60 ON TIIE BEACH AT DAYTON A. 



not yet hardened to open-air bathing, and 

 from their actions it was evident that they 

 found the ocean cool. They were wet enough 

 before they were done, but it was mostly 

 with fresh water. Probably they took no 

 harm ; but I am moved to remark, in pass- 

 ing, that I sometimes wondered how gen- 

 erally physicians who order patients to 

 Florida for the winter caution them against 

 imprudent exposure. To me, who am no 

 doctor, it seemed none too safe for young 

 women with consumptive tendencies to be out 

 sailing in open boats on winter evenings, no 

 matter how warm the afternoon had been, 

 while I saw one case where a surf bath taken 

 by such an invalid was followed by a day of 

 prostration and fever. " We who live here," 

 said a resident, "don't think the water is 

 warm enough yet; but for these Northern 

 folks it is a great thing to go into the surf 

 in February, and you can't keep them out." 

 The rows of cottages of which I have 

 spoken were in one sense a detriment to the 

 beach ; but on the whole, and in their pres- 

 ent deserted condition, I found them an 

 advantage. It was easy enough to walk 

 away from them, if a man wanted the feel- 



