The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-25

feminine fnery after four delightful
months of short-skirted golf days.
Why, I find myself striding along with
my head thrown back and my hands
on my hips, just as one naturally does
when free of long skirts and fussy
hats" That's just it precisely" de-
clared the girl with the red rose in her
belt. ito wear short skirts for a time
makes any girl feel awkward in long
ones; they actually change ones bear
ings! And the dear old felt hats we
wore this summer! weren't they jolly?"
That was all l heard, but it set me
thinking, and a hundred or more pic
lures came before my mind of the
hort-skirted outing girl back in town
wrestling with frills and finery.
Certainly the long swinging stride,
with hands thrust inanlike in her pock-
ct, in which the golf girl had so gloried,
must lost all it's chicness when trail
ing robes are again adopted, and alas!
for that indescTibable air with which
she was wont to s8unter along, her
pretty head tossed defiantly, for what
girl doesn't feel free as a bird with
gown we'll clear of the ground, and a
Scotch plaid on her head, or better
still with an old rough rider that she
so fervently styles jolly? Certainly,
every one must acknowledge that all
these attractions combine to make a
most bewitching ensemble-the indie
pendent air, the smart, carelessness,
not masculinity, if you please, but
purely the feminine expression Of ath-
letic wholesomeness.
These charms however most natu-
rally lend themselves as a background
TO the athletic girl, ana by no possible
means could they be transferred to the
drawing room, says the Baltimore Sun.
| Yet it seems that the breezy air born
of freedom in the outing days. does
follow her and causes no end of mis-
/ chief-for instance, The golf handshake,
which on the links WaS'so appropriate,
brings a touch IF humiliation when
| thoughtlesSly performed in a dignif1ed
gathering. Our athletic girl has Jolly
! little way of curling her Oxford ties,
round the chair legs when sitting Wis
avis for chat. Then, too, she often
stands with one foot on the seat, rest
ling her arm on her lnee-short-s skirt
ed she looks irresistibly saucy, but
fancy, if you can, the awfulness of this
act if performed with trailing robes in
the presence of the august censors OF
an afternoon tea!
am told that it is almost impossible
to lose "the hands in the pocket" habit.
The outing skirts are so made that to
form il is a temptation too great for
almost any girl to resist. Back in town
it is a study to dispose Of her hands;
she is told that in the poise of her
head there is no dignity and she often
forgets to lift her dainty skirts on
nearing crossing. Is it any wonder
that the girl seems changed? She is
swell irreproachable and miserably I'M
comfortable. The winter season VIII be
great fun. Oh yes she is looking for
ward to it eagerly; but just now she
feels Gagged, Initiated, nervous, her
hat hurts her head and her veil hurts
her eyes and her gloves hurt her hands
and she wishes summer was just be
ginning and wonders if city life pays.
SO the athletic girl in town is to pc
pitied for the while. In the summer she
callouses her hands and enlarges her
ankles on the golf links but she begets
ways and manners by which her winter
DAYS are made miserable. The critics
say she is demoralized, but the the
orists insist there is glimmering
dawn of reason in her brain. The girl
doesn't philosophize about it at all, but
goes back to town and has, after all,
royal good time, but l notice that sum-
mer outings grow longer and winter
! seasons shorter.