Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-11
GIRL SWIMMERS FEAT.
Swan for FOrty-One Minutes Holding
an Open Umbrella.

From the Milwaukee Sentinel
The remarkable feat of swimming for
forty-one minutes and during all that time
using one hand to hold an open umbrella
over hear head. with stiff wind blowing.
| was accomplished yesterday morning by
Miss Lydia WHITEWATER of 695 Holton
street. To win a wager and show an in
structor at Rohns swimming school that
she was a better Judge of her own endur-
ance thar he, she undertook to remain in
the water under these difficulties for half
an hour, and succeeded in overreaching the
time limit by eleven minutes.
The undertaking would have been a for
mldable one for any practiced swimmer for
the burden of supporting an umbrella light
though 1t may be. is considerable for that
length of time without shift from hand to
hand, while 1t also means that one arm is
useless as far as assisting in the operation
OF swimming Is concerned, in the presence
of strong breeze. and II is seen the self
imposed task was one from which almost
any one would shrink. For young wo-
man, therefore. to accomplish 1t with its
tax on the strength and endurance, is a
matter of special note, and in consequence
Miss Winterhalter has found herself in the
possession or newly acquired reputation
as swimmer deserving of respectful con-
sideration by the best of the many persons
of that portion of the city who are accom-
plshed In the aquatic line. The young wo-
man, who is nineteen years of age has
a child, and she has always been an adept
at the sport, but Ii was not until her
achievement of yesterday that she had an
opportunity to demonstrate what she could
actually do.
Miss WHITEWATER was at the swimming
school yesterday forenoon with several
| companions one of whom was attempting
to swim about with umbrella in her
hand when a discussion arose as to the
difficulty of the feat, Miss Winterhalter ex-
pressing the opinion that it was not
especially hard. and that she could do II for
half an hour, if need be. The boast was
not made with any intention of putting 1t
into practice, but as one of the swimming
instructors who took part in the discussion
insisted that the young woman could not
possibly do as she proposed, Miss Winter
halters assurance asserted itself and she
inquired how much he was willing to wager
on his opinion. A 81 bet was the outcome
and the other swimmers at the place gath
cred about to watch the experiment
Miss Winterhalter was as good as her
word. She swan into the deep water with
the umbrella. in her right hand. and set
about to earn that dollar bill. The condi-
lions were that she should hold the UNI
brella in the same hand without changing
though she could use any method of swim
ming that she desired The young woman
swan about awhile on her side and then
on her back, and then rested by treading
water. but during 1t all the umbrella con-
tinued its upright position above her head
and never gave the slightest indication of
dropping. the minutes passed by. The
swimmer laughed and conversed with those
watching the feat, and gave no sign of eX-
haustion, and when finally the half hour
was pronounced up by the timekeepers and
the wager was won, she decided to STAY
little while longer. Finally, when forty
one minutes had elapsed. she swan ashore
apparently as fresh as when she had step