The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-08-22
SOME WAYS or WOMEN.
Eecsn;rlcitIes Of the Timid aud Bold
surf BatbeE.

Nnff BstbeI.
Fro- ths New YorS Trlbaas
There Is one quality in which the aver
age woman bather Is woefuliy deficient"
remarked cynical bachelor "and that ia
common sense. She Is either recklessly
venturesome or ridiculously timid. The
former plunge Gayly through the breakers
on the toughest days. calling upon 5he
more cautious male swimmer 20 fellow.
who must for very manhO5i's sake &C
company her, II only 20 be on hand 20
rescue her in case Of need. She will keep
him out az the buoy or aoat. and he. rot
daring 70 leave her. will remain until
thoroughly chilled and miserable fer il
is a well-knOwn fact that women can stay
IN the water much longer than men.
These intrepid water nymphs are bad
enough, but the timid bather Is even
worse. OCT Of sheer humanity. as she is
foundering heiplessly aear you. you in
cautiously give her a land. After that
there is no escape for you; she Clings on
70 you like grim death, and refuses 10 20
beyond the breakers. whore il Is compar-
atiVely smooth. As each immense wave
rolls toward her she starts for the shore
only 10 get caught in the tremendous
force OF the surf al 1t dashes into foam
which lifts you both OF your legs and
rolls you in ridiculous misery on the sand,
While you struggle TO your feet only to
( be caught in the onslaught Of its sue
cessor.
The only thanks you get fO- your self
immOlation Is hearing qfterwar1 thar the
ungrateful woman has said that you kept
, her in the thick Of the breakers, where
she was almost drowned
NO, deliver me from women bathers.
say J. | like the dear creatures nicely
g0wned on shore. but after my various
experiences always steer clear of them
In the water"
saved woman's life while 1 was
bathing the other day" said one OF his
auditors. "And how do you suppose /
'How?' queried the first sneaker. see
ing that some remark was expected
w ny by simply telling her to stand
up-the water did not come up TO her arm
pits. but she was foundering about.
Shfieklng for help and kicking up her
heeIS AT great rate. ! verify believe she
would have been drowned for she went
Out or sight before | could get 10 her and
came up with her face bianched with -er-
for save me" she cried as / got near
her. and as ! caught her by her dress che
hung her arms about me and wildly chung
TO me But you should have seen her
face when. after her frantic embrace /
said encoUTagingly:
1t is quite safe. Mrs. -; II YOU will
only put your feet on the ground you will
ma mat the water isn't up 10 your neck
AFTER few plunges she regained her
equilibrium. and then. seeing laughter in
my eyes-although / tried my best 10 .ook
seTioUs-she turned from me and waieI
toward the shore without a word of
thanks. Nay more, the ungratefIl crea-
turc was perfectly furious with me and
actually talked of my ungentlemaniy con-
duct. Pretty hard, l think, considering
] saved her life"
'Wcll!' here interpOlated young wom-
an. who had been listening to their crit
icisms Of her sex; Il saw a pair OF nlnnies
in bathing this morning who were not
women. They were great, big strong
men, but never saw women behave more
ridiculOusly. II seems that Mr. step
ped suddenly into a depression. and
thought he was going over his depth, so,
reaching out. he caught Mr.. b. who was
placidly bathing near him. by the neck
and gave him an involuntary duching
The latter came UP suffering and very
angry, and thinking Ii was horse play
seized poor Mr.. a, who was trying TO keep
himself up. and soused him thoroughly
MIR becoming wildly frightened, again
pulled Mr.. under, who also stepped into
the hole. They both went down gasping
ard If ii had not been for another woman
and mys-lf, who pulled them out, they
might have been drowned for neither OF
them could swim