The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-23
WOMEN WHO WED r u.
Patti. the Duchess of Marlborough,
and Other Billiards. 8.
From the Ne,o York World.


o,natious. vocations and diversions of
u,or,en have nearly all been touched upon
bv writer's but not until recently has the
attraction of females for "the gentleman's
camel of billiards been a theme for
oossip-mongers. True it is that years
spo a gentleman by the name OF Share
sne4re. in tale of the love of Egypt's
queen for Roman hero, relates the fact
thai she entreated her friends 10 play
came of billiards, but since then but little
has been said of the abilities of ladies as
manipulators of the ivory spheres. Although
Shakespeare does not say that Cleopatra
was expert with the cue, yet it is to be pre-
snmed that such was fact, and that she
expected to make marker of Antony. For
no one. man or woman, invites another to
NAV at billiards unless he or she anticipates
a victory.
The facts presented below were furnished
a World reporter by John Deery, the
teacher of billiards, who was found one
even ng last week st his headquarters in
Billv Sections rooms on Dr. a1way. Years
ago Deery was cl"Il,l N at billiards
Icing a contemporary Of 1ichael Phelan,
dudley, Kavanagh, McDevl t, Seerieter
aud others who were famous but
who are no longer much known.
Increasing ag' and corpulence drove
MIR, Deery iro dis ranks OF active playersF
and he ssYrue,i as tutor to ambitious
amateurs ard lanl2s, whose wealthy hus-
baLds or brothers own tables. With Mr..
Deery. on the occasion noted, was Louis
Shaw, row o professional whose wife is an
expert billiard and ballpool player, and
who is. by the way, the only female pro-
fessional. A refe ence TO this fact opened
fine foodgates of Deery5 memory, and he
started OUT on a tale of interesting Incl
dents and "reminiscences of his experience
with ladies who indulge In the fascinating
pas lrne.
"Why," said the veteran, 81 know some
W. men who are fairly crazy about the game.
Take. for instance, Nine. Patti, the noted
xongstress. She is what you would call a
crank on the game. She plays a pretty
stiff game too. How it is she became in
terested III the pastime | do not know, but
| do know that | have never yet seen man
or woman who equals her in enthusiasm.
You know that usually when in this city she
stops at the Windsor hotel. Well | remem-
Der few years ago. when she was there, |
was in the Collender rooms when she sent
an order for table, John OConnor picked
out the handsomest he had in the house and
sent 1t to the hotel, where it was put up in
her private parlor. There every afternoon
and at ght after performances she and
Sig Nicolini played, and once in while
professional player was invited. Slosson is
great favorite with her, and under his
Instruction she has made rapid progress.
She is poor loser, though, and
| lust tell you it's fun to see her when
she makes a miss-cue or fails to effect
carrom. Then she scowls and stamps her
pretty little foot and does not regain her
usual frame of mind until an easy shot is
offered her. Then she is happy, and ticks
off point after point in great style. Why,
do YOU know, she is so much in love with
billiards that a couple of years ago she in
vited Slosson to go over to her castle In
Wales so tina she could see him play. Her
billiard room there is a grand one. The
palace Is called Craig-y-Nos, and she has
spent fortune on it; but she spent more on
the billiard parlor than on any one room
at least, SO am told.
. "Anotber lady who is an ardent admirer
of billiards is the Duche s of Marlborough
who as formerly Mrs Hamersley. She is,
as you know, a remarkably handsome
woman, and it is a source of delight to see
her knock the balls arc md the table. She
is great on long cushion follows and around
the-table shots, but is not much of a rail
player. When here she had a table in her
house and practiced for an hour or so every
day. tell you, there are few women in New
York who could hope to cope with her, and
1t was joyful sight to see her pretty face
light up with exultation when she won a
game. 1t was, of course, also funny to see
the momentary look of pain which clouded
the face of her defeated adversary. Mrs.
Langtry is another well-known lady who
plays billiards, but she prefers the old En-
glish game to the French carroms. She is,
however, very expert at the English game,
and | know of no lady in this country who
could defeat her at that style of play.
Zone of the best of lady experts is Nine.
Vignaux, TIE wife of the French cham
pion Mime. Vignaux is petite, vivacious
and even excitable, being just the opposite
10 her husband, who is ponderouS in size
and phIegmatic in temperament. But she is
al able player all the same. Like her us
band Nine Vignaux is an expert position
player, and can nurse the balls on the rails
with a dizziness and delicacy truly
surprising. She of course learns much
from playing with her husband
In his practice, and she does
not deserve as much credit as many other
ladies, ms she has one of the greatest play
ers IS instructor. Another lady who plays
brilliantly is Nine GARNER, the wife of
that erratic but wonderful player, Albert
GARNER. Like her husband, Nine GARNER
excels in fancy and trick billiards. l doubt
If there are many men VINO can perform
the trick shots as she does. She also has
rare command of the balls in regular
game, and can effect carroms and secure
position almost as well as many
Of our p OCCASIONAL players. But, like
all women, she has not the physique nor
the patience necessary to play match games.
Mrs. j. Bessungec, wife OF the professional
OF that name, is also fine player. john
ME- as she calls her husband, is an expert
at both billiards and pool. and it follows
that she is also. But she excels at billiards.
In fact, | know of many amateurs who
pride themselves on their ability to play a
stiff game, who would be much happier
If they could equal Mrs Bessunger.
Another lady is Mrs. Charles Man
ming Charlie is famous as a pool expert,
but his wife takes more kindly to
billiards. have given her some lessons,
and find her most apt pupil. She has a
dellcacy of touch truly surprising, and,
when she gets the balls close together, can
u Cf carrom after carrom with lig thing
like rapidity. In playing she reminds one
greatly of Schaefer She seems to effect
the shot rather from intuition than from
study, and her position play is also effective.
oeleve that in year or so she will be
able to give her husband odds at bill rds.
Mrs. William Quinn Of this city is also
clever player, but she has yet much to
learn. Like all women who pick up
billiards, she uses too much strength and
puts too much force III the stroke. That
must be overcome, and then the study Of
the game itself mus. follow. l find this to
De the case even among some who have taken
lessons. One young lady, the daughter OF a
well known banker hviug on Fifth avenue,
a. l. I-IlA