The day book. [volume], October 21, 1913, Image 14

About The day book. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1911-1917

Image provided by: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library, Urbana, IL

                
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Lounging guests stopped smoking
to star(e at her. Men entering gazed
in admiration. For besides being big
and strong, radiating health and
energy, she was undeniably hand
some. "- -
. Miss Ravenscroft has just won the
women's open golf championship of
America, at the Wilmington Country
Club.
"Pardon me, Miss Ravenscroft," I
said, "but what a militant suffraget
you would make!"
"Indeed?" The champion froze me
with a stony English stare.
"You see," I hastened to explain,
"Mrs. Pankhurst has ust reached
America and I can't help comparing
you."
"I've no sympathy with these mili
tants," she replied hotly. "They have
no poise. They are un-English. The
militants ought to play golf and work
off their nervous energy that way.
People who play golf are less liable
to outbreaks!"
"But you an athlete "
"No, please don't call me an. ath
lete." The rosy face, crowned with
yellow hair, flushed a little.
"Golf doesn't demand athletic abil
ity. That's why I love it. Of.course,
I'm strong, but the game doesn't re
quire strength. It's the knack and
skill that win.
"And that's precisely why golf is
the very best sport in the wQrld for
women. Any girl with a good eye and
a steady hand can learn to play a
fair game.
"Better than that, golf takes wo
men out into the open, where they
can't help getting plenty of fresh air
and sunshine. And they can't help
walking!
"The walking is the chief thing
about golf, anyhow. I'm told that
your American girls are taking more
exercise than they used to. If they
haven't access to golf links, by all
means let them walk, as our English
girls do.
"Anybody can walk anywhere.
Maybe that's why English girls are
supposed to be synonymous with
health." -"
"You were woman champion of
'England last year," I reminded her.
"You defeated the present English
woan champion in the semi-finals
here. And now you have the Ameri
can woman's championship. Do you
suppose you could beat Francis Oui
met?" "There you go again! Now re
member, I'm no 'feminist.' I know
the limitations of our sex. And I
know that a man's game beats a wo
man's by nine points. I suppose
that's justjthe extent to which your
male champion is better than I am.
I wouldn't DARE to 'challenge him.
"Really, golf isn't my primary in
terest, anyhow. I didn't cpme to
America, grimly determined to win
this championship. I came to have
a good time. I've had it your coun
trymen and countrywomen are
charming. Only, you take athletics
a little too seriously over here, I
fear."
"Well, aren't you proud of your
title? And don't you realize that
you've achieved international distinc-j
tion in winning for England the first
athletic championship she s wor
from America in years that YOI
have beaten us when your,own MI
.couldn't do it?"
"Yes r suppose so. But it's the I
play I like rather than the glory.
I've been playing for six years. I'm
25 now. My father was'' a hockey
player. I have one younger sister
now playing golf.
"My two brothers play. Yes, I'm
ashamed to confess that I can beat
them!"
o o
Daily Healthogram.
It is never wise to permit oneself
to develop little muscle movement
habits such as drumming on the table
with the fingers; blinking the eyes,
working the mouth. Such habits
mean a certain lack of control over
the" nerves which may lead, in time,
to a real disorder.
. r-6&ka0&