The herald., 1895-12-01
HER. ,CADXSHuP

are likewise in sporting colors. the club
for the PRONUNCIATION of "Girls' Foot
BALI being a recognized fact.
As for the play itself-who shall de-
scribe it? A whistle forever and ever
going. Il green field outside wall dot
ted with maidens young and fair,-a
young girl is always good to look upon
"a bounding ball, n rush of merry feet,
shouts of echoing laughter. a quick
dash from side to end, Il retreat, the
ball forced nearer yard by yard. some
pretty passing and fleet running,a bold
kick, an unwary gOal-keeper,-and
once there the ball is kicked off. The
playing is swift while it lasts, but
there are frequent rests. The running
is capital. most girls being able to do
short dashes Mt break-neck speed; and
the passing is as tricky as some of the
best combination playing one sees at
the International matches. There is
never any difficulty in getting good
combination playing, one of the girl
captains told me.
1.-Two sisters, for instance. or two
friends. will work out some good
''dribbling' together. and get goal
before the teams make up to the COM
bination. The difficulty is to get the
girls to play in their own positions.
There are TWO kinds of girl layers,
, those who will stand at ease until the
balliS almost under their toeS.and those
who persist in following it always:
and / don't know which is the most
provoking. At least you can always
locate the first. The others give me Il
sore throat thrice Il week. Then, while
good temper is the rule. there is fire.
quently some feeling over decisions.
and you know that girls don't get over
that sort of thing as easily as men.
If one girls pitches into another during
a match, the latter remembers it after
wards. Men are more hardened. Of
course there are objections raised; and
it is characteristic of feminine foot
ballers that they have no time TO stop
and argue out the matter. The foot
ball season is short, and the daylight
fleeing. Full well they know what
the elderS mean to do when the long
dark evenings come-sigh over the mi
quities of the latter-day girls-so then
will be the time to defend their kick
ing and review the seasons play They
argued last winter that one does not
necessarily raise ones foot to kick
'that is at all high you know" that the
game is no more eXhausting than ten
mis-. is not as dangerous 10 life and
limb as cricket, nor as expensive as
golf. 1t is more fun than wheeling.
even with the added hilarity of tea
ut the club house.
And here is where the real secret of
the play lies: it is such jolly good fun
The best authorities on girls sports.
that is those young women who go in
for every sort of physical culture. as
sure me that next to ice-hocky the foot
ball game, as girls play it. has with
i'll it the elements of more pure fuu
than any game as yet invented even
the battle-ball and basket ball of the
ever-buSy DR.. Sergeant. of the great
and only Heminway. One has but to
watch Il practice game to be convinced
that Il potent matchmaking factor has
arisen i'll the feminine world. Not
even to the spectators at Il bicycle rink
is such amusement afforded.
The ball is kicked Off The forwards.
the lighter tieeter players. are on the
qui Vive: There is breathless pause.
Il sudden dart, a meeting. a bruiSe. ard
the ball is off. 1t gets by the half back.
who is a maiden given to meditating.
and Is saved by one of the backs. who
gives it Il derisive kick to the forward
in line. Then there is scramble. The
CARELESS of the captains agonzed
pleading for some one to please come
across to the left wing. Naturally,