16 FACTS AGAINST FICTION. 



effect tliat '' women were made fools to match the 

 men." 



My strong-minded woman was old, and, being 

 practical in everything, determined to learn to 

 swim. In those days there were no ^' ladies' 

 swimming baths," where an accomplished female 

 swimmer instructs young ladies in the art ; and she 

 woukl have died of sheer ferocity if a bathing- 

 man had done anything more than conduct his 

 machine into the water. Before going on a 

 contemplated sojourn at the seaside, she caused 

 a gold-fish basin in her garden to be considerably 

 enlarged, and a close awning to be raised over it, 

 to shut out the rays of the wicked morning sun. 

 About this pond, in its pristine state, she had often 

 seen frogs, which, when startled at her approach, 

 would take headers back into the water, to the 

 great disturbance of the gorgeous fish, and she 

 had observed how well frogs could swim. Upon 

 this hint she acted; caused a vigorous frog to be 

 caught and conveyed to her chamber, that she 

 might study his action at leisure. Having learned 

 all she could, and confident in her own powers, 

 she carried her tutor frog in his basin to the 

 garden, and let him out into what she had caused 



