The Saint Paul globe., 1900-06-14
FAIR WOMEN IN THE BATH
SHE HAS FOUND HARRIET ISLAND
SOMEWHAT CHILLY UP
TO DATE
RESERVED FOR THE FAIR SCI
Yesterday Was the First Day on
Which the Women Had the
Exclusive Use of the
Baths.

She was very tiny, her locks were
flame-colored and her complexion was
mostly freckled, but she represented in
her small person the dignity of ladies'
day at the public baths yesterday. Its
chilly" she said, politely doing the hon
ors in lieu of anybody more official,
that's why there amt more here. MOST
ly, there's lot
She acknowledged shyly the name of
Lily and owned graciousIy to half score
of years.
"a bathing suit" she remarked with
shrewd look in her knowing young eyes,
costs cents" So with economic fore
sight she proceeded to kilt her small
frock well up from contact with the
water, thereby displaying white, cherubic
limbs and dimpled knees. Out in the
deeper water two sunbonnets We're bob
bing up and down, their owners grown
women. Two pairs of strong arms cut
the water and two 1.-THE bodies apparently
enjoyed the tusslet with the current. but
the fact that it was chilly on Harriet
island yesterday afternoon suggested to
the owners the advisapility of cutting
their exercise rather short Presently
they emerged and with water dripping
from trousers, short skirts and bIouses
walked toward the bathing house on the
long plank.
Looks funny, don't it?" said she of the
ruddy locks, vaguely conscious of her
own graceful little body as she watched
the dripping bathers until they disap-
peared within the booth.
''IhGV'n II fix their hair in che
volunteered, nodding in the direction Of
the bath house. ''There's curIine. irons
there for the women" Then as an after
thought, There's none for the men
troop Of children played around Miss
Freckles and she beamed on them all in
morherly fashion from her perch on the
edge of a row boat moored TO the plank
walk.
Jimmie caught a large minnie yester-
day." she remarked. Its the largest
! thac's ever been caught" modestly added
the young fish story teller. 'Jimmic's
got it yet Come here, Jimmie" she
called with all the despotism o. a born
leader, we want to see your fish,
Jimmie, a bashful snub-nosed Young
ster rung the water from one of his
trouser legs that had become unroled
and made his way cautiously down the
plank He sat down beside Miss Freckles
on the edge of the boat and there fol-
lowed an interesting exploration into the
depths of Jinmie's breast pocket a stub
OF pencil ball of tWine piece of
chalk, bit of burnt cork, two pepper
mint drops and chewed piece of gum
! were laid tenderly and carefully in the
bottom of the boat Then once more e
chubby hand reached down into the damp
pocket and this time a tiny dead fish was
| brought to light. The children gazed at
1t with pride and lively interest 81 fink
its dead, said Jimmie gravely ana sadly.
We all thought so too, and the fish went
back with the gum and the candy and
the chalk and the cork and the twine
and the children went back to their play
in the shallow water
Yes, said the pleasant faced attend
ant who kept a careful eye on every
movement of the children, they Ger
| talnly do enjoy it. There is never a bit
of quarreling or a suggestion of dispute
OF course its only the very small bows
that are allowed in here on the woman 6
side. The little lads come with their
small sisters, and all play amicably to-
gether in the water. They obey the rules
very we'll and never overstep their priv
ileges.'
Yesterday was the first ladies' day of
the season, and hereafter every Wednes-
day will be devoted especially to them
although of course, they will be well
SOIIlSQ every udy. 30 lar the weather
has been almost too chilly for the women
to swim, although a number of them
have been in, and the attendant said yes
terday that there were number of ex-
pert swimmers among the women. Doubt
less as the season advances many who
know nothing now of the graceful art
will avail themselves of the services of
the instructor at the bath houses and
learn. A walk over the island yester-
day revealed the fact that the improve
ments are still going on and that the
neatness and thorough cleanliness that
were SO apparent when the baths were
first opened have not deteriorated one
whit The seventy-two lockers for the
women and the 1OS for the men were
spotlessly clean and the fresh towels and
bathing suits piled up in the Office were
equally spick and span.
Come again" called Freckles, hospi-
tably, as the G1 o b e reporter walked
down the plank toward the bath house
steps. Come again. = echoed her small
satellites shrilly as they lifted up their
dripping heads from the sunny river. The
invitation showed plainly that the chill
dren of st. Paul have adopted their baths