St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-12-13
BOWLING.

AHC iSCeHC SIftlCu OIL WdrUf WedJHer
has induced temporary cessation of
interest in an athletic sport which has
taken hold of this city during the pres
ent season with extraordinary violence.
1t is hardly necessary for the GLOBE to
say that by this it refers to bowling.
Ever since the thermometer went down
in November the alleys of our city have
been much more popular than either its
streets or its avenues. Progressive
euchre, which in past years consumed
the highest energies of many of our best
people, has been abandoned by its most
faithful vOtaries; and even donkey and
bonnet parties have lost some of the
allurements they have heretofore had
for the intellectually maturer members
of our local society. The ninepins and
the big and little iron balls have be-
yond possibility of doubt and cavil en-
Joyed the greatest prestige in the midst
OF us this winter, and there is no telling
what might have been the outcome up
to date had not 40 in the shade checked
for awhile the enthusiasm of their
wielders.
This paper advises those who have
viewed with some dismay the social
effect of this latest outbreak not to be
too much encouraged by the immediate
situation. This is pre-eminently an oc-
casion for making hay while the sun
shines, for it can safely be predicted
that when the snow flies again our
young women will have no leisure for
the conventional amenities which they
found gratifying enough until this in
tenser delight was opened to them. A
sad-eyed leader of our four hundred is
prepared to make affidavit that his
proposition of marriage was bluntly re-
fused the other night by lifelong ac-
qualntance who had given him every
encouragement until few months ago,
and that her only excuse for her change
OF heart was that she was too busy. She
said that she saw no reason for getting
married, that bowling was good enough
for her. Her victim, if he still loves
her, had better renew his suit at once.
Ii he delays until the temperature
changes, he will find her obdurate again
to his entreaties.
A pastime so absorbing as this may
be fairly criticised as inimical to the
welfare of the republic, 1t threat
ems to interfere with the number of
wedding receptions, which are usually
very interesting features of social life,
not only by inspiring a sentiment of in
difference about matrimony in the coun-
try, but also in more material and
physical way. One of the curious
anomalies of bowling it that it affects
the vision of the player. If he is very
small, he is sure to think that the big
gest balls are small also. If he is very
big, he is sure to think that the smallest
balls are just about his size. People with
unpretenIiOuS muscles for this reason
quite unconsciOusly use for the purposes
OF the sport the heaviest spheres they
can lay their hands on; and the result,
while not necessarily fatal. can fairly be
called manning as far as the
fair sex is concerned. At a re-
cent competitive match between the
young men and young women of
one of our Chautauqua circles. the young
men came out ahead simply because
several of the most skillful young
women had to stop before the game was
finished. one of them being shy as to
hand which was in quite good shape
when she began, another being shy as
to small toe: and still third, of plump
figure, being bruised as to her general
person because some one, in the excite
ment. had mistaken her for ball and
rolled her with much vigor down the
alley. It's senseless prejudice which
makes men hesitate about marrying a
woman shy as to one hand or a small
toe, or bruised as to her general person.
The soul is the thing to be considered
under such circumstances. But it must
be admitted that there is such preju-
dice, and, in a phllOsophic analysis of the
influences of bowling on contemporary
civilization, it would not be scientific to
leave this feature out of consideration.