Rutland County Herald

A Yankee in a Shower Bath.
BY CHEVAL

And reader, did you ever take a shower bath? I mean a tight cold one, and in cold weather? If you have, you will know how to appreciate the feeling of my friend, Tom C., upon the momentous occasion of his first shower bath in the city of Boston and month of March, 1848.

Tom hails from a long way down east, or, as he used to say, 'was brought up as near to sunrise as he could get without burning, and where the woods were so thick the moon couldn't rise without help.' He stands six feet six when he stretches. His breadth is not quite in proportion, although his bones were gotten up for a giant. Had they been fairly covered with flesh, he would have been invaluable to 'Barnum.' The truth is, Tom was very frail indeed, and the leanness annoyed him exceedingly. His clothes would be open at the elbows and knees, in half the time of those of his fatter fellows, and Tom vowed to get fat only for the sake of economy.

Some kind friend recommended the gymnasium as likely to be beneficial, and Tom forthwith enrolled himself at Sherman's.

It was there I first saw him, and a right good fellow with a plenty of fun and wit in him, he proved to be in despite of his unpromising exterior.

Among the gymnasts, Dr. W. was conspicuous not only for his skill in athletic feats but also for his beautiful, symmetrical form and superabundant muscle. When he 'peeled,' his arms and chest looked smooth as a woman's and yet as muscular as those of a 'pocket Hercules.'

How Tom envied the Doctor! Many questions he put to him about regimen, exercise, etc., and their effect in producing flesh on the human frame. The doctor attributed his redundancy to plenty of exercise, plenty to eat, and above all, to the daily use of the shower bath.

'Waal,' said Tom, one day, with his inimitable drawl, 'I'm sartin I've skinned up and down those ladders and ropes long enough, as for eatin', taon't to be expected that cnn man can eat enough to fatten such an athletic skeleton as mine. I wish I may be darred if I don't try that shower bath, you tell so much about.'

As Tom and I were as thick as two such thin men could be, I volunteered to show him where he could get one in short order.

We accordingly started for the United States Hotel, then called Tremont House, the basement story of which was hung in number of bathing rooms, fitted up with hot, cold, and shower baths. The latter were temporary wooden boxes standing on end with doors bolting on the inside, and a very capacious showering apparatus in the top.

I went in to take a warm bath, while Tom made ready for his cold one in the next room. As the partitions were very thin, I overheard him soliloquizing something after this fashion -

Waal, now, this upright coffin with holes in the bottom, and a sieve in the top, may pass for a shower bath here, but I guess if we had it down East, it wouldn't be long afore we had sso foreuls blast the thing? Wonder how it works? Here, you S isin I Satly, what's your name?' calling to the servant girl just come in, 'and show me o how the criiter works. I don't see no shower ar anywhare.'

'On my word the gad, don't you r Lnos how? Why, to eisy anutl' You pall this string, and I guess youll se a - shower, and fed it too.'

Tom, who stood outside, caught hold of the string, and before the girl could interfere, gave it a tremendous pull, when down came a deluge of water, spattering them and swamping the carpet.

There now you see,' said the girl, indignantly.

'Yes I see now,' Tom replied very coolly.

All this amused me considerably. In a few minutes I heard a splashing in the next room, and the water was going on the carpet. Before he had gotten ready to take his bath, I was out of mine and in his dressing room. All had been still in his room for several minutes except an occasional muttering of disconnected sentences like the following:

Wonder why there is about the top f- tan a min. Never hoard Noth wavety fao and he took one for tory days. Meghty enali placr to stufl iny earers into. Ggss the ie ish imhuch danger of the nater's com ta up hugh roaugh o droan me. Wor her aiifoll anyibng ostha blaste choaer dd dvn to Bah lat sunmer' I heard haan aher o ppag into li cboyst h whien he carelully baled - Bexcanen' (here came a crash in da ung h for that midethe hou the mogtterrifeagreams andos Sngoh ' Oh Lord Oh oh' Tmm Jrond lightenng' Mader'Fie' Wa of t Le m on'I lo'onormyeh D Eio helpv aid endig by e lliya me aoly 1an0n :a av at and af ohee wathn hegogthal a d Consle, were in the toum Althoug. te nedohogung nothang wa bo en ot Foth ba ih the centte of the Doot Lud tu shouer tath door danvard an the shole atlar aboalutely sugtug from iidovr the door f vopeta caiiatiled the most aaoundiog mans o at iaribotr ever presite oth avioe ohegt of humaneye L moion gaen toaonihmen the her the wonen ecampered and thet moml rabie couid oard pno lotiget Wetedmthe tet sM