Show 666 A TEA PARTY IN A TANK t < Ef I New York Feb 23A swimming party is societys new lenten diversion It sounds rather a Klondike programme for chill winter and spring but society has set its seal of approval upon the pastime and therefore It Is the smart thing to do The swimming party originated In London Lon-don where her grace the Duchess of Sutherland and Lady Chasterfield inaugurated augurated the fashion London has a vast number of really beautiful and picturesque swimming baths quite separate Institutions In themselves where lessons are given and where one may learn all the tricks of swimming for which water nymphs are supposed to be famous The most extensive and luxuriously appointed ap-pointed swimming bath Is In Bucking bands friends discreet variety will bo summoned No one will be bidden who does not care to don bathing dress and enter Into the water and the spirit of the occasion Tea will be served on the water Naturally these Invitations have caused an enormous flutter in social circles and it is doubtful if any are declined even I If accepted with a half protest at the audacity au-dacity of the affair The swimming basin which is just deep enough to walk about In at both ends grows gradually deeper toward the middle and a change of water is constantly taking tak-ing place by a permanent stream of freshwater fresh-water and overflow A uniform temperature tempera-ture of from 75 to SO degrees fahrenheit Is maintained by a large heater The afternoon arriving for the tea party all the dressing rooms soon fill Finally I the hostess a picture in a black silK bathing costume with scarlet cap and belt and long black stockings collects her of the first rules of the Etonian style Ornamental swimming plays an important I im-portant part at this unique function although attempted only by the men I and diving after eggs and plates will be the scene de resistance of the entertainment enter-tainment To tie a cord around a large stono under the water will be perhaps the most brilliant feat attempted One of the best swimmmers among society I ciety folk learned the art of kicking In good form which is half the battle In i becoming I a good swimmer from a swan To work the leg from the outside to the inside or from front to rear Is the correct cor-rect way I often gave a swan a bit of bread from my punt he remarked She took I It out of my hand so that I had a good I opportunity of seeing I how she worked 1 her feet I noticed that she turned up her cloen toes as near to her shins as possible I pos-sible before she kicked out and when I sho brought the claw up again it was ti4Ji nn ru n v ntut fount n t t ij f 3 II t Ai I r y a t 7C 7 4 1 J i 4 n y a < 1 1 THE PEA PARTY ill A fAriE ham palace road and here society meets once or twice weekly for Its swimming partv all sons of ornamental swimming swim-ming In on the programme with a master or mistress of natation In attendance The swimming party transplanted to New York IB taking on unique and picturesque pic-turesque features and beforo the Lenten season closes a certain set of very smart society women all married women by the way aro to give a tea party in a tank as one expresses It A swimming ten party sounds rather moro comme il taut perhaps but quite as mystifying r tgr rnlnlated Is I certain to inquire what manner of social function ma this be IN NEW YORK The brlalllant Idea originated with Mrs Henry Sloan She intends to engage for an afternoon the whole extensive establishment = es-tablishment of a swimming bath on Murray hill Her friends and her hus kt 4 guests while her husband gets the men together Amid shrieks of laughter and excitement as can be imagined the party I splash into tho water I TRICK SWIMMING I To learn to swim In thoroughly good style has been the aim of the swimming coterie and the ooportunit tc > diioia ones accomplishments before an admiring I admir-ing throng having arrived brilliant aquatic I aqua-tic achievements are expected The Eton style Imported from England happens to be the thing This Is the style as taught at Eton college where smimmlng is made a science and Is taught to such perfection that the utmost grace and speed aro combined and every ounce of strength expended yields its full return Those who have adopted this style say that they nnd tho water resists their exertions ex-ertions almost like a wall To strike the water with the soles of the feet Instead of with the toes shins or insteps Is one > < J t 1 k v J i1i i doubled up like a closed fist In this way i there was less resistance than If the i whole claw was kept open all the time I and when the claw came near the shin again it was opened and the toes forced I upwards By this means she laid hold of the water In advance of her legs and sot a firm hold What nature had I given to the swan study may give to man As to another interesting feature of tho afternoonthe tea and toast part ot the programme around the shallow ends of the great bath will be arranged floatIng float-Ing trays like those used at the famous German baths and on each of these trays will repose a dainty tea service a deux After this novel manner the tea will be U I i partaken of with decorations galore flowers and seaweeds In white porcelain swans and Japanese fantail goldfish in I crystal spheresELEANOR J ELEANOR LEXINGTON I Who |