Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-02
BATHS THAT SwEDEs TAKE.
Young Women Attendants Welcome
All Corners.

Young Women Attendants Welcome
All Corners.
From the Brooklyn Standard Union
Another institution peculiar to Sweden is
the bath. To speak of a Turkish or q
Russian bath brings visions of hot rooms
ard clouds of vapor, with a marble slab to
lie upon, as in the morgue and a cold
plunge at the end. The mention of the
Swedish bath brings visions-shall L say It?
of fair women. True, not ali of the at
tendants at the Swedish baths would win
prizes at beauty show, still large major
ity of them are young and buxcm, and
many OF them, dressed and promenading
the Drottninggaten. would be not unat-
tr&ctiye representatives of their sex.
In all the considerable towns of Sweden,
also or Ffnland-wnich is Swedish in char
acter. although now an appendage of Rus
sia-there are well-appointed public baths,
and the attendants at all of them are wo-
men. When / was first told this / thought
II hoax of the ''Ole Olesen" type. and 1
winked the other eye" at my Informant
but l soon found it was true ] was in
one of the first-class hotels in Stockholm,
but when asked for bath / was directed
TO house several blocks away, and thither
L went At the entrance to the bathing
apartments sat row of healthy-looking
young women, all neatly dressed I'm gowns
OF some washable stuff, cut high in the
neck, but sleeveless, their white arms CIV
much soap and warm water.
a girl OF about twenty-three. I Judged
stepped forward to receive my ticket and
LED tha way to one Of the apartments. She
al once busted herself with the preparations
for my bath, and i sat down 10 wait until
she had finished. She was a Swedish girl
heLce Ter name could not have been Lucy
but she fingered long. / was still sbeptical
as to what had been told, rather believing
that the prerogatipes of the young woman
as an attache of the establishment must
nave a judicious limitation, and SO, finally
thinking that her exit must be near I
deliberately-very acknowledgements NV
coat vest and trousers
Ihen l. sat down again. She was in the
tub room and / was in the dressing ROOM
but saw her plunge the Thermometer INFO
the water and hold il up to read the record
1hen she looked at me in wondering way
as II to ask, What in the world are Won
Waitlng for?' and motioned me to come
On, adding some words in her native
tongue. i could not understand what she
SAID, but she beckoned I'm English and the
tone or her speech suggested both persua-
sion and command. To he coaxed on nv
woman while | coyly held back WAS
rather reversal of the order of natura
but my native modesty triumphed and i
tod her-chief1y by pantomime-that her
services in my behalf were at an end
To be pointed to the door will usua1,,,
make an impression upon the least sensitive
plt OF gray matter. but i'm this case n
seemed only 10 suggest to the daInsel the
rSNN4s NAieNiitT gray matter
lot enc of my conspicuous deGcienciss
Nor did she appear to comprehend the SIT
Iatlon when j finally took her by the arm
anu iea ner out OF the apartment, locking
the door behind her Then / hoard a cbate
terlng among the magpies outside, punc-
tuated by EXPLANATIONS of surprise and
ehulnG IN a peal of laughter. No doubt NV
buNom attendant was telling her comDan-
ions of the moLstrcsity in No 'S." that
Insisted upon washing itself, When I
passed out l had to run the gauntlet of
a. hos erfr- IL
could hardly have excited more expressions
of amused wonder