The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-01
ENGLISH WOMEN'S FUN.
They Go in Heavily for Riding,
Cycling, Lawn Tennis and
swimming.


The prominent place which women
have suddenly taken for themselves in
ali forms of healthy outdoor exercise
is of such recent growth that it has
not vet had time to form itself into
clubs and associations. We, in Lon
don, have not yet seen women able to
/ form coteries and ladies luncheons,"
as the sex is said to do in New York
and Boston, into which no intrusive
male foot may enter. Whatever they
NAV do across the Atlantic ii is certain
that the fair Yankee visitor does not
here show such aggressive femininity.
and is glad enough to take her pleas
ures in company with despised man
when the man is Englishl No form
of recreation, to a well born English
IN can OF course compare with
riding. True, in London, that is only
to be obtained in the Row, but under
no circumstances does a we'll born girl
look more fascinating than when
turned OUT for the midday ride.
Time was when a tall hat and the
most perfect and severest habit were
the strictest essentials OF riding in the
Row. During the last year or two,
| however. IA tOiicluCId ~ iCAdA1tAOh
has come over full riding dress, and a
round straw hat, a covert coat and
cotton shirt were often-indeed most
freuuently-worn. The types and
conditions of ~womenkind to be seen
here are unending.
"A smart pony and a little Rail- cart
are affected, but it is dangerous to the
safety of humber citizens that every
woman believes driving to be the
easiest thing in the world. Only those
who can and do drive we'll recognize
how fine an art it Is under any cir
cumstances, and that in London it
really requires O great amount OF skill
and nerve not to endanger either ones
own life or hat of other people.
Compared with what 1t has done In
the provinces cycling has made small
progress in London as q lady's pas
time. 1t is, however, now becoming
more popular, as several well known
women are adopting it. Mrs. Haweis,
among others, is an enthusiastic
~tricyclist, and can give many useful
hints TO other ladies about the wisdom
of taking the train out beyond dreary
suburbs and ~reserving strength for
long runs among the hills and pretty
cener which can be reached SO
easily from London. 1t is certain that
the prejudice which once existed
regarding ladies riding on a tricycle.
is fast dying out, and many women
now, who are leading sedentary lives
in offices and schools, look forward to
a Saturday afternoons run" as a
restorative and tonic after n weeks
work.
Lawn tennis is played in most of the
London squares, sometimes merely by
family parties, at Others by informal
and friendly little clubs. Almost
every suburb has its lawn tennis club,
while of course it is played on count
less lawns. Hurst Park and the AL
bany clubs have both delightful lawn
tennis grounds, but the really typical
fashionable woma of London lets
lawn tennis wait till she is in the
country, and does not aspire to beat
her male brothers and cousins at it.
That she leaves to that essentially
modern feminine product the young
woman who ''goes in" for lawn teunis
tournament prizes like a professional.
The London has not yet
taken to cricket, save as seen from a
drag at Lords, and thai game, rs far
as the female sex is concerned, re-
mains in the hands of the well trained
Red and "Bluen professional teams
and plenty of country born and reared
girls, to whom it is as natural an
amusement as it is to their brothers.
The truth is. regarding these games,
the prettiness of dress must be sacri-
feed TO suitability for PLAYING, and it
is difficult to maintain the becoming
quiet and dignity which belongs to
''the of the season" in con
junction with them.
Every year sees boating a more and
more fashionable pastime. To be able
to manage a punt is almost essential If
one belongs to a houseboat party, and
the riverside girls are becoming adopts
with the oars.
For what is now fashionably termed
physical education it must be con-
fessed that the working classes are
more fully catered for than the higher
circles. Gymnastic teaching has its
place in the board school system, and
every little girl is certain OF receiving
more or less of calisthenic training.
1t is difficult to imagine better train
ing for movement aud muscles than
that which is given to the girls form
ing the gymnastic class at the Peo-
pies palace, where they also enjoy
opportunities of learning swimming
that many a wealthier lady in Lon
don would purchase if she possibly
could. 1t would be hard indeed to
find an evening club for working girls
which did not place a more or less
efficient course of musical drill within
easy reach of its members, but in the
ordinary middle class girls school this
most important part has either been
wofully ignored or perfunctorily car
ried out.
Some notable exceptions there are,