OCR Text |
Show BAT HI KG AND SWIMMING. Mr. Joseph JeOerson, as the good-natured good-natured but abused Rip Van Winkle, does not mar the original text of the great romantic drama which has made him famous, by injecting a few Dutch witticisms. One of these is where he cracks a joke at the expense of hie termagant wife, and at the same time wittily tells a Bad tale of domestic infelicity. Ten years after marriage Rip suggests to bo me friends, that whereas should Gretchen fall into the river, hia duty might require him to plunge in to the rescue, but he was inclined to think that bis (rau would have to swim. We take it that in case the scolding Gretchen had accidently gotten into deep water, Rip would not have rejoiced much if she had been able to fl-wfm, and vigorously pulled out for shore. But laughing at Rip's humor aud bemoaning be-moaning his marital misfortunes, we BUggest that it would be better for the G retch ens, and for all men and women if they could aud would swim and would frequently practice the art. Few might ever have occasion to swim in order to save themselves them-selves from drowning; but many lives would be prolonged if the accomplishment ware more gene-rally gene-rally acquired, and the practice oltener indulged in. As a cultivated athletic ath-letic sport swimming has few equals, and not many superiors. Aside from the pleasure able sensation of floating about in the water, and propelling oneself through the healthful element, it is an excellent exercise, strengthening strengthen-ing to the limbs and muscles, and its hygienic effects cannot be over estimated. esti-mated. The practice used to be thought of infinite, value a few generations gene-rations ago; but during late years Bwimming has been neglected for the lees useful and not so pleasant sports of rowing and ball playing. However, we believe the interest in swimming is reviving, which is certainly a healthier sign. There are free baths in New York, besides swimming schools for ladies, as well as for males. These, we learu from the newspapers, are all well patronized, and many people are graduating as expert swimmers. Other cities also have Bimilar institutions to those in in New York. The people ol Salt Like are especially fortunate fortu-nate in the matter of bathing facilities. The railroads carry passengers pas-sengers to the lake for a trifle not more than the cost of a tub bath at a barber's Bhop. Nowhere on the globe can better bathing be found than in Great Salt Lake. The temperature ot the water during a long season ol the year, when bathing is most desir-. desir-. able and necessary, is all tbat could bt desired; while its density and large percentage of salt make it not only next to absolutely safe in respect ol drowning, aid its hygienic qualities cannot be improved. We wish thai twice us many people could be induced to take advantage of the excellent opportunities, both for learning to swim and for keeping their bodiei clean by a splash in the lake, betides treating themselves to a healthful and pleasant exercise. It is a good fashion that teachea woman and girls how to swim boys usually acquire the accomplishment themselves as they are thus given an art that not only adds to their enjoyment and health, but in cabc they should fall jinto the water, they will not be reduced to the dilemma of drowning or waiting until some man goes to the rescue. We do not think half ao much of bealiDg as we do of pre serving the health, aud one of the most necessary things to retaining health is frequent and thorough bathing bath-ing of the body. Of course the proper placo is iu the place provided by nature. Tuba and vats will do well enough where there are no rivers, ponds or lakes, but where the latter exist a bith in the former is only an aggravation and a cheat. Everybody go the lake as often ai convenient, and all learn to swim! |