New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-24
PLAYING For 4 ADMIRATION.
ORNAMENTAL LAWN TENNIS FOR GIRLS.
SOME FRANK ADVICE BY AN ELDERLY WOMAN
TO HER YOUNGER SISTERS.

/ TO HER YOUNGER SISTERS.
An elderly woman, well-dressed and Jolly looking.
sat on the big cool veranda of the Brighton Beach
Hotel day last week watching four young women
dressed in snowy costumes play lawn tennis on the
well-kcpt court that lies between the hotel and the
ocean, having its seaward edge banked up with big
bags of sand to keep the wild winter turf from knock
ing tie sod into little pieces and covering 1t with
sand and scawced.
The court is surrounded all sides by fence,
along which ranged a great number OF benches
and nearly all the seats filed this occasion by
people who seemed 10 derive more or less entertain
mcnt from watching the tennis players. The girls
were all pretty and they knew it, and their clothes
were stylish and expensive, but they could not play
tennis.
Look at them" said the old woman to some
Younger companions who sat near her. POOR htle
geese perspring away there in the seeking for
admiration. See how at every turn Of their bodies
they of the of their eyes to see If any
one Is observing them. But, after all, what makes
me despise them is not much their thirst for ad'
mraon, for that is natural, as the awkward way
they go about to attract IT, None Of them can serve
tennis ball properly and none of them can return
difficult stroke 10 their opponent. Yet they persist
in serving swift balls to another. which are IN
varably missed, after awkward attempts to hit them.
Look at those men over there, laughing at the
awlwardness OF the players. They evidently under
stand tennis and do you think they arc anything like
a. much impressed with the girls If the dear things
could play the game just little bit! Then LOOK at
those people who do not understand the game ana Set
know what lawn tennis Is have heard OF Its charms
and are glad Of chance u played. They watch
with interest the girls begin The first one to serve
takes her position raises her racket. losses the ball
up catches gazing At her forgets the ball In
wondering how she looks and lands the little sphere
in the net The failure annOys her and she hits the
next one sharp but lljudgcd rap that sends 1t lar
beyond the of her adversary and causes the latter
to scOw in altogether unlOveiy fashloh a. she
walks lazily after ii.
The server les ns the scowl and sends the next ball
as swiftly as she can. Her opponent, hampcrcd by
graceful but far too heavy skirts big knottcd SASH
jaunty jacket. and a hat which Will not sit Just
exactly straight If the head is moved Violently makes
an awkward hit at the ball about ten seconds after II
has passed her. turns around ip vexaon and watches
il roll away ont TO the boundary. Then the game
stops until she has wolked rather sukly out TO field
II and brings IL back.
This goes on for an indefinite period with slight
variations. Now and again return is made and
sometimes two in succession, and the onloocrS begin
10 think that they going TO see something interest
ing al last but their hopes dashed at once by the
inevitable miss due as much to the heavy costumes
Of the PLAYERS and their constant watch for admirng
clances as to anything else. by this sort of work
they defeat the very object for which they undergo
all this uncongenal exertion.
Now why don't they have the sense. or get II
from some one who has" continued the old lady, TO
do what tennis players call rally; that Is, merely
toss the ball back and forth across the net, placing
tbc hall I'm as easy position possible every TIME
for vour opponent return il, instead OF making ~
~ hard as pos ,ibc for her to do 80. Never hlnu
alout the i!nc~ Of the courts, or about counting Pv'
or ANYTHING u the kind rut bend all your cherEcs 70
seeing how manv time, yOn and your opponent "no
Is really a partner IN this case ON the Otner sue ~
The net can return the ball without lcttlhE II Ton
away and stopping the game il doc not matter no"
many time, the GALL bounds before you return H. o"
long "a you dc 80 ~ all. ,u., =, ,rtI
Inst baby tennis You say, what OF that II WI
Give Won all The exercise you want Instead OF s'o"Ia
and jealousy and efforts to make your CoHpdI'lois,
mis- the ball and look clumsy, NOu do ~ you ""ulI
he done b. and good nature beams from your lace anu
ocboc. i'm vnur pcas Of laughter The spectators VINO
delighted with the lively sport and THINK you must
he splendid players. Those who DO understand II -"
that Won arr out fun only and admire Your eI'ct
mi noses and agile movements all the more Dt'"uso
their criticism Il not aroused by your poor piaS'
This way Of playing the game is c,pccliIB sool
f,r mere beginner who get Just rs mlch experience
I'm yolleying smashing back hand stlohcS drives. P!O
ing he ball etc. when they try 10 make theli tunhcs
I'm such a way as Will be easy Ia rctn1 a. Wheh u,Y
do II I'm the regular way, and certainly IL tV'' '",n
ten time, the amount ~ practice In ne s'fDfc7. ~
Inc whole. my dcars,T aided the OLD LADY as hie
atbered up her needle work and sought her room IL
Tor admiration let your wachwoGd be Ially F0ud ue