in the
clear, cold water. Attendants rushed
about fleet footed and perspiring, hurry
ing their charges through the different
stages Of the bath. A group of girls sat
singing in a corner while they slipped
lemonade from long, fra;l glasses. Near