Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1907-06-20
SAGEBRUSH PHILOSOPHY

q uoI dI JlllS IllllS we are pass
ing through the annual bathing
suit ordeal-the which in it's
various phases involves the men,
tai, physical, sociological, conven-
tional-including, also, perhaps
some other things. Though al
ways with us | presume-stowed
away somewhere in a pill box,
maybe,or wadded into a shotgun
yet it may be said to its credit
that the bathing suit doesn't al
ways insist on the center of the
stage in common with most other
red rags of upliftian reform. l
have never met it after the frost
hit the pumpkin to the best of
my recollection. In the winter
it never cuts any ice. Nor does
it prance around with a chip on
its shoulder in the spring. Dur
ing all of these months the bath
ing suit is so modest and unas-
Stunning that it is never noticed,
and we almost forget that there's
such a thing. With the advent
of the straw hat, however, care
full readers of bargain sales are
reminded by the daily press that,
once more, there's something
doing. A half clad creature
smiles at us from the page,
whom we are told is warranted
not to rip, crock nor shrink; was
imported direct from Paree, and
who has been marked down to
thirty cents. A little later we
find her in lunches on board
walks and beach-unblushingly,
radiantly, beautiful-and then
its time for trouble. Those of
us who watched the clock pretty
close seldom find anything new
in this annual crusade against
the bathing suit. Although Won
drous becoming to matron or
maid who doesn't represent the
extremes of mind and matter,
and calculated to compliment
Deity in the image He made, yet
we are told year in and year out
that it is immodest and indecent.
Preachers vociferously pound
their pulpits, societies for the
prevention of race suicide and
other uncomfortable things read
papers and pass resolutions, and
prudes everywhere get out on
the street and throw a few fits.
If these pyrotechnics ever length
ened by a fraction of an inch
that segment of the garment
which reveals the size and sym
metry of the human leg, or COM
PEELED man or woman to pull up
their vest at any seaside or other
bathing resort on earth, some
body forgot to wire me at the
time. 1t is well understood by
we non-participants who may be
said to represent the short Slew
ed and Typographical laity-that
the kickers cant and the bathers
wont, reform. Nor is there need
of reformation, as a matter of
fact. The average costume which
fair woman wears in the water
is not immodest. Her shoulders
are fairly well covered, and the
neck is but slightly exposed, the
skirt falls to the knee, and stock
ings and slippers encase the low
er limbs. The art of revealment
is thereby reduced to a mini
mum. Contrasted with the prev
alent shirt waist which some
good sisters wear-and through
which a hungry baby might fill
it's tummy if material and OPP
portunity offered-or the ball
gown which is all open work and
hangs without visible means OF
support, the bathing costume is
full dress rather than any stage
of undress. Anyway to swim in
horse blanket is impossible
as is the prevention of asinine
interference on the part of some
people whose sole aim in life
seems to be to some day attain
the eminent distinction of a dam
nuisance.
Are you inclined to give cal
to Dreyfus testimony? France