The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-07-27
DONE BIZ 1 GIRL SWIMMER.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel
The remarkable feat Of swimming for
foruy-One minutes and during al that
time using one hand to held an open
umbrella over her head with a stiff
wind blowing. was accomplished yes
Eerday morning by Miss Lydia Winter
halter Of 695 Holton street To win
wager and show an instructor at Rom 3
swimming school that she was q better
Judge of her own endurance than he
she undertook to remain IN the water
under these difficulties for half an hour
and succeeded in overreaching the time
limit by Il minutes
The undertaking would have been a
formidable one for any pTacIIced SWIM
mer, for the burden of supporting an
umbrella light though it may be, is
considerable for that length of time
without a shift from hand to hand,
while it also means that one arm is use
less as far as assisting in the operation
Of swimming Is concerned, IN the pres
ence of strong breeze, and it is seen
the self-inposed task was one from
which almost any one would shrink. For
a young woman. therefore, to accomplish
II with its tax on the strength and en-
durance, is a matter of special note, and
in consequence Miss WinterhaIrer has
found herself in the possession Of
newly acquired reputation as a swim
mer deserving Of respectful considera-
ton by the best of the many persons
Of that portion of the city who are ac
com plished in the aquatic line The
young woman. who Is 10 years or age,
has been fond Of the water ever since
she was 4 child and she has always
been an adept at the sport bur II was
not until her achievement OF yesterday
that she had an opportunity to Demon
strate what she could actually do.
Miss WHITEWATER was at the swim
ming school yesterday forenoon VITA
several companions. one % whom was
attempting 10 swim about with an UNI
breIIa IN her hand, when u discussion
arose as to the difficulty Of the feat
Miss W interhaIter expressing the opin-
ion that it was not especially hard and
that she could do it for half hour il
need be- The boast was not made with
any intention of putting it into prac-
tice, but as one Of the swimming IN
structors who took part in the discus
sion insisted that the young woman
could not possibly do as she proposed,
Miss WinterhaIter' ASSURANCE asserted
itself and she inquired how much he
was willing 70 wager on MS opinion
A 81 bet was the outcome and the other
swimmers at the place gathered about
to watch the experiment
Miss WinterhaIter was as good as her
word. She swan into the deep water
with the umbrella IN her right hand,
and set about 10 earn that dollar bill.
The conditions were that she should
hold the umbrella in the same hand
without changing. though she could use
any method or swimming that she de-
sired. The young woman swan about
awhile en- her side and then On her back
and then rested by treading water, but
upright position above her head, and
never gave the slightest indication OF
dropping, as the minutes passed by
The swimmer laughed and conversed
with those watching the feat. and gave
no sign of exhaustion and when finally
the half hour was pronounced up by the
time keepers and the wager was won
she decided to stay a little while long
er Finally when forty-Oue minutes had
elapsed she swan ashore apparently
as fresh as when she had stepped into
the water nearly three-quarters Of an
hour before.
Miss WinterhaIter refused to accept
her well-earned money, regarding her
gain IN local fame as quite sufficient to
pay her for her accomplishment