Year: 1869

SALT SURF OF TIE SAD SEA.


About half-past 10 o'clock the


white flag is raised, which is the


signal for bathing, when prepara.


rations for that rare sport are i'm.


mediately commenced, and small
! parties start for the booths of the


beach; these booths are mere


board houses, about four feet


square, just large enough for a


well-developed crinoline to get in.


They resemble pig-pens more than


dressing rooms for ladies and gen
| tlemen, but they are all alike, and
answer the purpose. You will see
, a fashionably attired lady or gen.


tleman enter one of these narrow


dens, and in a few moments emerge


minus all the "toggery" that con-


tributes to make up the inviting
exterior, clad in flannel jacket
and pants. the latter coming only


to the ankle, generally in their
bare feet, with an old straw hat
tied down in the most ludicrous
and uninviting manner to prevent
the wearers from beingsun-burncd,
the reflection of the sun on the


water being quite severe. Bath
ers when dressed for the bath, all
look alike but those clad in such


meagre habiliments for the first


time are generally nervous: and
act very much as if they were
ashamed of themselves, and glance
down at their pants, especially if
they are ladies, in a manner that
is highly amusing to all veteran
salts. They venture in the water
cautiously and not unlike young
ducks, but, finally, after being buf-
fetted and tossed about by the
surf for a half hour or so, they in
yariably put on a bold face and
march out of the water as if they
were "no novices."


Here is an excellent opportuni-
ty fora single gentleman matri.
monially inclined to see what
amount Of frauds there are upon
the market. The young lady who
may appear to pos s'ess 3 handsome
figure, and is always gotten up on
the expansive principle, with a
profusion of false hair, hoops, pads,
and all the paraphernalia known
to female genius and penetration,
may prove to he mere skeleton
when she is disengaged and extri-
Gated from the mysterious and
complicated concerns which sur.
round her. While upon tie 9TH
er hand, if the lady is inclined to
.embonpoint and is laced up daily
with a block and tackle in order
to make her waist appear small,
or compress her proportions into
an unreasonably small quantity of
dry goods, the fact will reveal it.
self the moment she is we'll satura-
ted with the surf. She can take
none of her "make up" into the
water with her. The ocean is
honest. While the bathing-dress
will not adhere to the skin it will
do so readily to any other SUBJ
stance, like corset or -,
shan't tell what else, tor the rea-
son that I am not al fait in such
matters. But the woman is be-
fore you, devoid Of all deformities
and you can form an adequate idea
of what you will be called upon to
disburSe your stamps for, should
you enter into u matrimonial alli-
ance with her. 1t would be a great
consolation to know these things
in advance. The water is a great
leveler Of distinction. 1t treats
all Of it's patrons precisely alike;
the rich and the poor, the strong
and the weak, are all swayed to
and fro, knocked down or thrown
upon the beach by its resistless
wave, as if they were mere blocks |
of wood. Every one is in the best |
of humor, and if any unlucky no.
vice in bathing should swallow |
D mouthful Of salt water and stop |
to cough, and the succeeding wave |
take him amidships, and send him
sprawling towards the shore, his
mouth wide open, to receive a fresh |
supply, the crowd, as we'll as the
hundreds on the beach, will shout !