On Friday afternoons in summer, when the week's work was done, and the houses of the good housewives stood shining with cleanliness, ready for the Sabbath, parties of women and girls went chattering and laughing down to the river bank.

There was a particular spot which belonged to the women.

I do not know where the men bathed, but our part of the river was just above Bonderoff's gristmill.

I can see the green bank sloping to the water, and the still water sliding down to the sudden swirl and spray of the mill race.
The woods on the bank screened the bathers.

Bathing costumes were simply absent, which caused the mermaids no embarrassment, for they were accustomed to see each other naked in the public hot baths.