The evening times., 1902-05-31
Dew Baths SoCiety's Latest
Cure for Plainness.
STRICT RULES GOVERN FAD
Early Morning Notwithstanding
Vota-ies of the Faith Seen at Their
Exercises ct Sunrise in the Wash
ingtOn Parks.


Of the buds Of socfety-and some of the
blossoms-for their newest fad, newest.
because a fad with femininity is never
old; it does not survive beyond It's in
fancy when along comes another and
whiff, the first one is gone.
Tie latest diversion to claim the at
tention and Jealous Endorsement of the
ultra-fashionable is the dew bath. Never
heard Of the dew-bath? It's a popular
and wholly unconventional invention Of
someone. no one knows just who, and is
being INDUCED in with all the vim and
enthusiasm which has been the death of
lads since time tmmemoriaI
For Beautifying Purposes.
The dew bath was thought out aad per
fected for identifying purposes only and
those to whom Nature has been unkint
have eagerly seized the opportunity pre-
sented to BeDme the peer of their more
fortunate sisters in point Of facial at
tractiveness. It consists in bathing the
face and hands. of course, in the early
morning dew. To accomplish this it is
necessary to set up with the sun, or even
before. wend your way to a convenient
grass plot and take the bath.
The parks about the city, especially
those in the vicinity of the fashionable
section. have been the scene of these
early morning meetings ever since the
beginning Of April and more than one
unsophisticated individual has been seen
to stand. rub his eyes and look aghast
at the spectacle of dozen or more
young women on their knees engaged in
what might te anything from prayer
meeting TO q game of Pillow"
Governed by Rules.
Dew bathing is the only fad known to
be governed by'ruIes, and unless these
rules are strEtIy adhered to the charm
is lost and one might Just as well revert
to the plebeian washbasin.
One Of the most popular girls in So
ciety. whose beauty has thrilled many
q masculine heart, and who is familiar
figure on Connecticut Avenue on bright
afternoons. was approached by a Times
writer for Information on the subject.
She at first denied being an advocate Of
the new fad. but when conclusive proofs
OF her presence in the park on DunOEt
Circle were offered, she, confessed ard
biushingly told Of the new diversion.
These baths must be taken at exactly
) O'Clock in the morning, and the FIRST
thing to be done is to describe a cifele
FIVE feet in diameter The path ofiahe
circle must be traversed several times
so as to crush the grass into the ground.
In this manner substance is formed or
the blades of the grass called 'mumgs-
kitakiaqua," derivation from atvo
Latin words 'mumus," to crush, e and
aqua, water. nj ..
Taking the Bath. 80
After this has been done you Must
kneeI first on the left and then OF the
right knee. and pressing the hands FIRM
" and fatty on the earth rub the hose
around in a circle and repeat the pro
cess with each cheek regular mas
sage course is then pursued with the
hands across the face, and the whole
performance is repeated at intervals OF
two minutes until the dirt in the pre-
scribed circle, which has undergone the
process Of "mumuskftakiaqua has
given out
The girls in society have become quite
addicted to the dew bath. but resent the
fact that it is being called a fqd. They
regard it somewhat in the light of 4
religion, and pursue it with the same
show Of faith and reverence that one
would expect the Indian to display in
regard to the sun-dance- Their attitude
in the matter is one to command gen
uine respect. and one cannot but admire
their allegiance TO a cause which means
much for the benefit Of mankind and the
happiness of the feminine portion Of
this bright world.
This explanation Is offered that the
public. or rather that portion Of the
Washington public which finds itself
astir in the early hours Of the day,
may not believe itself to be transported
to a Iatter-day Greece. where the
nymphs wander about in Gibson waists
and svagger walking skirts. That that
same public may not take another view
OF the matter and be convinced that it
has suddenly been seized with a dis
ease which is said TO affect one with
something like second sight. it is stated
that the early morning visions are moth
ing more than an evidence of the prog
.ressiveuess OF the present generation.
The dew bath is being taken in Just
the same spirit that one might take
dose of quinine- The difference is in
the mode of taking. a certain amount
OF Delsarte is required in the former.
while a mouthful Of water will serve in
the other case
The outbursts Of gymnastics which at
tend the dew bath is merely a side is
sue. and while it all looks very spooky
and unusual 10 anybody who happens
not to have heard all about it. the
process is nevertheless far ahead of any
thing previously prescribed.
Some of the girls who have not mus
tered up courage to 90 to the parks
conffne themselves to their own back
wards. But il isn't at all times wise.
People in the next house are apt to
peep. and in their astonishment they
might be prompted to call the police
Suffice il to say that the dew bath
ike Fox Quiller, has arrived, and from
indications bids fair TO stay for some
time. The automobile may 90 and every
other lad and fancy perish, but as long
as there = 3 chance to create ''mumus-