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Show V WOMAN'S OPINION OFSURF BATHING. Letter lo St. Louii Ilepublkan. Let mc describe the sensation; and, ' as I am a woman, own just the truth aB to this fashionable diversion. First, there is the undressing in the bathhouse bath-house a closet hardly big enough to turn about in; for no lady prepares for bathing at the hotel before going down to the beach. You feel sure somebody sees you through the cracks is tho imperfect planks, and you get red and nervous with fear and shame. Then the ridiculous dress. Why, it is a Bloomer costume, abort pants and a blouse, making a guy of the prettiest pret-tiest woman, and a fright of nearly all. The bit of mirror only shows how absurdly your head looks in the coarse Biiudown hat, and you know you are sure you cannot face tlic curious and idle spectators on the shore in such a rig. Then comes a tap on the door, and "Arc you ready?" gives no moro time for cogitation. You open tho door and step out on the platform to join your companions, self-convinced that if ever in your1 life you havo acted and looked like an idiot now is the time. You cross the sands ami make an advance into the first breaker. Oh! what chill creeps through your whole body; how deathly cold and you see another brcakor coming. You catch the ropo and await tiie consequences, whilo your companion says "Courage," "Cour-age," in that slow rasping voice which means that something dreadful is coming. And it has come. The wavo has gone over you in one blinding, blind-ing, smothering mass, Yjur eye?, your ear j, your nostrils are full of it, and a rain of spray comes down from your broad-brimmed hat to blind you as you feel the sands washing out from under your feet with the retiring wave. When you can see, you know that another breaker is coming to overwhelm you. It looks like a white capped demon that has gathered gather-ed all its force lo drown you and dash you up on those yellow sands that look so iuv'.tingly dry at this moment. "Now for it," shou'.s somebody, as : the monster goes over you, and in n . twinkling your feet are where your - head should be. You crasp at the rope and wonder if the undertow will lake yon out beforo you can be res cued and set on your feet again. Assistance comes just in time to be whipped and tossed again, and this i repealed over again for a few moments; then you walk out as best you can, clinging to the rope all the time, in the most depressed and crestfallen crest-fallen condition. Even the joy of being on the dry sands does not compensate com-pensate for your forlorn appearance; and you know that Smith and Brown are laughing, as you pass them, at your dripping garments. If it wad an ordeal to go down to the watar in this wretched dress, what is it to face a crowd of grinning idiots as you return? The only com furl possible under such trying circumstances is to remember that you can laugh in return when they bathe, and Uiat you will not be vaniztd hy yuur best friends in your present cuslume. |