Year: 1873

Modern Mermaids ON the Beach.


Correspondence New York Times.l


II you who are baking in the oven.like
atmosphere Of the city could cool your
selves by thoughts Of the brisk breezes
which the Atlantic sends us here, what a
temptation il would be 10 grow eloquent
on our meteorological conditions. /
should expatiate on the fact that blank.
cts still hold a place in our domestic
economy; that a stout coat is yet com
Portable article for morning and evening
wear; that at all times OF the day one
can walk briskly without inconvenience;
that sun-stroke is AS likely TO follow
much exposure as the black plague, and
no more; and that to-day at noon the
thermometer hanging in the main hall
way Of the hotel showed temperature
Of only 720, while stiff breeze was
blowing which made one desire TO move
with extreme liveliness This is a con-
dition of atmospheric affairs which could
not very well be changed for the better.
II is true, the day closed with a gloomy,
leady sky overhanging a dull, leaden
sea, and the wind came damp and chilly.
But the morning was glorious. The
sun shone out bright and cheerful,
and the crested waves came leap
ing in on the long sandy beach
with a joyful, ceaseless motion which
never tired. Though the season, as !
have said, has not fairly commenced
yet, the beach was enlivened by num-
bers of bathers, mostly ladies and chill
dren, by the numerous pretty equipages
in which they drove drown, and by
groups of visitors who looked on, but
did not tempt the waves, or had already
taken their morning dip. Here came
neat little basket phaeton, with couple
of pretty girls driving; next family
carriage, from which burst out crowd
of young ones, who straightway made
tracks for the long line Of bathing
houses; now wagonette, with a party of
ladies; then an English dog cart, the
very stylish individual who drives hav-
ing come down to the beach to be seen,
and possibly to see others. Next would
come dowR couple of unpretending
buggies; then a rather loudly fitted
brougham, with snowy horses; another
ladies phaeton, etc. The occupants Of
these vehicles generally leave them a
few minutes after arrival-just time for
a preliminary SURVEYOR the bathing
houses, from which they shortly emerged
so transformed that their own mothers
would not have known them, uhless they
had happened to see them in the cos
tune before. The bathing costume is not
calculated for show-a lady cannot
be said to increase her personal attrae-
tions by adopting it. Yet sometimes
feminine ingenuity will at least prevent
too much loss Of them. Two or three
very prettily-made dresses, the material
being of light striped pattern, instead
of the usual mud brown, were to be seen;
and in each case the wearer was one
who, when disporting herself in the waves,
reminded one of the traditional beauty
of the mermaid. Like mermaids they
were, many of them, in their evident
familiarity with the sea. The mites of
youngsters hoped about in the shadows
like frogs. One of these came out of
small hole he had been Topping about
in to meet his two sisters, who were just
entering the water. Ee suspected moth
ing; but they seized him by the neck
and waistband of his suit-it was red,
and gave him the look of boiled shrimp
and doused him under the waves in the
most business-like manner. Thereupon
arose little shriek and two legs, as thin
as matches, were kicked violently above
the surface of the sea; but the mermaids
paid no attention to these matters. They
picked up the young norman, and carry
ing him further out, in the same business
like style as before, initiated him into
the delights of riding on the rollers.


After bath on Easton's Beach, one
feels ready for anything. There is none
better, | should think, in the world. 1t
is deep, in sheltered bay, into which,
however, the Atlantic can roll some good
sized waves. The broad stretch of sand
is smooth and hard to the tread, and the
water is shallow enough to make it safe
for the youngest little mite to paddle
about in. Health and vigor come borne
ON the wings of the sea-breeze and in
the leaping waves. But if ladies desire
to preserve their compilations (though a
little healthy tanning would be no small
attraction to some }, they had better pro-
vide some protection from the too ardent
attentions of Eolus. If the skin is at
all sensitive, the effect of only one day S
exposure on it is something marvellous.


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