Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-12-23
Teaching Rosalie

FIRST woman on the porch said.
me, tot" agreed the second. "l
never saw a girl like her when II
comes to the water! Why, she is a
regular fish! She could give Annette
Kellerman cards and spades!"
"She dived off the roof of the ferry
boat when it was at the dock half an
hour ago." supplied the third. every
body was lined up to see her do I'll"
"She swan across the lake yester-
day." said the first woman. IL thought
of course, she would be drowned, but
her mother sat and sewed just as un-
concernedly! She said Rosalie was
used TO swimming! Some women are
so stolid! OF course, there was row.
boat following her, but then you never
can tell. think she does it merely to
attract attention."
"She's pretty enough" said the first
woman, 80 the men don't hate her be-
cause she can swim farther and bet
ter than they can. If she were home
ly girl and so superior, Heaven help
her!"
First she beats them," continued
the second, "and then when they are
properly cowed and subdued, she
smiles at them beamingly, and they
arise and frisk around like puppy
dogs in disgrace that have been pat
ted on the head, and forgiven!"
'I'll bet," said the third recklessly,
"that she doesn't get that new man oil
the string who just came last night!
He looks as tho all his grandfathers
had ordered people around and eaten
Off silver plates for breakfast! He's
Off golfing now, so he missed Rosalie's
exhibition. I don't think he's the sort
to be captured by an athletic grill"
The first and second porch women
on the opposite side of the vines that
evening watching the dancers over.
heard it. Rosalie and the new man
had preempted the bench after a
dance.
"Well," said Rosalie, meekly, "I'd
hardly call it swimming-I just pad
die around, you know, Mr.. Montfort."
The first lady gasped and clutched
her companion.
Like all girls" said Montfort, in
diligently. "You could do it if you
tried. I suppose you've never had ex'
pert Instruction."
"N-n-no," said Rosalie, quite truth
fully. "I've just-er-sort of padded
around since l was child, l guess"
"WeIl change all that" said Mr..
Montfort, briskly. "Now, if you like,
I'll be very glad to teach you a few
things while I'm here. I'll guarantee
that before 1 leave you'll be doing
seventy-five or hundred strokes cas-
ily."
"Really," gasped Rosalie, ecstatical-
ly.. The second lady gasped and
clutched the first in an overflow of
gIee.
"Just little courage and some one
to show you the right way" said the
Montfort man, condescendingly.
"Oh, that's so good of you!" cooed
Rosalie in her youngest, most delight
fully trusting voice.
"I'm going to get up at eight
o'clock!" hissed the first porch lady to
the second. 81 wouldn't miss 1t for a
farm! You'd better come along"
The people who heard Montfort ex-
planning to Rosailie the theory of the
breast stroke on the beach the next
morning were so stricken dumb that
no alien word warned tho gentleman.
"It's the easiest" he told her. "It's
all most women ever do-they can't
IN hn nj cfrnlyne -
Like this?" asked Rosalie meelily,
making some ineffective motions.
Montfort sighed. Goodness not"
he moaned. "Why will women use
their arms like brooms in the water ?"
"Tm glad brought my parasol,"
said the second porch lady 20 the first.
because I'm going to stay"
II don't know" Montfort said
mournfully after half hours hard
work. "You don't seem to grasp the
theory. If you aren't an instructive
swimmer it isn't much use. Now, It's
| perfectly easy for me! Just watch
closely, pleased"
He swan about fifty feet and back
and emerged painting tr'fle.
"My!" said Rosalie admirtnsly.
Walking to the end of the pier she
suddenly shot off into space
"My goodness!" gasped Montfort,
tragically, She'll drown! It's fifteen
feet deep out there! Miss-er--Ro-
salie!"
Up from the disturbed waters Ro-
salie's face smiled impishly at his
horror. Deliberately she floated a
moment and then in three minutes
gave an exhibition of six different
strokes. Breaking into the ungainly
but terrific Australian crawl, she
struck out apparently for the opposite
shore.
"Come along!" she shouted back at
him.
"Never mind!" historically said the
| tr t1,o ,naJin0 Mont fort N