AT THE BATHS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 695, 21 December 1909, Page 4

AT THE BATHS.

v ;P|ae-.'of;' tho .acknowledged-joys Jpf ■ summet- , ■:tiiue'js to/'Have -pleiity;. of; • sea: bathing; :aiid ;:np# ;tl}at ;{lia'liohyMj'a. ; ,ai - e. at :hand; full advantage : seeius : to, bis 'taken of : the: opportunities ;allord(filiby;ithe-bat)is:;a't the-Te Aio end-of the ;tpVr;nVji;jywn.. ; s : tiU i !a.';;long way. olf,' sounds of ■revelry .grcotjone's 'ears, shrieks ( and squeals of ■.enjpy.uieiitiaauoiinoiiig the fact .that ;thq day's enjoyin,ent; had r ; heguii.V.till almost. one 1 is' inclined i.io ■ 'KqlieTe. that. all sorts'. of: tragedies ■•li'.nst"lie happening.; Rellectidn, however,- aiid Vemembrajice-jOf the'days-of one's : youth- tell -'i one'how Meiise'the ; pleasure'is and'how A h'e-1 cessary Mt '. is \to give -uttorayco ,' to 'it iu 'this : .W^y^''.\S^'"^-'■■ ; -- ■'K :: -V ; " ! -'' " " : . "■ .■"■■'-':'?.'■. ':ii'. ■■■lnsido :the: ; baths:;the scene is well, worth', seeiilg/; Tinyfgitls aiid.ibig girls, and:;mothers as well,;,nre/alUover the' place, sbiue timidly 'hanging..-buv;.to'.the ■;ropes, sonio.swimming boldly, [about fat': thei-.'other, end- 'of the-baths, i Md;.spiue,stTetchedVat full length, in'. , the : sun for awhile bol'ore again plunging iilto the;cool; i .greon'.Arat'or,;;that;iglintsvand dimples/ so : in-: ; .yitingly; .:.Thore'are girls'there, not so-very,.little,, who.:.are. exceedingly -chary-of iriisting 'tlie'mselvos-' fully :to its "pleasant ..mercies.;'Gingerly;they'stand on the steps.and ■put first , one :t'oob;in,i with a 'shiver of : dreadful ahticipatiou, : then' the'other, and ; for a whilethat;.:satisfiesi'thehi..',; Gradually ; ambition 1 be-. defernujaatibiiwanii' a*fkal wild, shriek/ given 'out;;bSibre' ! ..up .about; them;, .they'suddenly.sit'down.-'on a lower.step and ..yanisli up 'to .their necks.-The plunge has 'been liaken/'and'no* they will happily splash:about, ■displaying; tt careful'and .deep regard .for the; frieiidly..rbpe3that.stretcnes.froni sido'to side •:^w-*4m''«s&ii^^'--V.v'-'.^:-'V-:' : V':-:''."' :" ■ V 1 hero are^ quite, tiny fgirls;■:thero, and ■ six l feeli"6frwaler'f6r"!tUsse'who cannot swim' seems rather a., formidable : depth for; them; to. face; even' though very watcblul eyes are kept upon their nipvemeiits.v. v^earfully;:-but with'-'great enjoyment, ■ they; leave':the friendly, shelter of.. ;the; steps; and,- clinging .'to "the rope,, splash |..a'bout-:with greatrgusto; while trying ;to master ',the : 'element4ry : ;Biovements, of'swimming, A ;<!6rk ".lwlt->ie-:lpqked-iiipoa as -a great :.treasuro, •and.is.much'".ta"demand with two.or three of them, as are: some' of those, dreadful wings, that ;some'people place such great leliance in. Onen:Httle girl, , ; however,:.utterly..'refused-' to■jiathoriblantißiihinents, ; coaxings, : throats—all alike'..were .useless' to persuade: her—^he" didn't iirant to*get6wet' ; -like the' cat. According to .the■■'cßrotaker/ii'eomq of■ the best : swimmers ;_he has' turned but-havo been the ' most ■ timid, while -those who seem least .afraid are often very slow;in.learning the lesson.' Some of his •pupils have distinguished themselves..-in-'other' -countries,-vl)r..-; Chappie's .daughters,'; for, instance, who .have been carrying off prizes at . Home, and-two girls who went'over toßris.bane, wittning prizes there.' ; i .'. . ".'■.'■■ ■ •-• . ■ A-:;feature ofr-the-baths,is the.chute, which has recently bcen'ailded, and which appears to .be a -thing of-i deep delight' to 'those who aro accomplished. strimniers.'■ Nnmbers. of them .in turn ,'climb up the .steps loading to the top, 'settle:themselves comfortably, and away ;they go, binding'in;the, : water.with-a.great splash and disappearance,; while; the -beginners .gaze enviously, at theai:from;afar, longiug for the': days when; they - will, be iiblo. .to'., do likewise. 1 .The.'epring-board,''..top, is'spmewhat of a 1 oiirite, while' linonefgetic ones line .themselves along , ;the;fence, dangling their feet ' and watching'serenely those below disporting^thoin-selyes:in-a fashion that would surely fill the hearts.'of mermaids -with, envy,' or oven, rival the little';.fishes that ;dart around and -play so merrily-aniolig'; them "all.-.; Altogether a most enjoyable .and .'rnpst amusing :c'ouple of /hours for,■ those haveithom, , to;spare can be had -ftt:the baths ; pji;a. ; bright'sunnyrday■ ivhen.all