The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-05
GIRLS PLAYING CRICKET.
Holly CONTESTED GAME
.TwIxT TOWN AND GOWN

How Some studious English Girls
PLAYED the National Game-An After
noon at the Oxford College for
vyomen-Students' Rooms at Lady
Margaret Hall-Tea Drinking and
Tennis Season Greek and Mathe.
Mates
New YoRK, Nov. 3-If there is pref
tier town in England than Oxford, it would
be lard to find. Shut in by low rolling
hills checkered by hawthorne hedges stand
ing out in the distance in dark relief against
the short green turf, it fulfills ones ideal of
peace and scholastic seclusion.
''Do We want a ba-ath bunf'
II. there! Look at FER slog it though"
Peace and seclusion were not the domi-
nant impressions received by visitor on
the sunny afternoon that found me walk
ing along the Norbury road. There was
a cricket match in progress and the Oxford
AIRY, barelegged and half grown had found
it out. No wonder AIRY flocked to the
scene. No wonder he shouted until his
lungs were sore. 1t was a town and gown
match, and both town ard gown were re
presented by fresh red-ches ked girls. The
long vacation had not exp ired but stu
dents eleven from Lady Mag ret Hall had
scores to settle with ali eleven of Oxford
girls, and September date had been chosen
to have the pretty forward play and the
smart back play and the dexterous fielding
all over before the return OF masculine
undergraduates and Dons with their critical
gibes on the pitching and the catching of
the daughters of Eve. The New Park, to
tie north Of most of the colleges, was the
scene of the play, and AIRY, though he had
not learned of the fun in season to turn out
en- nIasse, made up what he lacked in num-
bers in unfeigned enthusiasm.
The college girls were in their second in
ming. They wore uniform of dark blue
Jersey blouse and short gown, with white
rirdle and visored cap, aud the captaineSs
had sent in two tall twin blondes. whose
yellow curls blew about their eyes, but
whose light steps aud splendid muscular
development told no tales Of midnight oil
or deuilitating effects of the higher educa-
ton. They were wonderfully graceful in
their movements and grace is-pardon an
awkward truth-the rarest OF all character
istics in n woman out of doors. Their cheeks
were flushed. their fingers tingled and they
trod rs il on air.
" Il there, Il! H'aint she a bloomin good
un, thought
4 10 year old AIRY behind me had
thrown up his cap in his zeal. The prettier
of the two blondes had slogged the ball right
She was a good one. She was patient
and she was daring. She was stubborn
In her defense quick in her attack and she
played with the same ease all around the
field. She was mistress of the situation.
She knew it. Her breath came quick and
her eyes shone. She scored thirty-two runs
and was not run out.
THE town girls wore simple gowns of red
ard white flannel with red caps. They
played good cricket but were hardly
equal TO the students agility and grit. Ia
their inning the pretty cricketing blonde
took two wickets consecutively with we'll
pitched balls, whereat AIRY roared delight
edly, AID the pretty blonde redoubled her
efforts and in course of time took ten wick
cts more
The captainesses-tha is English, you
know-showei excellent judgment on both
sides in sending in their women. The cap
tainess Of Lady Margaret Hall was plump
little brown-curled creature whose balls
were deadly. They looked easy. fatally easy
but the wichet-keeler who trusted them
was seduced to her harm.
1t was merry afternoon, full of fun
and. for au American, of novelty. When
it was over there was afternoon tea served
for the cricketers and their guests in the
rooms Of the captainesS and her lieutenants
in the college halls.
Such a rafting of tea cups and busting
punches of the largest translucent English
grapes. College girls are hospitable always
and none more 50 than the athletic students
of Oxford. Hard study and plenty of exer-
else somehow combine to produce the most
jolly and most charming variety of English
girl known.
Lady Margaret Hall differs widely from
tie American colleges for women. 1t is
less spac Gus than Vassar, it has no such ex-
tent Of beautiful grounds as lie about Vel
lesley. Its buildings are not imposing, and
would be overwhelmed entirely in the pen-
itude Of gray old ivy and moss grown ar
chitecture which takes back Brazenose and
Trinity and other venerable Oxford piles to
the middle ages. But the rooms of the
Oxford college girls reflect the whims of
college girls evei ywhere. Eacn student has
the privacy of her own four walls free from
Intrusion and free to reflect her own tastes
Each room is furnished only with small
brass bedstead, dressing table and couple of
chairs, and all else that goes into it stands
for the fancles of its fair tenant. A various
a:semblage of apartments they make.
1t was the small and plump captainess
who ushered the little party of Londoners
first into hers. She was entering on her
fourth year at Oxford and was studying for
honors in the mathematics school," but
her den was the den of an out-of-doors
girl 1t was papered with an old time
paper, uepiCtlHS hunting scenes. HORSE
men with dogs chased deer with disproplr n
tionately large antlers and pitiably slender
legs through avenues of trees from frieze to
dHdo Dried sprays of heather wore gum
med in broad purple bands for relief above
and below The screen that hid the bed,
making dainty sitting room by day was
woven of coarse meadow grass and painted
with rabbits skipping beside a hedge. The
curtains at the window-brownish furry
curtains--hung from under a valance made
from lattice work of intert wined whips.
There we're cricket bats ON wide brackets
over the door tied together with knots of
dark blue ribbon. There was a small Can
adam canoe standing on its stern in corner
lifted with book shelves inside and holding
part Of the canoeist's library. The long,
polished double paddle with which it was
propell- d s>rved as the curtain pole which
suspended portiere of more marsh grasses
painted with daisies over closet entrance
Tennis racquets were tackled up for brackets
to hold bric-a-brac. Fishing reds held con
Spicuous positions and the bric-a-brac afore
mentioned consisted largely of small stuffed
animals and birds. Engravings of Land
seer dogs and deer were the pictures, these
aud small but fine copy of Rosa Bonheur's
horsefair. The floor was bare and inlaid
with dark polished wood. Skin rugs were
hng down in one spot and another to make
IL warm and habitable. An armful of