Bathing in Diamonds.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 420, 16 November 1889, Page 6

Bathing in Diamonds.

At Long Branch, they bathe in diamonds. Pray hold your breath yet a moment. The votaries of folly have nob yet followed their Egyptian prototype to the length of melting down their gems. On the contrary, they cling to them so tenaciously that they have adopted the fad of wearing them even when they lie down by the surf and take a sun bath on the beach. They get the credit of prudence, too. In former seasons robberies of bath-houses have been numerous. This year a sagacious belle, with a pint of jewels, evolved the idea that her gems would be safer on her person than if left in the bathroom, or even given into the custody ot the bath-house keeper. She might have left them in the safe in the hotel, to be sure, but in charity it may be assumed that this simple idea never entered her head. In any event the spectacle she presented on the sands, with, the limitations of her red-barred bathing dress eked out in splendour at least with diamonds and sapphires, struck the rest of femininity as soattractive that in just about two days she had scores of companions. Any of these heavy breakers that plunge upon the beach would make short work of a diamond necklace, or sapphire earrings, or a turquoise bracelet if it were given halt a chance, bub it isn't. The lovely creatures are wise in their day, and the furthest that any of them will dare go in her coquetry with Neptune is to permit the playful foam to run up over her dainty bathing slippers and * fiz ' round her ankles. Bub they make a picturesque exhibition posing on the sands, gems sparkling in their ears and round their throat and on their fingers. They know the value of their stage, too, and are making the most of it.