Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-27

TUNE @?-Wcll, that's another some
do with my swim and approximate
drowning at city Island. Swimming has
always been one Of my strong points,
but the suit they provided mo with on
this occasion did not show me up in n
very alluring light. 1t was quite large
and evidently built according 10 model
OF tho early Victorian era was
s"athed in yards OF cloth. much in tho
, same manner as is a very young child.
II delighted Mr.. Fogarty. who expressed
his admiration by attaching himself 10
tho lower half OF my attire and re
manning there until had waded through
sevcral colonies of barnaclcs far out
into tho bay. Bidding farewell TO Mr..
Fogarty at this point. went wallowng
along. giving a surprising imitation Of
! the famous Australian crawl. Far I'm
the distance I sighted an island. to which
7 decided TO swim. This was a very poor
decision. indeed because long before |
, had reached tho spot I Was in sinking
! condition. owing to the great hcavincss
OF my suit and a tremendous Stacking
/ down Of lung power II was too late 20
| retreat TO the shore tho island was the
! nearest point, and that wasn't near. On
/ ] Gasped, my mind tccminG with cheer
/ cSS thoughts Just as ] was about 70
shake hauGs with myself for the last
/ time | discovered that tho island though
still distant, was not altogether impossi-
/ bic. Herewith I diSCardc the top part
OF my suit and struck out once more
/ The island was now almost within my
grasp. Thon suddenly quito clearly
Just as was about to pull myself up ON
the shore, ! saw woman standing on
the bank and heard her shouting in a
very conventional voice:
Private property. Private propcrtv -
! sank. This was too much. AS I
came up for the first count and Just
before / sank back beneath tho blue, I
had time to hear here repeat:
Private property. Please keep off ."
went down very quickly this time
and very far. When | arose 7 saw, as
though in dream, another woman
standing by tho first one and sccmingIv
arguing with her.
Hes drowning she said.
I'm suro can't help that" tho other
ono answered. And then i'm a loud, i'm.
POROUS voice:
Private property No ,isitors al
lowed :"
Stillcd her hateful voice
NO. she was saying as | came m
for the third time; II cant do II. If /
make an exception OF one must make
an exception of all"
Although l hated to pc rude about il
] decided on my fourth trip down that
unless | wanted TO be a dead sailor
had better be taking steps. II was al
most too late. There wasn't enough
wind left in inc to fattcn small-sized
bubble.
There he is again! :" she cried in a
petulant voice as | once more appeared.
why doesn't he go away?"
Hes just about to-for good" said
the other lady.
With a pitiful yap struck out feeblv
in the general direction of the shore. II
wouldn't work. My arms refused TO
move. Then quite suddenly and
deliciously ! felt two sor,, cool arms
enfold me, and my head sank back on
delicately upholstered shoulder. Some
how it reminded me of the old days.
Home, James" l murmurcd, as | was
| slowly towed to shore Just before
closing my eyes I caught neeting
glimpse of a young lady, clad in one of
the onc-piccest onc-pisce bathing suits
| had ever seen. She was bending over
me sympathtically.
Private property" cried my tornen-
tor shaking finger at me. What n
pity" | thought as l closed my eyes
, and drfted off into sweet dreams.
Presently ! awolSe TO the hateful
strains Of this old hardshells voice:
See what you've done ;" she was
saying to the young girl. "You'vo
brought in half-naked man. and now
that he has seen YOU in a much worse
condition than lie is, we'll have ten thou
sand sailors swimming out 10 this
island in one continuous swarm"
When ] returned to snore It was in
rowboat with this fair young creature,
The faithful Fogarty was waiting on tho
beach for me, where, it later developed,
ho had been sleeping quite comfortably
on an unknown woman's high-poWered
sport hat as is only reasonable.
C opyrI0ht 1919, GD Frcdcrick 4. Stokes co..