THE MAID'S FIRST BATH. Take a timid young woman's first battle with the breakers a light-built, light-built, frailish, chilly creature. She is tempted, after much persuasion, In put on a bathing suit, and shyly and ashamed w;tlks out on the sand as startled aa Uodiva. Her little feet look accusations to her downcast eyes upon buch i in modesty. Her belittled stature, short ot sk irts, and in coarse woolens that reveal every deficiency of plumpness and all scrawny places, depresses her confidence confi-dence yet more. The breath of the air searches out her shining skin, as if the little cupids riding on the spray laid claim to her so unaozed. She scarce dare look at thosii bold, gazing tlameB who sit on the dry sands under parasols and seek to penetrate her incognito. Then there is a man, a real man, with a pot belly and big, blue-veined feet, and u lazy, impudent, impu-dent, prying stare. "0 Lord," she sayB, "let us go back. I'm awful! I didn't think it was like thisl Don't let us go!" But there is no retreat. The cold water touches her feet and lays its cold clutch above her inBtep, and deriving audacity enters the little trowsere, aud then riotously the fringe of the surf leiips and chills her to the knee. Her breath seems lo leave ner. She lays band ou the rope and gasps: "I can't stand ill" Then there are little coaxings, and she ventures in again on condition that nobody approaches her, and once consents to duck to the neck. Led on by encouragement, en-couragement, she tries the nearest breaker and Sb pitched headlong, but, sustained by the hand ol a friend, arises dripping from it as nervous as ever. Nothing now prevents her escape but the male friend, who holds her firm with the nerve and delicaoy of a doctor. "Courage," be says. "You are doing bravelyl Don't go nowl If you go frightened you will never appreciate the sea! It's coming : there! ' .Raised in those confident arms to let the body of the wave pass beneath, she 'euls only its buoyancy, , and a new sense develops of man's ' strength. As terroraubeides this confidence con-fidence in the bather grows. Her own confidence in her appearance and performance brings back the happy vanity. Yielding to Instructions Instruc-tions implicitly, a sense of purity revives, re-vives, and a steady glow replaces her blushes. Her arms around Mr. Smith's neck. She floats face up ward on his hand. They tumble together to-gether and don't apologize. "Abl" saya Mr. Smith, ' I've learned something some-thing to-day. Be kind to her, and any woman will love you!" "Well!" she says, "I'm sure I never enjoyed myBelf more in my lilel"