Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-26
LOOK AT OUR GIRLS.
They Ire "Stunners IS Described In
An English RsYitv.
SPORT AMONG AMERICAN HOxEH.
They Row, Ride, Fence, swim, and Play
Generally with skill and Bloom
Like Blossoms.
F'ortnightly Review

G'ortnightly Review
The name OF American girl was once
popular synouym Tor nerves i'll health,
and all the ailments engendered by want
OF exercise, foolish diet, and irregular
habits OF .ife. when controsted with the
English girl. whose outdoor life made her
the picture OF Astounding health and rosy
checked energy, she suffered In the COM
parison.
a generation has sufflced 20 effect
complete change, and our English cou-
sins no longer hold monopoly or out
door sports Where thirty years ago the
girl who went boating and fishing. climb
Ing trees ind jumping fences with her
brothers was looked upon as tom-ooy
and regarded with severe disapproval,
the reverse is now the case. Outdoor
life. delight In action. the spirit Of sport.
have taken hold OF American womanhood.
girls OF strong. active physique erect
carriage, and energetic spirit. deltghtlng
In tennis. riding, boating, walking. are
now the rule; the feeble. indoor do-no-
tail, vigorous race, with FREQ step and
cheeks sglow with the ruddy color Of
physical health and energy. Walk along
the avenues OF New York. Boston. Chi
cago or any large city at the Fashionable
hours, and the procession OF bright ami
mated girlhood which passes before ones
eyes gives ample proof OF summer ac-
tivity In the country and city work in
gymnasium and riding school
FAIR SHARE.
All over the country. whore there are
men and money % start q club and Gre
ate a sporting Interest. the women also
have their fair share Of advantages aud.
In not few cases, their fair share also
of work in setting the ORGANIZATIONS on
foot. There are few country clubs. hunt
clubs, tennis clubs. or oth.r sporting
clubs throughout the Union which have
not lady membership. Ladies' have
also their own clubs in connection with
the former, like the Berkeley Ladies'
Athletic Club Of New York. or separate
clubs. like the Staten Island I.aaies'
Club; but these are more confined to the
East than spread IN general over the
country. As a rule, the ladies hLye their
assured place In the mems clubs. or mix
81 clubs. us they more truthfully are.
which are to be fouad In every quarter
OF the Unon-North. South. Fast. AMI
West. New York city has It's Riding
Club, with men. and women members.
| It's bowling clubs and tennis clubs. and
| It's Berkeley Ladies' Athletic Club above
Inentioncd-an outgrowth OF the mems
| equalization Of the same name and ri
vailed In Boston by Miss Aims Eymua-
| stun. Brooklyn has it's Riding and
Driving Club Of mixed membarship. on
| Staten Island Is the Staten Island Ladies'
! Club also the Richmond County Country
| Club for both men and women. on Long
| Island are the Meadow Brook Country
| Club, and tn Rockaway It Cedar
! hurst, both with lady m mh-rs. aud
the Ladies' Golf Club at Southamp-
ton. There are. besides. the Essex
| County Country Club m New Jersey,
the Westches;er Country Club N New
! York, tho Philadelphia Country club.
| the MyOpia. near Boston. the Nor
ristown Country Club in New Jersey.
the many hunt clubs of the Eat and
| South-all OF which have women as "A
recognized element IL .hcir organiln.
! tons. In the West. near Chicayo. Detroit
! Cincinnati, Cleveland. there are number
less country club. whore l4dies are given
recognition and tournaments are held FOR
them. in Western New FORK. near Roch-
ester, Runalo, and Syracuse, are many
H"c CiuD9 Win l2ly members, In New
Orleans is the well,known Southern Atm.
| lettc Club. also With dies A. lnembers
| and IN California. near San Francisco. i.
large country ciuD Which holds regular
championships for women. LAVA tauni
certainly holds first place IN the heart
| or American girls II one may Judge from
its universally. thOush IL IL indeed har,
pressed by riding. The racket is fal
more common than The suaahade In III,
hands or the American girl. whose sum
mers are ore long scgson Of oui-dool
| ne ut country place. seaside resort. OF
inland village where city visitors miug!.
with the country families ard all NEE
at the tennis club for morning rlay aul
gossip. The result OF this widespreel
patronage OF the game IS The development
OF a very high class OF play amona
| American women.
| Fencing has of late made rand stride,
In feminine favor, and Is az present Ia,
reignng fad In New York society
While the ranks Of our women fencer.
are principally swellei by the ordinary
| mediocre dev1tees Of the f4sq,ouabl,
craze Of The moment. there IRE many whe
have attained Il really high DEGREE al
skill and scicnc, in the art. ana 90 quot,
one OF the fencing there arr
some who are quite capable Of fencins
with any man. however expert. without
having fdyors shown them because theJ
| are women.
RIDING.
After riding, l said that IL follow.
hard upon tennis in popular favor tn.
ri4!ng-schOOl n as necessary a part al
the girls education as the dancins
school. The American girl does no
live in the Iadaie 20 the extent that hel
English cousin does, but she is tho
roughly az -ome there and rides with
grace, and abandon. and 4 carelessnes
which mould horse aud rider intS on,
creature moved by Common impuls,
aud common thought. America has
great many noted h0rsewomcn amons
her women Of wealth ana fashion wa,
own hne mounts, and are thoroughly II
touch with the sensitive intricacies u
| hOrss-nature.
IN New YORK, especially, there IL
great deal Of attention paid TO riding
tue knowledge Of which Is de rigueu
among the girls OF the highest circle
70 learn to ride is a necessary part o
every New York girls early training
The consequence is that New York rfrl
Of family and position have Develop,
into Il set Of finished horscwomen. nOtec
for their beautiful seat. graceful bear
ing. and correct style.
In the South, riding among women 4
very general 1t Is, IN fact. almost tn
only kind OF sport n watch southern
women indulge. They are born riders
and come nearest the English In tha
everyday life IN the saddle, which i
characteristic OF England But they d
not pay so much attention 20 dress al
the northern women; they are less stric
as 70 the details OF style ard form, no
do they look upon riding as sport il
itself so much as a means OF gettla.
about IN alienation with driving. 4
sOutherner VIII as soon ride as driv. 4
where she has either business or plea
sure. while the nOrtherner considers ,h
riding itself a sufficient object, and i
not so apt 10 use It az a means.
| Gnao. lnrLlls my mixing nilrra thnr